Save big bucks on back to school
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Books, pens, rulers, uniforms, shoes ... the list of things kids need to go back to school can seem endless - especially when you're the one paying for it all! But with a savvy shopping strategy and some great back-to-school ideas, you can make big savings and ease the financial pressure of getting the kids back in the classroom!
On the last day of school the prospect of keeping the kids entertained for the holidays can be daunting, but when January rolls around most parents would agree that the prospect of footing the back-to-school bill for the coming year can be even scarier!
And according to last year’s figures from the Australian Scholarships Group, at least some of those fears may be founded – based on a member survey, ASG created the following estimate for the cost of schooling in 2010:
Primary
Government: up to $4,961
Systemic (Catholic, etc): up to $7,138
Private: up to $13,475
Secondary
Government: up to $5,341
Systemic: up to $11,829
Private: up to $20,264
The days when kids needed a simple uniform, a pencil case and some schoolbooks are over. These days kids need an enormous amount of school equipment – education is becoming increasingly involved and it’s costing more as a result. According to the ABS, the cost of education rose 5.8 per cent from September 2009 to September 2010, outstripping the overall CPI, which was just 2.8 per cent.
Getting the kids back to school can be an expensive exercise – even more so if you have more than one child at school – but there are still some great back to school ideas for keeping those costs under control, starting with these three areas:
The ‘write’ stuff
Stationery items are almost guaranteed to get lost or damaged, regardless of how carefully you label things, so go for bulk over brand. If you want to get the kids everything they need for school and save money, planning is the key! Search catalogues and the internet to find the lowest prices and then shop around to make the most of ‘loss leaders’ – these are items at drastically low prices that are designed to lure you through the door in the hope that you’ll complete all your back-to-school shopping while you’re there. Although it can be tempting to get the whole lot over and done with in one go, you can make some big savings simply by taking the time to shop around. If you want to save even more, consider just buying the bare minimum to get the kids started and waiting for the post back-to-school sales to scoop up some serious bargains – you can save anywhere up to (and over) 50 per cent on stationery items this way. These days, many schools offer pre-packed book packs for parents to purchase, and while these can sometimes be a great option, they’re often more expensive than buying the items individually yourself and it’s worth doing your homework to make sure they really are a good deal before you buy.
Keep them covered
Unless your school’s uniform policy is very strict, kids only need one ‘logo’ uniform for school events. It’s possible to save up to 25 per cent by purchasing uniform ‘lookalikes’ from department stores rather than shopping at the school uniform shop or local supplier. If this isn’t an option, find out if you can buy secondhand items from the school uniform shop, or have a think about starting a ‘sell-n-swap’ scheme with other parents – kids often grow out of school uniforms before they wear them out, so it should be possible to get some great quality used items. You can also give faded solid-colour uniform items a new lease on life by giving them a dip in some good-quality clothes dye if they’re still in good shape otherwise and the kids haven’t outgrown them – it’s far more cost effective than buying completely new items – and whites will often come up like new with some good old-fashioned nappy treatment! Shoes, schoolbags and lunchboxes also take a beating, so buy good quality, inexpensive ones rather than branded items – it’s possible to save up to 75 per cent on some items by purchasing generic items rather than big-name brands. It’s also a good chance to teach kids to appreciate that quality, unbranded products are sometimes far better than over-priced big brands.
Recycle
If you have more than one child at the same school then recycling items between them can sometimes be possible – especially if you have one of those rare kids who actually takes care of their school stuff! If their things from last term are a bit too battered and beaten to re-use at school, think about where else you could put them to good use: stationery odds and ends are always handy around the house, damaged school shirts make great painting smocks for younger kids, lunchboxes and pencil cases make great storage containers in the laundry and garage, and old school drink bottles make great ice-bricks for the esky! When it comes to recycling old school supplies, the only limit is your imagination!
Want more great tips for beating the back-to-school budget blues and saving big bucks in all areas of your life? Check out our 30 Day Challenge!
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Tags: back to school ideas, money planning, 30 day challenge, money management
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