By now, you would have surely read our first post related to saving on the back-to-school list. By acting wisely, the necessities for school will not become a financial burden every September. Do not shelve any idea that leads to saving. Wise choices pay off. Time spent planning is worth it. Make your ideas known.
More great ways to save money on the back-to-school list
- Do not go for brand-name items. Remember, items might get lost and will be eventually thrown away once their use is over – though you can place them for sale at the school’s bazaar.
- Hold off buying trendier school items. Style and design cost money. Simple stationery are at normal costs. Add stickers if needs be to make plain stationery more appealing.
- If you need to buy, stick to the needy list. Do not forget to tick the ones you have so as to buy those items you are missing. You don’t think much of extra stationery items yet their cost adds up so quickly.
- Do not give in to your children’s requests. Stick to what is needed / asked for by the school. Explain to your child the importance of family budgeting and that stuff that is being requested is not affordable.
• Hang on to old uniforms. If kept in good condition, they can be reused, often given to younger siblings or friends. Do not hesitate to speak to other parents.
• Unfortunately, wear and tear makes it difficult to pass-on uniforms or find second hand school uniforms in good condition. However, remember that school coats and blazers (which cost more than any other uniform) are not worn much. Thus, it can be worth checking with neighbours or relatives. It is useless buying new coats and blazers for they are not commonly used. To save, it’s best to go for second hand ones. Remember groups can be created on chats which will make communication even easier.
- Use old copybooks as rough paper.
- When purchasing items, consider the fact that such items are going to be used for the next scholastic year, at least.
- If there are no end-of-summer sales, look out for sales organised along the scholastic year. Do not think that mid-scholastic year sales are too late to take advantage from for the current year. Buy and stock for the following year.
- Purchase teachers / staff appreciation gifts during sales.
- During summer you have ample time to plan. By now you would surely have an idea of the scholastic year events, fixed oratory days and appointments like dentist appointments, so use a calendar to plan to make the most of your trips by grouping errands.
- Labeling stationery is essential – During Summer put your child’s name on every single stationery. This means that any lost item will be returned.
- Label uniforms with a permanent marker. Have you ever heard of jumpers or jackets misplaced within weeks of usage? It is frustrating for any parent and time consuming for all teachers. By labeling the uniform, hence, even initials would do, the chances of getting back lost or misplaced items is high.
- Plan ahead for lunches to have ample time to prepare, other than during the working week. Remember scrumptious, nutritious, appealing lunches. There are many ideas online for healthy home-made lunches. Making kids’ lunches more fun signifies that kids refrain to purchase prior school hours or after school hours sugary, salty, fatty food items from tuck shops near schools.
Teach your children about the value of money, even if they are young. Set up a child’s money box for school supplies. They can start managing their own money box and purchase some stationery items at their own expense. Remember children learn by doing and learn through handson experiences, as well as by reinforcement and good example.
The benefits are numerous:
• understanding money value,
• money management,
• savings habit, and
• independence.
For you readers, if necessary, reread our handy tips to save money or/and print our article to keep it handy. With a few tips, shopping for school can be less of a financial strain on the family’s budget.
Above all, saving requires determination and readiness from all. It can really make a difference.
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