Your children going back to school can be one of the most expensive events of the year and with new trends evolving & the cost of living taking its toll, it can be hard to find the money in your budget to cover the cost of the next school year.
School Rules
Before you do anything to prepare for the new school year, request a list of rules, a uniform list and stationery requirements from the school. You don’t want to go ahead and buy what you think your child needs for them to be told at school that they are wearing the wrong thing and require you to repurchase the correct item.
Inventory
Take an inventory of all the school uniforms, stationery items, bottles and lunch boxes you have at home. Sort through them to see what you can reuse for the new school year, what you can sell & what you can donate. You’ll find that you might have more than you think as things get squirrelled away over the course of the previous year. Make sure to tick these items off your list so you know not to repurchase them.
Secondhand Items
There are plenty of places and spaces offering pre-loved/secondhand items. This could be on its own website, through Facebook groups for your local school or area or even a buy & sell at your school. Information on how to buy second-hand uniforms should be published on the school’s website. You might find that you find good quality items that still have a lot of wear left in them.
Help with Paying for uniforms - Gov UK
Check with your school or local council to see if you can get help with your school uniform costs. If you live in England, contact your local council to find out if there is support in your area.
Cashback/rewards
For the items that don’t need to have school branding, for instance, shirts, t-shirts, coats, shoes and more, make sure you utilise cashback websites & reward points to get the best possible price. Supermarkets often sell excellent quality items and give great rewards or offers associated with their purchase.
Buy plain and customise
Personalised items are all the rage with students, however, they come with a hefty price tag. Buy plain lunch boxes, bottles and pencil cases and personalise them at home. You can purchase stickers or decals online to add to the item yourself.
Labelling
Label every item of clothing your child goes to school in. It’s not uncommon for children to come home saying they’ve lost their jumper, blazer or coat. More often than not, a friend has taken it home or it has ended up in lost property.
Packed lunch
Consider giving your child a packed lunch to take to school rather than encouraging them to purchase food at the school cafeteria. This could help you save a lot of money over the course of the year.
Saving for school trips
One of the most common costs to crop up on parents or guardians is that there is a new school trip coming up. Some schools offer a list of the trips throughout the year at the start of the school year which will allow you to decide which trips you’re happy for your child to go on, so saving up throughout the year will ease the blow of these costs. Put a little bit aside where you can and keep it in a separate pot.
School shopping is expensive, so planning as much in advance to ensure you get the best deals to save money is always worth it. Let us know your best bargains over on our socials!