For many families, back-to-school shopping no longer fits into a single weekend trip. It’s months of bargain hunting, comparing prices, reusing backpacks and watching for community giveaways, all in an effort to soften the blow of another school year. 

Maricopa parents say rising costs have changed the way they shop, with thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace and retailers like Ross becoming just as important as the school supply aisle. 

Nikki Geesey, who has four students spread between Heritage Academy’s two Maricopa campuses, said she’s trying to save her pennies wherever she can. 

“They are all reusing their backpacks,” she said. “We reused some pants as well [that] some of my kids outgrew from last year. We even shopped some at Goodwill.” 

For Darla Hyche, who is shopping for five children ranging from second grade to 11th grade, stretching every dollar means shopping throughout the year instead of making one big trip before school starts. Like Geesey, she turns to thrift stores, yard sales, Facebook Marketplace and community backpack drives to help keep costs in check. 

“Ross is a big one,” she said. “They grow out of clothes and shoes like that, so I don’t want to spend $100 on shoes for something they’re only going to wear for a short time.” 

Brian Browns has found similar savings at Ross while shopping for two children attending a microschool and a fourth grader at Heritage Academy Elementary. 

He also cut costs with a $62 school supply kit through his son’s school. The package included crayons, folders, pencils, glue, dry-erase markers and sanitizing supplies that students picked up during Meet the Teacher night. 

“We opened it up, verified everything was in it and he loaded it in his desk,” Browns said. 

For Hyche, finding ways to save is about making every dollar count without sacrificing what her grandchildren need for school. 

“Put your pride aside,” she said. “There’s no judgment … They don’t need the fanciest of fancy because they grow out of it way too quick.” 

Show us the receipts 

Here’s what three families in Maricopa said they spent while preparing for the new school year.  

This story first appeared in the August issue of InMaricopa.