Color-coded folders and notebooks. A fresh stash of pens and pencils. A new outfit.

Millions of American students from preschool through college, and their (often) bankrolling parents, back-to-school shop ahead of each fall. But as prices rise, technology evolves and new products hit the shelves, families are seeking ways to keep checking off the school supply list affordable.

“When I was young, I had $50 to go to the grocery store. I go now, and that’s, like, three or four items,” said Matt Marsh, Minneapolis managing partner at Deloitte. “Everything costs more. So families are getting squeezed a bit, and it’s creating a level of anxiety.”

According to PwC’s inaugural back-to-school survey, nearly 3 in 4 parents said they’ll spend the same or more than they did last year on school supp

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