I'm a mom of 4 and have done back-to-school shopping for over a decade. These are the 3 things I've learned.

I have come to rely on many tips. From negotiations with teens to creative saving, I've become something of an expert at back-to-school shopping.

A recent survey shows that the average American family will spend just under $875 on back-to-school shopping for the upcoming school year.

Shopping secondhand has been a lifesaver; I frequent local Goodwill or consignment shops to make the most of limited back-to-school budgets.

Back-to-school shopping costs me almost as much as (if not more than) our family's most expensive holiday, Christmas.

Read at Business Insider