Shopping With Kids Costs 35% More Than Shopping Alone, Study Shows
American parents say solo shopping saves them an average of $46 per trip, according to a recent study from Slickdeals, an online platform and community of volunteer shoppers.
The opt-in study, which was conducted by OnePoll and commissioned by Slickdeals, surveyed 2,000 U.S. parents from Nov. 15-22, 2022. It found that two in three parents said shopping with their kids tends to be more expensive than just shopping by themselves. Solo ventures cost an average of $133, while shopping with kids costs an average of $179.
Most parents (65%) said that shopping alone allows them to buy different things from different stores than when their kids are around. Parents are more likely to look for groceries (44%), beauty products (42%), electronics (40%) and clothing (38%) when shopping solo.
Interestingly, 35% claimed shopping alongside their kids is like “pulling teeth,” and 44% said they turn to bribery as the answer, per a Slickdeals news release on the survey results. Eighteen percent said they've successfully bribed their kids with cash if they behave themselves in stores. Parents said that kids could also be swayed by candy (37%), snacks (36%) and toys (34%). One in four bribing parents even claimed their efforts "always" work.
"Shopping with kids appears to cost parents more, but there are valuable money lessons that can be learned through the experience," Louie Patterson, personal finance manager for Slickdeals, said in the release. "Including your children in everyday shopping decisions and discussions about larger purchases is a great way to teach them the value of a dollar."
Furthermore, the survey found 59% of parents shop both online and in stores with their children. The majority of parents said they see shopping with their children as a bonding experience. Forty-four percent prefer shopping in a physical store and 12% prefer to bond while shopping online.
Shopping together gives kids a chance to spend their own money. Of the 61% of parents who give their children an allowance, 78% of them let their kids spend their money in whatever way they see fit.
Three in five (62%) parents turn the shared shopping experience into a lesson for their kids. The top seven things parents said kids can learn while shopping include:
- The value of a dollar (62%)
- Difference between necessities and nice-to-haves (58%)
- Patience (50%)
- How to look for deals (50%)
- What items are needed (47%)
- Where to locate things in a store (39%)
- How to ask for assistance (37%)
Respondents recommended starting these lessons with children once they're 9 years old.
Generally, family shopping occurs four times per month, usually on Saturdays (65%) or Sundays (39%). The busiest months to shop with kids tend to be right around the holidays and back-to-school season: December (45%), November (32%) and August (24%).