When you're a kid, there's nothing quite like the smell of a fresh, rubber eraser, the promise of a blank notebook, or the excitement of getting to pick out a brand-new backpack before the first day of school.

MADISON, Wis.– When you’re a kid, there’s nothing quite like the smell of a fresh, rubber eraser, the promise of a blank notebook, or the excitement of getting to pick out a brand-new backpack before the first day of school.

But this time of year is often stressful for parents who struggle to afford school supplies for their kids. According to Huntington Bank’s Backpack Index, parents spend an average of $600 each summer on clothes, supplies, and technology for their elementary school-age children.