If you've already got one Chromebook per child in the house, you might be all set.  But if not, school supplies will cost more than ever.

Even though school has a start date, I feel like plans could shift at any moment.  We're all in evaluation mode and weighing the pros and cons of in-person learning versus e-learning, and that makes back-to-school shopping this year a bit of a challenge.  Ok, it's pretty much a crapshoot.

My girls haven't even received a list of school supplies needed this year, and that's probably because the school is still trying to figure out the situation, just like the rest of us.  If the kids aren't in the building this fall, they're probably not going to need scissors because they can find some at home.  If they're homeschooling they won't need pencils because the #2s have come in every goodie bag since birth and we already have piles.

Each year I usually spend $75 or so per child on school supplies, but most parents are expecting to pay more this year.

Brad’s Deals said 44% of us are still uncertain about how school will look this fall, and 55% say it's more important to save money this time around.

Other insights from the poll:

66.3% expect to spend up to $300 on school supplies and uniforms.
64.8% plan to shop e-commerce stores and deal websites rather than in-store.
81.3% are shopping for supplies before school starts.
79.1% cite free shipping offers are of more importance than in 2019-2020.
73.6% opt for laptops to assist with virtual school needs over tablets, desktops.

If you have more than one child, don't do the math.  Just don't.  The cost of back-to-school doubles and triples in a hurry, and just when we thought we had a handle on pencil boxes and wide-ruled paper, now we're adding hand sanitizer, masks, and personalized Chromebooks.  Oh, and if they homeschool at all this year, at some point they're going to want lunch, and noodles will also become a school supply.

And maybe some vodka for Mama.  This is going to add up.

READ MORE: 50 resources to help you educate your kids at home

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