In the US, in the weeks leading up to the new school year starting late August/early September, many retailers will offer discounts on school supplies - paper, pencils and pens, backpacks, etc - to attract customers. Many clothing retailers market it to students as a great time for a wardrobe refresh or to reinvent your look entirely and offer discounts. Same deal with electronics, especially since higher math courses tend to have required calculators. Some states - including Ohio, where I live - offer a sales tax holiday on a weekend during this season to help with the expense involved.

It's wicked expensive with just one kid, I can't imagine having several.

I am know US people are especially in trouble with the cost of their books but haven't you never financially suffer from buying copybooks, pens, binders, highlighters, white-outs, pencilcase, pencil, rubber, running shoes, backpack, organisers, coloring pens, ruler (30cm not 20), compass, square and protractor, sharper, scissors, gouache, feuilles simples A4 à grands carreaux, feuilles simple A5 à petits carreaux, agenda, feuilles doubles A4 à grand carreaux feuille Canson blanche A4 180g, trois cahiers à spirales 24-32 avec intercalaires de la marque Claire Fontaine et une calculatrice TI-83 Premium CE ?

I mean if not your parents did, and you will soon. As soon I you leave high school if you continue to study or a soon as you kids reach 3 years old. Have I mention back-to-school clothes and hair cup that might need to be freshen up if the school picture is taken too far from the beginning of the year ?

It's the time in America at the end of summer when the "back to school" list's come out for each grade of each school.