With term one only a week away booklist prices are beginning to add up for households around the state.
The Commonwealth Bank has revealed parents will see the latest technology behind the 43 per cent increase in school costs this year.
Families could be in for a shock as $1.7 billion worth of back-to-school expenses is being added to household stress, on top of school fees.
For the average parents of five to 17-year-olds, that’s a total cost of $829 spent each year on new text books, stationary, school shoes, uniforms and laptops.
While over half of Australian parents with school aged kids worry about the cost of back-to-school purchases this year, 49 per cent don't plan or have a budget to combat the growing prices.
The research also found only a third of those parents were in the habit of regularly putting money aside for new school year expenses.
Commonwealth Bank Executive General Manager Sian Lewis said the goal to surviving back-to-school bill shock was to set a budget early.
"Set a budget early and track your spending through your mobile banking app, opt for lower cost items in the sales or source second hand, and seek out hand-me-downs or borrowed items from friends and family," she said.
Laptops have been a key driver behind the price hike as a growing demand for technology exists in schools around the state.
Half of parents with school-aged children are spending more on technology items, such as laptops and tablets, this year compared with 2017.
The cost of technology purchases per family totalled $269, coming in much higher than uniform purchases $182, text books $127, school shoes $103 and stationary ($91).
Using buy now pay later schemes has become increasingly popular amongst parents, with companies like Afterpay and zipPay offering their services with some retailers.
Parents will still be feeling the pinch further into the school year with families hit with a $662 million bill for extra-curricular activities each month, including $255 million spent on sports, followed by $174 million spent on trips/camps, $129 million on music/dance lessons and $103 million on tutoring.
Commonwealth Bank suggest online Facebook economy groups to buy, sell and swap second hand school products could ease the pain of growing booklist costs.
The bank also said parents should plan out the costs of extra-curricular activities now to help you stay on top of your bills to make the year ahead easier.
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