Back to school boosts credit card use

The use ofcredit cards in Mexico registered an average increase of 30% in the 2025 back-to-school season, with higher spending concentrated on tuition, uniforms, footwear and supplies, according to data from HSBC Mexico.

The agency specified that the average ticket increases by that proportion compared to normal consumption due to the approaching start of the 2025-2026 school year on September 1, when more than 24 million Mexican children return to elementary school classrooms .

In the composition of credit card spending, 42% goes to tuition, 21% to uniforms and footwear, 17% to school supplies, 12% to technology and 8% to backpacks and accessories, according to the breakdown of HSBC Mexico.

The financial institution detailed in a statement that only its 'Divide It' program, which allows education-related purchases to be deferred in installments with a fixed rate, increased its use by 20% compared to last year.

" Back to school is one of the biggest peaks of the year in credit card use, along with Christmas spending and the Buen Fin holiday," said Santiago Gil, director of Payment Methods and Unsecured Credit at HSBC Mexico.

In this regard, Gil noted that it is "important to prepare and plan for this annual expense," as well as " to consume responsibly to avoid accumulating debt on non-priority items."

HSBC also recommended that families:

• Reuse materials in good condition
• Make lists and budgets to avoid impulse or unnecessary purchases
• Compare prices and book Interest-Free Months for durable goods such as technology devices
• Review the insurance coverage included in the cards

These measures, he indicated, can mitigate the impact of school expenses on disposable income, in the run-up to the return to classes for the next 2025-2026 school year at the elementary level, scheduled for September 1, according to the Ministry of Public Education (SEP) calendar.

Meanwhile, studies, such as the one conducted by Up Sí Vale , indicate that six out of 10 Mexican families estimate spending more than 4 thousand pesos per child at home, cutting 66% of their usual expenses due to this extraordinary effort, while authorities such as the Federal Consumer Protection Agency and authorities monitor the best prices and make recommendations to the population to mitigate this impact on the finances of Mexican households.

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