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Sharpen your pencils and fill your backpacks because schools will be back in session before you know it. Each new school year often means a fresh set of supplies, clothes or a new tech gadget — or maybe all three.

According to the National Retail Federation’s Back-to-School 2022 survey, families plan to spend a whopping $864, on average, on back-to-school supplies this year. Among college students and their families, that number jumps to $1,199.

With countless back-to-school deals and discounts, it’s important to be savvy when choosing your items so you don’t end up overspending or purchasing any unnecessary products. Before you start shopping, read through these tips to help

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Parents prepping kids for back-to-school might also be trying to prep their bank accounts.

According to the National Retail Federationparents will spend an average of $864 on school supplies in 2022, a $168 increase from 2019.

Diane Morais, president of consumer and commercial banking at Allytold TODAY Parents that recent price hikes “definitely” have parents crunching the numbers a little harder this back-to-school season.

“Families clearly need a few strategies to help them make the most of what they have to spend,” Morais said.

Sharita M. Humphrey, financial educator and spokesperson for Self Financialtold TODAY Parents that it’s important for parents to think ahead when it comes to the financial implications of back-to-school spending.

“Carrying debt each month is stressful and can negatively impact your credit,” Humphrey said. “Planning back-to-school shopping purchases by looking for the best deals will help to alleviate unnecessary spending and limit what

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Dietitian’s Dish: Dietitian’s top tips for shopping on a budget

Published 5:34 pm Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Kristina Swanson

Corporate Hy-Vee Dietitian

Sticking to the budget is top of mind for many shoppers but can be challenging when planning family meals! This National Family Meals Month, with help from your Hy-Vee registered dietitian team, we hope to show you how shopping with health in mind does not have to break the bank. Skip the fast food and eat healthier to stick to your budget and health goals as a whole family!

Eating at home can be a healthier and less costly option when you follow these dietitian-approved tips:

MAKE MEAL PLANNING A PRIORITY: Planning meals in advance helps pinpoint the ingredients needed and makes shopping more efficient. Decide what you want to eat and buy just the ingredients called for in the recipes (after checking your pantry to make sure

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Even with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Actconsumer prices continue to rise at nearly the fastest pace in 40 years.

Perhaps nowhere is the impact of searing inflation more acutely felt than in the grocery aisle, where the cost of staples like eggs, milk, flour and chicken are eating into household budgets. Food at home — or meals prepared from grocery purchases — rose 1.3% last month, with all major grocery store categories seeing price jumpsthe Labor Department reported last week. Egg prices are up a whopping 38% from a year ago, while other items seeing double-digit increases include flour (23%), butter (22%) and coffee (20%) government data show.

As Americans look for ways to protect themselves from inflation, here are three tips to ensure your next trip to the grocery store doesn’t break the bank.

Make a list

It may sound obvious, but the

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OPELIKA, Ala. (WTVM) –

How can I save, how can I get my prices lower,” said Kroger of Opelika Assistant Store Leader Steven Webb.

Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows grocery prices jumped 12.2 percent in the second quarter.

Eggs, flour, chicken veggies and milk saw the biggest increase at the stores. I spoke with one area grocery chain to get the best money saving tips

Whether you’re “Krogering” or shopping elsewhere, you can’t ignore a higher grocery bill.

But you can save if you do your research.

Webb offers these tips shoppers can use at any store to offset costs.

“Look for the in-store specials, look for sales, look for local deals, look for where your local store has partnered with vendors to bring a better price for you,” said Webb.

At Kroger you can do what they call trade up. Checking the unit price on some

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