Americans are expected to drop over $21 billion on back-to-school spending this year, but with a little homework they can find ways to save some money. Money Matters reporter Tara Lynn Wagner filed the following report.

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"You have your glue, you have rulers, pencil boxes. You've got binders, you have computers," says Daniel Elliott, the operations manager at the Staples store at 40th Street and Sixth Avenue.

The National Retail Federation says the average American family will likely spend $606 on back-to-school shopping this year. It is an amount Jody Rohlena of ShopSmart Magazine calls exorbitant and unnecessary.

"You don't have to spend nearly that much money and you can still get your child the things that they really want," she says.

The senior editor suggests parents and guardians should start by taking an inventory.

"Open up those desk drawers, look around. If you've got pencils and crayons and a thing of glue from last year -- you want some fun new stuff, but some of the basic things you've probably got already," says Rohlena. "And that will save you money right there. Just shop in your cupboards first."

Next, check the store circulars, as they have information about big sales and often coupons as well.

"Check out those circulars in the paper. If you don't get those, you can read them online. There are a couple sites, is one, YahooCircularCentral is another," says Rohlena.

Finding the best price for three items doesn't mean shoppers have to hit all three places. Many chains will match a competitor's price, provided shoppers bring proof.

"You bring in a price in writing, whether it's a flyer or an internet printout, and as long as they've got our price beat, we will then match the price down to their price," says Elliott.

Once at the store, look for items sold in bulk, which tend to offer the deepest discounts. If 72 pencils is more than you need, you can always make a trade.

"You may want to swap them with a friend. Their kid needs pencils too," says Rohlena. "You got a really good deal, maybe she's got extra notepaper, and you can do a little barter thing."

Finally, use back-to-school shopping as a teachable moment. Have children decide what items they need and what they can recycle from last year, and they could learn a valuable lesson about responsible spending.

"I have everything and I can use stuff from last year. It doesn't matter, really," says a student.