It looks like back to school costs are going to be higher this year. According to Huntington Bank’s ‘Back Pack Index’, parents can expect to pay 25 percent more this year than last. This is largest increase in the index’s six-year history.

Most of the increases seem to be for sports and other school activities as the cost for pay-to play have gone up, but so have school supplies. As school budgets get smaller, families have to pick up the tab. Some suggestions from the index:

-Get your school supplies early while sales are going on.

-If your children want name brand clothing try to talk them out of it or have them use their allowance to make up the difference.

-Set a budget and stick to it, shop with cash and only spend what you have.

-Get the kids to go through sales fliers to find what they want at the best price.

The cost of back to school according to Huntington Bank, for elementary school $530, middle school $681 and high school $1,091. Yes, that’s per kid.

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