The first day of school for many districts in Southeast Wisconsin is a week away, and families are putting the finishing touches on their back-to-school shopping lists.The National Retail Federation says prices are still top of mind, though consumers remain more optimistic than they were four years ago when inflation was at its peak. The NRF says shoppers plan to spend about $146 on supplies, and only 50% of shoppers plan to get the essentials needed for the start of the school year before continuing to buy throughout the year.To get a sense of what parents are paying right now, I went on a shopping trip as well. I estimated $120, and the supplies rang up to $112 without clothes or shoes.Ashley Smith, a mom of an incoming sixth grader, says her child is going through common growth spurts, adding an extra layer of surprise to the shopping season. Despite that, she says she tries her best to plan ahead for the upcoming school year. "I started to actually shop like April, May when things are like going clearance and stuff like that. Even with the clothes, you know, like the fall clothes go on sale 80% off some stuff I like at Macy's. Now I'm just getting like the school supply list. You get it last minute. When you get it last minute, I have to like browse to see what I have and what I don't have." Smith said.Smith also signs up for email subscriptions for coupons and checks deals, shopping the sales to make sure she doesn't break the bank heading into the new school year. She also shared a tip for other parents."As a parent, as a single parent, I wouldn't put so much stress and emphasis on name brands or certain things that your kids might want in the social media world. I believe that mentally sending them off with love and encouragement and to have a good school year is just as good as whatever designer or whatever clothes that they have on." Smith said.For teachers, Meijer is offering a discount show a school ID to customer service to receive a 15% off coupon.Several free back-to-school supply giveaways are also coming up in the Milwaukee area: Heal the Hood MKE Back to School Block Party and Resource Fair: Friday, Aug. 29, noon to 6 p.m., 21st to 24th streets and Burleigh. Free school supplies, food and resources will be available. Next Generation Leaders Back to School Giveaway and Block Party: Saturday, Aug. 30, noon to 5 p.m., 25th and Burleigh. Everything is free, including backpacks, hygiene products, clothes and food. Milwaukee County District #2 Back to School Festival: Saturday, Aug. 30, noon to 4 p.m., Indigenous People's Park. Bookbag giveaway included.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip ...read more read less