Back-to-school shopping is changing in Denver

State of play: Local parents' money-saving strategies this year include buying earlier and in bulk, chasing promotions, avoiding name brands and using cashback websites.

💸 By the numbers: Denver parents expect to spend an average of $752 per child this back-to-school season, down from $784 last year but still well above the $557 national average in Deloitte's survey.

• 🛒 58% of the city's parents qualify as "hyper-value seekers" — nearly double the national share.
• 🏷️ 88% plan to shop summer promotions.
• 📅 60% of spending was planned to happen by the end of July, as families timed purchases around summer sales.

💻 Between the lines: Parents are still willing to splurge where they see value — especially on technology, where planned spending ($499) outpaces the national average ($417).

The big picture: Nationally, back-to-school spending is expected to hit a record this year, the National Retail Federation forecasts.

• Separately, a recent PwC survey found nearly half of families expect to spend more than last year as prices rise, classroom needs evolve and kids exert more influence over what goes into the shopping cart.