Every September children all over North America make that familiar trek back to school. Before they walk through the doorways and into another year of learning, they need to prepare themselves. One way to do this is to purchase all of the supplies they’ll need to get their studies done.

Many schools are seeing the convenience of including a school supply list with the final report card that is issued in June. Although many students aren’t interested in looking through a list of supplies right after school has ended, the school supply list is a great tool for parents.

When parents have a school supply list early, they can keep a watchful eye on local newspapers and television commercials that advertise for back to school items. It may not seem as though purchasing some paper, a few pens and crayons is expensive, but it can quickly add up to a substantial expense.

This is especially true in families where more than one child is attending school. If the average child’s school supplies are $50, and you’ve got three children, that’s a $150 expense. Add to that the cost of new clothing, bus passes and textbooks and a parent can spend more in September to send their children back to school than they spend during the holiday season in December.

Older children’s school supply list can also contain some costly items. If the child is in algebra, they may need a specific type of calculator. Children who are enrolled in a music program are often required to supply their own instrument. If the parent is aware of this early, they can research where the best prices for these types of items can be found.

Going back to school is a fact of life for millions of children and if they go prepared they will not only have a better experience but their parents won’t have to worry about facing the September rush of back to school shoppers.