After summer holiday expenses, back-to-school seems an inescapable nightmare for our wallets. This spending represents an average of $634.78, according to the National Retail Federation. A pretty high amount distributed in: school fees, materials, uniforms, school meals, transport and a never-ending list depending on the purchasing power of the families.

These are some saving tips for back-to-school expenses:

• Recycle

Reuse materials from last year, friends and family. Keep everything that can be recycled and avoid buying unnecessary new stuff. There are libraries where you can exchange schoolbooks or buy second-hand ones. The web is also a good source for second-hand clothes and books, try Amazon and Ebay. Many schools run second-hand uniform sales at the beginning of the term, this is a great opportunity to save some cash!

• Bargain-hunt

Most of the stores are launching promotions and discounts on back-to-school items these days. Be alert and take advantages of this, avoid specialized stores, which are usually more expensive and opt for supermarket´s own brands.