Deal Finder: Back-to-School Money Tips … Save on School Supplies, After-School Care, More
By LaTINA EMERSON, Special to The Coweta Shopper
Though the 2025-26 school year started locally in early August, parents with school-age children were and still are faced with many extra expenses, including school supplies, clothing, school lunches, after-school care, extracurricular activities and more.
In the United States, families with students in elementary through high school plan to spend an average of $858.07 on clothing, shoes, school supplies and electronics during back-to-school shopping, down from $874.68 in 2024, based on a survey by the National Retail Federation (NRF).
The NRF reported that K-12 shoppers are budgeting $295.81 on average for electronics, $249.36 for clothing and accessories, $169.13 for shoes and $143.77 for school supplies. The most popular destinations for back-to-school shopping are online (55%), followed by department stores (48%), discount stores (47%) and clothing stores (41%).
“Consumers are being mindful of the potential impacts of tariffs and inflation on back-to-school items, and have turned to early shopping, discount stores and summer sales for savings on school essentials,” NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen said in a press release.
Back-to-school costs can add up and strain the family budget, so parents need to find ways to reduce expenditures. Here are some tips to save money as kids return to school:
Shop With a Mission
Plan ahead: Make a shopping list and consult with your child’s suggested school supply list so you’re buying the correct items and only what is needed.
Don’t wait: Some experts recommend for families to buy school supply items now to take advantage of the pre-tariff inventory available in stores. When these items are sold out, prices will go up, according to local news outlets.
Compare prices: Shop around (online and in stores) to find the best deals on the items your children need, such as electronics, school supplies, clothing and more.
Reuse items: Take inventory and see if your family has items left over from last year that can be reused.
Buy generic: Parents can save money by buying the generic brand of needed items, from school supplies to snacks.
Shop at discount stores: Discount stores, such as Dollar Tree, offer school supplies and other back-to-school necessities at low prices.
Buy in bulk: Purchase large quantities of the items that your family needs at warehouse club retail stores, such as snacks, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, paper towels or Kleenex, to save money in the long run.
Get Help with School Meals
Families in the Coweta County School System who need assistance paying for school meals for their children can apply for free or reduced school breakfast and lunch. After registering in SchoolCafe at https://www.schoolcafe.com/coweta, parents or guardians can go to the online free and reduced school meals application. A new application must be completed each school year even if families qualified the previous year, according to the Coweta County School System’s website.
Find Budget-Friendly After-School Programs
Working parents often need some assistance keeping their children safe and entertained after the school day ends. After-school programs can fill in the gap until parents can get off work and pick up their children from school. Here are some local programs:
Coweta County School System
The Coweta County School System will offer after-school programs at its elementary schools for the 2025-2026 academic school year. If space is available, students (pre-K through fifth grade) may enroll if they’re properly registered and pay tuition fees.
A $35 registration fee (exact change or check) is due when registering. Spots are limited and parents must register in person. Please note: Many Coweta County schools now have waiting lists for their after-school programs.
The self-supported, non-educational, daycare program is available Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 6 p.m. when school is in session.
Summit Family YMCA
In August, the Summit Family YMCA began offering after-school activities for children ages 4 to 13. Students can participate in homework help, snacks and sports activities. There are also teen clubs available, such as E-sports and art.
Pick up is available from several local elementary schools (Newnan Crossing, Welch, White Oak and Willis Road) and middle schools (Arnall Middle and Lee Middle), and parents can also drop off their children. The after-school program lasts until 6:30 p.m. each day school is in session.
If students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, the after-school program fee is $55 per week. YMCA members will pay $65 per week. Program members who are not full YMCA members will pay $85 per week.
To receive assistance with the costs of childcare, parents can also apply for the Childcare and Parent Services (CAPS) Program at https://georgia.gov/apply-childcare-and-parent-services-caps-program, said Nia Jean-Pierre, the youth development director at Summit Family YMCA in Newnan.
In addition, during school breaks (three days or more), Summit Family YMCA offers a camp for school age children from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
For questions about the after-school program, contact Nia Jean-Pierre directly at 770-254-5944 or [email protected].
For all programs at Summit Family YMCA, financial aid opportunities are available for applicants who are approved. Come to the branch location to learn more.
Summit Family YMCA is at 1765 East Highway 34 East in Newnan. For more information, visit https://ymcaatlanta.org/locations/summit-family-ymca or call 770-254-9622.
The Boys & Girls Club
The Boys & Girls Club offers after-school programs in Coweta County for children ages 6 to 18. The programs are available Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m.
The Howard Warner Boys & Girls Club at 55 Savannah St. in Newnan accepts students from Welch Elementary and Lee Middle schools. Parents can visit https://bgcma.org/ to create a parent portal account and sign up their children.
The Newnan/Coweta Boys & Girls Club at 72 Wesley St. in Newnan accepts students from Ruth Hill, Jefferson Parkway, Elm Street, Smokey Road and Atkinson elementary schools, Evans Middle School and Newnan High School. The membership fee is based on family income and might be free of charge for high school students.
At both locations, students can participate in activities related to academic success, college and career readiness, the arts, sports, leadership and more.
For more information, contact the Howard Warner Boys & Girls Club at 770-999-9151 and the Newnan/Coweta Boys & Girls Club at 678-423-0309.
Save on Musical Instruments and Sporting Equipment
As students discover their talents and participate in band and sports activities, the costs of their musical instruments and sporting gear can quickly add up. To save money, parents can rent or find deals on musical instruments and sporting equipment at several local retailers:
Pawn Express of Newnan: Pawn Express of Newnan at 93 Temple Ave. in Newnan has a variety of musical instruments for purchase, including guitars (acoustic, bass and electric), violins, saxophones, clarinets, trumpets, flutes, pianos and keyboards. The retailer also has laptop computers available. For more information, call 678-673-6565.
Music & Arts: At Music & Arts, 308 City Circle, Suite 1240 in Peachtree City, families can rent band and orchestra instruments. Student-level and intermediate instruments are available, including clarinets, flutes, saxophones (alto and sometimes tenor), trumpets, French horns, trombones, violins, violas and cellos.
To rent an instrument, customers will sign a rent-to-own contract and make monthly payments. The contract length and the instrument’s rental price will depend on the model of the instrument, its rental history and the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). Customers can purchase the instrument before their contract ends, which can save up to 30 percent off the price of the instrument.
Music & Arts offers insurance that covers the cost of all repairs. For more information, contact Music & Arts at 770-632-0330.
Play It Again Sports: Parents can find gently used sporting gear at Play It Again Sports, a sporting goods resale franchise store at 35 Hudson Plaza in Fayetteville.
Play It Again Sports offers sports equipment and protective gear at affordable prices for a variety of sports, including baseball, softball, golf, lacrosse, hockey, boxing, disc golf, tennis and pickleball. The retailer also offers exercise equipment such as treadmills, exercise bikes and more.
Customers can save up to 50 percent off regular retail prices. They can also sell or trade their own gently used sports equipment to the retailer.
For more information, contact Play It Again Sports at 770-460-7511 or https://www.playitagainsports.com/locations/fayetteville-ga.
