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The first day of school isn鈥檛 here yet, but it鈥檚 not too early to start budgeting for the upcoming semester 鈥� especially considering the amount you鈥檒l probably聽spend before the first class even starts.

础听聽found that parents planned to spend an average of $1,239 on back-to-school shopping last year. If 2016 spending follows suit, you could be shelling out a hefty chunk of change on academic necessities.

With so much to buy for your children (or for yourself), is there anything you can afford to skimp on? And which products are worth聽a splurge? We have the answers.

Splurge: laptops or tablets

The majority of your back-to-school spending will likely be going toward technology, and rightfully so. Tablets, laptops and desktop computers are vital components of researching, writing and studying for almost聽every grade level.

Cheap or refurbished models may not carry you through for long, so pick a reliable model that can last a good portion聽of your child鈥檚 (or your own) academic career 鈥� particularly if you鈥檒l be enrolling in any cyber courses.

A good investment will pay off later, and laptop sales are usually rampant in August before the school year kicks off. Additionally, some tech giants like聽听补苍诲听聽offer specials for students.

Skimp: fall clothing

For many, school is as much about making a fashion statement as it is about making the grade. But hold off on buying new clothes, unless you鈥檙e taking advantage of end-of-summer clearance sales.

Fall clothing items (like jeans and sweatshirts) will be full-price in August, but they鈥檒l be more affordable come October, when the leaves change colors and the weather starts to turn. So wait to give your child鈥檚 or your own wardrobe a pick-me-up until then.

Splurge: backpacks

Backpacks, book bags and laptop bags (or whatever you use to carry your school supplies) are an important purchase. Don鈥檛 skimp on what you鈥檒l be using to tote around your laptop and books.

You don鈥檛 need to go for a brand name, but you do need to look for a backpack with plenty of cushioning to protect your back and shoulders. Additionally, you鈥檒l want enough pockets and compartments to store everything you need.

Expect backpacks to be included in back-to-school sales during July and August. Backpacks have also been known to be included in luggage sales at department stores.

Skimp: textbooks

There鈥檚 absolutely no reason to pay full price for a textbook. In fact, you can avoid buying brand new books altogether. Instead, go for used books or rentals, and don鈥檛 forget about e-books.

Check out textbook rental websites like聽,听听补苍诲听聽before hitting the university bookstore (where prices are generally higher). Only buy new when there鈥檚 no other alternative.

This tip is especially helpful for college students, but it can apply to high school and younger聽kids as well. If you encounter a class that has a required reading stipulation, try buying a used version online or checking out a copy from the local library. You should definitely skip buying if you know you won鈥檛 use the book聽after the final exam.

Splurge: dorm room supplies

Dorm room furniture and related supplies are a must-have for college students, and retailers know it. If you aren鈥檛 able to find hand-me-down desks and office chairs from friends or family, look for dorm room sales to pop up at the end of the summer.

There are student discounts that you can take advantage of, too.聽聽for instance, offers a 15% discount to college students with a valid .edu email address or college ID.

Skimp: basic supplies

Basic supplies like pens, pencils, binders and folders definitely don鈥檛 necessitate a splurge. Cheaper brands will do the trick just the same.

So skip the pricey pens and pencils and go for the cheaper ones instead. Consider buying writing utensils in bulk, as it鈥檒l lower your cost per unit. Plus, you鈥檒l have enough supplies to carry you through the semester without regular trips to the office supply store.

础迟听, for instance, an assortment of 72 stick pens will cost you just $18.50. That鈥檚 around 25 cents per pen. Dollar stores are also a solid choice for pens, pencils, erasers, highlighters and the like.

And consider this. A six-pack of trendy聽聽will cost you $15.25, but you can buy a box of 25 simple聽聽for just $6.99.

Splurge: calculators

In school, you need the right tools for the job, and scientific calculators are one of those tools for many students. Basic calculators just won鈥檛 cut it, especially for classes like statistics and calculus that require complex formulas and graphing.

But calculators can get expensive, so be sure you鈥檙e selecting the right model. If you (or your child) have plans to take advanced mathematics courses in the future, it may be worthwhile to buy a deluxe version now instead of buying several models over the course of your academic career.

Skimp: planners

Here鈥檚 one way to cut costs: Skip the planner聽or聽traditional paper calendar. Tech-savvy students check their smartphones more than their planners anyway, and there are plenty of apps that take homework tracking into the digital realm.

We like the myHomework Student Planner app (available for聽听补苍诲听). The free version unlocks access to a calendar display of classes and lets聽users track due dates for homework, tests and assignments. That鈥檒l save you the $13.99 a 2016-17 academic calendar would cost you from聽.

So go ahead, ace your back-to-school shopping.

Courtney Jespersen is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email:courtney@nerdwallet.com. Twitter:聽.

This article first appeared at .