Back-to-School Budget Crisis: Parents Sound the Alarm

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Although numerous children look forward to displaying their fresh attire and gadgets for the upcoming school term, parents are encountering another challenge: financial surprise.

How does everything look right now?" asked shopper Chenoa Lalamua as she was doing back-to-school shopping with her child. "Well, there are many discounts, but it still costs a lot.

From backpacks and lunch containers to shoes and hydration bottles, the expense of preparing for school is increasing.

"Shoes cost between 50 and 90 dollars for a pair," Lalamua said.

A new study conducted by U.S. News revealed that 85% of Americans worry about increasing expenses for school supplies because of fresh taxes on foreign products. Moreover, this concern isn’t merely verbal—according to the National Retail Federation, almost 70% of shoppers started buying items as early as July, which marks a significant increase compared to 55% during the previous year.

I think many people were afraid of the tariffs and the increase in costs, so they made their purchases ahead of time," said Tina Yamaki, president of the Retail Merchants of Hawaiʻi. "Back-to-school items became available for purchase at the beginning of July. Consumers hoped that prices would decrease as the start of school approached—offering greater reductions.

However, even with the initial rush, malls such as Pearlridge Center and Ala Moana remained crowded over the weekend, as numerous families postponed their shopping until the final moment.

Definitely, we're operating on Hawaiian time," said Francine Nao, assistant manager at T&C Surf in Pearlridge. "This is the final weekend before classes resume, so the following Sunday, we can anticipate a large number of visitors.

T&C Surf is now providing a 25% discount on certain Da Kine and Herschel backpacks, and customers who spend $60 or above on Da Kine accessories will receive a complimentary accessory tote or belt bag.

"We have pencil cases and lunch boxes—and we mustn't overlook water bottles," Nao stated.

However, although numerous large retail chains had restocked in preparation for expected price rises, specialists caution that additional cost escalations may still be forthcoming.

You're likely to notice higher prices for all items," Yamaki stated. "It's not only due to tariffs, but also because producing and transporting goods has become more expensive.

As per the Yale Budget Lab, import duties between 10% and 40% on products coming into the country might lead to a 40% increase in shoe costs and a 38% rise in apparel prices.

Yamaki notes that this could be an ideal moment to consider shopping outside of the mall. Local artisan markets and independent stores offer excellent options for purchasing school supplies while helping boost Hawaii's local economy.

Many of these neighborhood markets continue to thrive with support from local artisans and independent companies," she stated. "Individuals have been purchasing numerous items from them—such as backpacks and school supplies—and this positively impacts the regional economy.

With sales taking place this week, Yamaki notes that consumers have begun purchasing items for the upcoming holidays.

If you come across something you enjoy at a reasonable cost, take it," she remarked. "As it could be gone when you check again.

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