Published Aug 6, 2026, 1:12 PM EDT
Back-to-School on a Budget: Smart Ways Military Families Can Save
Turn back to school into lessons with inventory checks, kid-led lists and modest rewards like Exchange gift cards for effort.
There's something about the back-to-school season that makes my wallet nervous. One minute I’m stressing over summer childcare options and the next I’m receiving detailed back-to-school lists from my children. Between clothes, shoes, backpacks and supplies, it's amazing how quickly the total climbs. And I know that’s just the beginning of the school expenses. I don’t even want to start thinking about parking passes, club dues, PTO registrations, field trip expenses or the cost of school lunches. But here we are, approaching the start of the school year, and it’s staring us down. So, what’s a parent to do? Well, we have some options.
Start with What You Already Have
