How buy now, pay later turned school shopping into a debt trap

Dear Chuck,

Some parents at the school my children attend told me they resorted to Buy Now, Pay Later and even gambling to cover back-to-school expenses this year. We’re always surprised by how much school supplies cost! Can you give me some tips I can share with our group of moms?

Help With Back-to-School Expenses

Dear Help With Back-to-School Expenses,

Back-to-school expenses can certainly strain a family’s budget, but there is an important distinction between an unexpected emergency and an expense we simply failed to prepare for. School supplies are needed every year. I am grateful that you want to help families experiencing the stress and strain of it all.

Talker Research conducted a survey of 2,000 parents of school-aged children. It demonstrates just how serious the financial pressure has become:

• 23% used Buy Now, Pay Later plans.
• 20% accumulated credit card debt.
• 15% used personal or payday loans.
• 12% pawned possessions.
• 8% gambled.

Even more concerning is this:

• 15% sacrificed rent or mortgage payments.
• 20% skipped utility payments.
• 70% said back-to-school shopping is their most financially stressful time of the year.

These statistics reveal more than the rising cost of school supplies. Failing to plan for predictable expenses can spiral into serious financial pain. Because my wife helped us save money each year that our four sons were in school, I have asked her to share her wisdom and tips for your friends.

Predictable expenses are not emergencies

Christmas comes every December. Cars eventually need tires. Insurance premiums come due. Children need clothes. And every August, students return to school.

Failing to prepare for these expenses creates urgency that often drives poor decisions, which end up being very costly. Buy Now, Pay Later makes an unaffordable purchase feel affordable by dividing it into smaller payments. Credit cards push today's expense into next month's budget. Payday loans cover a temporary shortage. Gambling gives an adrenaline rush. But each of these has emotional and financial costs.

Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

Notice the contrast between planning and haste: profit and poverty. Financial pressure draws our attention to solving today's problem, but wise stewardship plans for the future.

Prepare now for next year

Review this year's purchases while they're fresh in your mind. If you spent $600 getting your children ready for school this year, don't wait until next August to find another $600. Divide it by 12 and begin setting aside $50 each month.

Create a separate savings category for back-to-school expenses. Automate the transfer if possible so that, by next summer, the money will be available.

Did the children really “need” everything you bought? Were there items you could have reused or purchased used? Did peer pressure influence your spending choices?

This is important to analyze. The survey found that 70% of parents felt pressure to provide clothes, technology, and supplies comparable to their children's peers. 61% made purchases they had not originally planned because they didn't want their children to feel left out.

Parents have an opportunity to model financial wisdom for their children and other families. Refusing to purchase expensive or unnecessary items may take the burden off other financially stretched parents. After all, school is a place where children are supposed to get an education. You want them to find their identity in Christ — not their peers or back-to-school purchases.

Buying only the necessary items may free up money to help families who truly can’t afford supplies. It’s a way for children to learn that “it is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35 ESV). Giving requires sacrifice, but it is accompanied by joy. Your advice will be more welcome following your generous help!

Teach children that a new school year does not require an entirely new wardrobe. Last year's backpack may work perfectly well. Shop sales throughout the year, buy secondhand when appropriate, and joyfully accept hand-me-downs. Use tax-free weekends where available, compare prices, and communicate with teachers before purchasing items you aren't sure are truly necessary.

Refuse to give in to the emotions of guilt or anxiety. If children want a fancy water bottle, let them buy their own or wait until their birthday or Christmas. Instead of you bankrolling their costly desires, allow them to work and save for them. They will appreciate it more and probably take better care of it.

Use this opportunity to teach them a lesson about money

Our love for our children is not measured by what we can buy them. Remind them that we are managers of what God provides. Buying certain items may mean cutting back on other things, like streaming services, eating out, and purchases often taken for granted.

It will not hurt a child to know you cannot afford something. Their biggest need is to know that you love and accept them. Doing without may build compassion in them for others and a recognition of how hard you work to provide what you can. It may motivate them to learn how to cut costs and to hold you accountable to saving. It’s a wonderful way to teach them basic money management. Perhaps they will see the need to develop skills that will help them get a part-time job.

Avoid the panic

Luke 14:28 (NIV) offers a simple principle with tremendous financial application. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” In other words, look ahead and set a goal. Back-to-school expenses are only one example.

Get your calendar and identify every predictable upcoming expense for the next 12 months — birthdays, holidays, insurance premiums, vehicle maintenance, school expenses, annual fees, etc. If you take an annual vacation, include that too. Estimate the cost, divide it by the number of months remaining, and begin saving that amount each month.

You may not be able to fully fund every category immediately. Start where you can and catch up when you have extra income. Don’t get discouraged. Having half the money saved next year is better than having none.

Financial margin is built gradually. A few dollars intentionally saved every month can prevent desperation later. You will learn where to make sacrifices in order to hit your goal. You (and your family) will learn to wait instead of experiencing instant gratification. Every month you successfully stash money away will build confidence and hope for the months to come. Plus, the gratification you experience next August will far exceed any instant gratification that robs you of financial margin.

Planning ahead isn't merely a way to avoid debt next August. It's the means to develop the habit of planning ahead and faithfully managing what God provides.

Prepare before the expense arrives, and something that once created financial panic can simply become another line in your spending plan.

If your friends have accumulated credit card debt, now is the time to work on eliminating it. Christian Credit Counselors can help. As a trusted Crown partner, they provide personalized debt management plans designed to reduce debt, lower financial stress, and help one regain control of his/her finances.