Back-to-School Budget

Apparel and accessories will compete with school supplies and electronics for students’ Back-to-School budgets, according to The NPD Group Inc. of Port Washington, N.Y., which found that 45 percent of consumers are earmarking their spending cash for computers, cell phones and calculators. Still, apparel, footwear and accessories such as backpacks and book bags top consumers’ Back-to- School shopping lists. According to NPD’s survey, 71 percent of consumers said they planned to buy Back-to-School apparel this year, 59 percent said they planned to buy footwear, and 46 percent said they would be buying school bags and backpacks.