Parents unable to afford rapidly escalating back-to-school expenses during financial hardship

Parents with already-strained budgets face sudden, substantial back-to-school costs (supplies, clothing, technology) that push their finances past breaking point. Current solutions like store discounts and payment plans don't address the core issue: the total cost is unaffordable regardless of how it's spread out. Parents lack a way to accurately predict, budget for, or access affordable alternatives before the crisis hits.