The Coinstar® Back-to-School Survey, conducted among 1,004 U.S. parents, was released today and reports that the majority of parents (84%) plan to send their children to in-person schooling this fall. Most parents report being excited or relieved that kids are returning to a classroom and parents will likely have more free time. The downside is many parents expect back-to-school costs to increase from pre-pandemic school expenses.  

Back-to-School Emotions and Costs Elevated

About four in five parents plan to send their kids off to the classroom this fall with costs and emotions higher than pre-pandemic.

• Nearly nine in 10 parents (86%) are relieved or excited about kids going to in-person schooling; one-third (33%) reveal they are nervous

• 61% of parents expect back-to-school costs to be higher than pre-pandemic; 29% say about the same

• 68% report spare change at home is higher or about the same versus a year ago

• 70% say they are planning or will consider cashing in spare change to cover back-to-school expenses

More Free Time Isn't All Fun

Most parents sending kids back to school will have more free time, but the Coinstar survey reveals that doesn't equate to all leisure time. Of parents expecting to have more free time, 44% will spend it doing housework or chores; 34% will use time to be more productive at work; 38% will squeeze in quiet time, and 32% will treat themselves to a massage, walk or something else personal. 

Survey Methodology

Coinstar commissioned Atomik Research to run an online survey of 1,004 parents with children between the ages of 5-18 living at home and in school in the fall of 2021. The margin of error fell within +/- 3 percentage points with a confidence interval of 95 percent. The fieldwork took place between June 15 and June 16, 2021. Atomik Research is an independent creative market research agency.