You may be excited about your kids going back to school this month, but your bank account probably isn’t.
According to new figures from Hodge Bank, the cost of starting school could be as much as £1,100, including uniforms, petrol for the journey to school and the cost of school meals and packed lunches.
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce back-to-school costs. Here are five suggestions.
Reduce the cost of uniforms through recycling programs and supermarket swaps
According to figures from the Children’s Society, parents spend £422 a year on secondary school uniforms and £287 on primary school uniforms.
You can reduce the cost of this if your school runs a uniform recycling program or a secondhand store.
You can usually search for individual offers on the school’s Facebook page, while you can search for schools on the national website Uniformd to specifically look for children’s uniforms.
If you are looking for non-branded uniform items, you should not rely on uniform accessories in the school uniform shop, but rather in the supermarket, as these are often cheaper.
Trade old clothes and shoes for discounts
New school shoes can cost a fortune. Reduce the cost by choosing a shoe store that rewards you for recycling the old pair. Schuh’s ‘Too Big for Your Boots’ campaign gives you a £5 voucher when you hand in an old pair of school shoes to swap for new ones, while M&S gives you a £5 voucher for recycling any clothes or shoes – as long as your donation includes an M&S branded item.
Buying new Kickers? You could save even more if you send in an old pair through the ‘Reskinned’ campaign. Send in your old shoes through the website and receive a £15 voucher in return.
Sign up for free meals
With the average cost of packed lunches now over £500 a year and the cost of a school meal averaging £2.65, feeding children at school can quickly add up.
In many areas, all young children are entitled to free school meals, in other areas eligibility is income-tested and must be applied for.
There is a checker on the government website that you can use to see if your family is eligible for free meals or if they are generally available. You can find it here.
Even if your child receives free meals regardless of income, you should inform the school if you are on a low income or receiving benefits, as the school will have additional money available to spend on trips or instrumental lessons and other support for your child.
Save on school technology or get it for free
Laptops and tablets are becoming increasingly useful for school work, but replacing kids’ tech can get expensive. Save money by buying refurbished tech instead, but make sure it comes with a warranty in case something goes wrong.
Try Back Market for refurbished laptops, tablets and phones with a minimum 12-month warranty.
People on low incomes may be able to get access to a laptop through the Digital Poverty Alliance in partnership with Currys, but this only works in certain parts of the country and you will need to be referred by a respected person in the community.
Label it, don’t lose it!
Once you’ve bought the essential school supplies, make sure they don’t get lost by labelling them properly. For most clothes, a felt-tip pen will suffice, while sticky labels for shoes and calculators may be better to ensure they don’t get lost.
For truly valuable items like laptops and musical instruments, consider an AirTag or similar tracking device in case they get left on the bus – and check that these valuables are also covered by your home contents insurance on the way to and from school, as these prized possessions can all too easily get lost.
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