More than half of U.S. parents report needing financial assistance to buy the technology their kids need for school, a worrying statistic as the back-to-school season kicks off.
EcoATM Gazelle, a mobile device recommence company, surveyed 1,000 parents with children ages 8 to 18 about their technology affordability.
About two-thirds of parents in the survey said they consider buying new technology for their kids at least once a year, and 56% said they need to buy their kids technology to stay technologically literate. Plus, with so much homework online, most kids can’t get through high school without a computer.
But many families can’t afford the high prices of technology.
The survey found that 55% of parents reported going into credit card debt, using a payment plan, or borrowing money from friends or family to pay for new technology for their children for school. Almost half said they chose not to buy devices for their kids because of the costs.
Forty-one percent of respondents said they were more interested in affordable, low-cost brands due to inflation. EcoATM Gazelle sells refurbished technology, which it says is a sustainable and affordable alternative for price-weary parents.
“With technology being a must-have in today’s learning environment, parents want to make sure that their children are equipped with devices that can help them achieve their goals,” CEO of ecoATM Gazelle Stan Pavlovsky said in a press release. “As a father, I share these concerns and believe that parents should have accessible technology and not have to decide between buying a quality tablet or phone for their child’s success in school or paying for groceries.”