Tips for back-to-school shopping on a budget

With the new school year just around the corner, it's back-to-school shopping time for many parents and a new survey shows a multitude of them say it is a huge expense.

Almost 78% of parents that responded to the poll believe school shopping is becoming more and more expensive every year, with 44% saying it poses a financial burden.

According to a new retail industry study, sending kids back-to-school brings a hefty price tag.

From textbooks to pens and pencils to backpacks, school supplies can add up, even before looking for new clothes or electronics.

These new stats are troubling to North Bay parents who say they've spent anywhere from $50 to $100 just for classroom supplies.

This is what some North Bay parents told CTV News:

"Elementary school sets them up for their whole life, so parents need to be able to afford the supplies."

"Over the last few years we don't tend to do back-to-school shopping, we do necessity shopping. As they need it, they get it."

"What do you do if you can't afford to buy the supplies, right? How do you send your child to school without the things they need?"

According to the survey, many parents say they rely on their children to tell them what they need to buy, but it also suggests many of those requests are for items like phones, tablets, laptops, smart watches and so on.

For those on a budget, shopping and Trends expert Sara Skirboll has a few tips to maximize savings:

Another helpful tip is to compare prices at various retailers using the internet in order to find the best prices.

The survey done by online savings destination Retail Me Not shows that 40% of kids care more about having the latest technology over the coolest clothes or accessories.