The Calm Back-to-School Budget: Inventory First, Shop Second
Every August, the same feeling shows up in a lot of households: school supply lists appear, store flyers pile up, and suddenly it feels like an emergency purchase you didn’t see coming. But back-to-school spending isn’t actually a surprise — it happens on the same calendar every year. The families who feel least rattled by it aren’t necessarily spending less; they’re just deciding what to buy before they walk into a store, instead of deciding in the aisle.