Back-to-school shopping costs hit record high, just before tax-free weekend

Tax free weekend is coming up in Iowa, just in time for back-to-school shopping. A new report from Savings.com says families plan to spend a record-high $628 per child on clothing, supplies, and technology. This marks a 4% increase from last year. The report also found 71% of families plan to spend more this year compared to last and highschoolers cost the most with an average of $800 per student. 72% of parents are taking extra jobs or cutting costs to manage back-to-school expenses, a significant rise from 56% last year. Seven in ten parents expressed concern about how tariffs could further inflate prices for classroom essentials. Iowa’s annual sales tax holiday, known as Tax-Free Weekend, will take place from Friday, August 1, through Saturday, August 2.