Kids grow fast and that becomes evident during back-to-school shopping season when parents have to replace pants that now land well above the ankle or shoes that are too tight.

But this year, parents are being a little more frugal as they replace too-small clothes along with pencils, crayons and folders crushed at the bottom of book bags decorated with cartoon characters that kids may or may not even like anymore.

“Those concerns surrounding inflation and the impact of tariffs are causing consumers to be a little bit more budget conscious,” said Cailey Locklair, president of the Maryland Retailers Alliance. “That’s really what’s impacting some of this spending.”

Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman said President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs, which she characterized as effectively being additional sales taxes for consumers, were particularly ill-timed for families and back-to-school shopping. She said she’s spoken to several retailers who are raising their prices now because they can’t continue to eat costs. And many school supplies cost at least 20% more today than they did pre-pandemic.

“It’s not just that parents and families feel like prices are higher now,” Lierman said. “They actually are higher now.”

This year, parents and others who care for children are more likely to shop around for the best deals and break brand loyalty — bye, Crayola crayons; hello, Cra-Z-Art. And they’ll be digging for cheaper items at both big box retailers and secondhand stores. They’re also increasingly keeping just the basics in their carts, which they started filling earlier in the summer to take advantage of deals and spread out spending.

They can expect to say these things a lot more: “No,” “Put that back,” and “I don’t care if your friend got it, we’re sticking to the list.”

Maryland merchants aren’t bracing for any major spending declines, said Locklair, who represents big and small retailers across the state. Still, stores are offering deals or matching prices of competitors to reach parents who are getting pickier with their dollars.

Here’s how families can do more with less.

Start at home

Jennifer MacCormack always makes sure to shop at home before hitting the stores.

“Inevitably, things come back at the end of the year either unused or just partially used,” MacCormack said. “So much of the time, I can use articles that have been sent back home last year.”

For example, the 44-year-old Columbia mom will rip pages out of partially used composition books and send them back to her kids’ classrooms for the new year.

MacCormack also invests in higher-quality items her kids can use for multiple years. She bought L.L.Bean backpacks for her three kids, which she nabbed during a sale; one has lasted four years and is “still in very good shape.” She buys plastic instead of paper folders to stretch their use. And she doesn’t buy book bags or lunch boxes stamped with her children’s favorite characters at the time, because “kids are fickle with their love.”

Then shop around

MacCormack went to Staples this year because that’s where she found the best prices. Target, though facing a boycott, has also been popular with parents this year, featuring deals like two-pocket folders for 50 cents and composition books for under $1.

“I know we all might have gotten out of the habit of coupon clipping, but it’s something that I think many of us are taking up seriously again,” Lierman said.

Locklair said customers are comparing prices and shopping at discount retailers, like Ollie’s Bargain Outlet and stores in the TJ Maxx family.

Ashleigh Coaxum, owner of Paper Herald in Mount Vernon, sells plenty of back-to-school items, such as notebooks, pens and planners. She said while some families come in for the basics, she’s noticed many turn to her for specialty items, like writing utensils from Germany or decorative Japanese Washi tape, which kids use for junk journaling. They gravitate towards colorful pens or watercolors so kids can practice the arts they learn in school back at home.

“They’re shopping at all of the big box stores online and they’re trying to find the best deals,” Coaxum said. “But they tend to come to our shop for more of an experience with their child.”

Get it used

MacCormack said she’ll use consignment shops or local Buy Nothing groups on Facebook to secure some of her needs. Over the summer, as kids transition from middle to high school or go off to college, she’s noticed parents have plenty to give away.

Adriana Ocañas, a consumer credit card analyst with U.S. News & World Report, said 25% of caregivers nationwide this year plan on visiting in-person and online thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace for back-to-school shopping. For Baltimore families worried about the tariff crunch, there are places like the SCRAP Creative Reuse store and The Thrifting Place.

Parents can also turn to free community giveaways, often advertised in family-oriented Facebook groups and run through churches and nonprofits.

Love Alive Ministries in West Baltimore, for example, hosted a giveaway at the beginning of the month where 119 kids across all grade levels received free back-to-school supplies. Pastor Gordon Wright Jr. said binders and backpacks were the most popular items. Families lined up 20 minutes early for the event and volunteers were left “scrounging” an hour before it ended as parents scooped up supplies.

Shop the sales

To get ahead of tariffs, parents started shopping in early July, according to the National Retail Federation. That’s almost two months before the first day of school in Maryland.

Shopping early also means getting to take advantage of major sales, like Amazon Prime Day, and can spread the back-to-school budget over multiple paychecks.

But procrastinators can still benefit: During Maryland tax-free week, which ends Saturday, clothing and shoes under $100 are tax free, as is the first $40 of backpacks.

And if your anxiety can hold out longer, Ocañas recommends waiting for the first day or two of school to pass. Then, parents can see what supplies their kids will actually need, potentially tamping down a daunting list.

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.