Kodak Study Uncovers Parental Pain Points of Back-to-School Shopping

"America's Family Manager" Kathy Peel Offers Money Saving Tips for School Shopping Rush

ROCHESTER, New York · August 29, 2007 /PRNewswire/ — A recent survey conducted on behalf of Kodak found that more than half of parents dread the shopping expenses that come with the beginning of a school year and one out of two parents say they have exceeded their back-to-school budget at least once. What used to be a simple trip for notebooks and pencils has become a day of tracking down a growing list of pricey technology items, like computers and cell phones. No surprise, considering families with school-age children are expected to spend $563.49 on back-to-school merchandise this year, up 6.9 percent from last year's average.¹

While computers and other electronics may not seem like necessary school supplies, kids as young as seven years old² use computers for schoolwork. Additionally, nearly two in five parents surveyed indicated that their children spend more than five hours per week using a home computer and/or printer to complete schoolwork or projects.

To help children get a head start on this year's school assignments, parents should consider purchasing a new KODAK EASYSHARE All-in-One Printer, the perfect back-to-school tool for bargain-minded parents. The new printers can output everything from photos of the first day of school to book reports, online research, science projects and more. And most importantly, the break-through KODAK EASYSHARE inkjet printers will help families save up to 50 percent on everything they print compared to similar consumer inkjet printers.*

With the 5-ink color cartridge priced at $14.99 MSRP and black cartridge at $9.99 MSRP, Kodak has made ink replacement truly affordable, which allows parents to let their kids print as much as they want without busting their budget. (Nearly 30 percent of parents polled said printer ink was on their back-to-school shopping list.)

"America's Family Manager" Kathy Peel has several tips for helping parents save money and their sanity as they shop for back-to-school items. "With the increasing cost of school supplies, heading back to school has become a desperate chore rather than a fun and exciting event," said Kathy. "Using a few simple tips, parents can stick to their budget and save money for the rest of the school year."

Kathy's tips for saving on back-to-school items include:

It's a good idea to sit down with your kids, make a list of all the things they think they need, and then go through and talk realistically about a budget. Doing this, you're helping kids to have realistic expectations about what they can and cannot buy, but you're also teaching them important life skills.
While they're on sale, purchase extras of the supplies your kids will need to buy again, such as pens and pencils, notebook paper, computer paper and report folders. This way you won't have to pay top dollar later on.
Look for values in electronics such as computers and printers. If you research the products online before hitting the stores, you will learn which product will save you money over the life of the device, rather than busting your budget on cheap hardware that will cost more to maintain!

For more tips from Kathy, pick up a copy of her new book, Desperate Households, which includes a chapter devoted to school. For additional information on KODAK EASYSHARE All-in-One Inkjet Printers, as well as other KODAK Products, please visit www.kodak.com.

About Kathy Peel

Kathy Peel, founder and CEO of Family Manager Coach Network, has written 18 books, which have sold more than 2 million copies. Known as "America's Family Manager" by journalists and millions of readers, she delivers sage advice and smart solutions on how to create a happy, low-stress home while balancing an overly busy schedule. Peel currently serves as AOL's Family and Kids' Coach, a ClubMom Expert, and writes for numerous national publications. Peel has appeared as an expert on The Today Show, The Early Show, Good Morning America, CNN and many others.

Methodology

This survey was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation in July 2007. A total of 445 6-question surveys were completed via telephone to American parents of a child age 5-17 living in their household.

About Eastman Kodak Company

Kodak is the world's foremost imaging innovator. With sales of $10.7 billion in 2006, the company is committed to a digitally oriented growth strategy focused on helping people better use meaningful images and information in their life and work. Consumers use Kodak's system of digital and traditional products and services to take, print and share their pictures anytime, anywhere; Businesses effectively communicate with customers worldwide using Kodak solutions for prepress, conventional and digital printing and document imaging; and Creative Professionals rely on Kodak technology to uniquely tell their story through moving or still images.

More information about Kodak (NYSE: EK) is available at www.kodak.com.

¹National Retail Federation

² NPD Group - Kids and Consumer Electronics Trends III, 2007

*Savings based on home printing of documents and photos, using average ink costs of comparable consumer inkjet printers. Actual results may vary. For more information, visit www.kodak.com/go/inkdata for details.