While many parents only associate school costs with private schools, even sending your child to a state school can cost up to an estimated £2,300 per child. The hidden costs of stationery, uniforms, and technology can quickly add up, especially if you’ve got more than one child in school.
After potentially costly school holidays, many parents feel anxious about the thought of further costs in the form of back-to-school supplies. The good news is that sending your child to school in September doesn’t have to break the bank. With some smart shopping, planning ahead, and our money-saving tips and tricks, you can significantly reduce costs.
What Are the Main Back-to-School Costs?
Sending a child to school costs more than you’d think, even if the schooling itself is free. Here are the main outgoings.
- School uniforms. Since uniforms typically have to be bought from specialist, school-approved stores, they’re often the biggest expense for sending your child to school.
- School shoes and PE trainers. During their childhood and teenage years, children’s feet often change shoe size from year to year, setting you back a new pair of school shoes and PE trainers every summer.
- PE kit. A PE kit is separate from the standard uniform. Some schools are more flexible on what it comprises, while others have rigid rules or request kits from specific shops.
- School bags and lunchboxes. Bags and lunchboxes can also be used from prior years, but if new ones are necessary, you can shop around to get a good deal.
- Stationery. Pens, pencils, highlights, pencil cases, and more. Stationery is one of the easiest costs to reduce, as you can reuse stationery from previous years and shop at discount retailers.
- Technology. Some schools require students to keep up with homework online, so technology costs should be factored in. Luckily, a good piece of tech should last for years once purchased.
- Lunches. Lunches – whether packed lunches or school dinners – cost. By bulk cooking in advance and reducing waste, you can keep costs to a minimum. You might be eligible for free school meals depending on your financial situation.
- School trips. Setting aside a small amount per month can make school trips more affordable when they arise.
- Transport. Transport costs should be factored into your budget. For children without a school bus, that’s bus fares, but even driving your child to choose can result in increased fuel costs.
Plan Ahead
The first and most important step is to plan ahead with a solid budget. Decide how much you can realistically afford, match this amount with the cost of your planned items, and stick to it. Prioritise the essentials first; anything that can wait until later in the year, when you’ve got more cash, should be considered then, instead.
Check for Financial Support
Make sure you’re taking advantage of all the financial support available to you, whether that’s through the local government or the school itself. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for financial support with things like uniforms, school trips, or lunches. Check if your child is eligible for free school meals or hardship funds before going ahead with purchases.
Check What You Already Have
There’s nothing more frustrating than spending hard-earned cash on a new set of stationery items, only to find half of it already in the back of a cupboard. You might have more than you think already at home, so do a thorough sweep of the house before parting with cash.
You’ll likely discover you already have items like pens and pencils, empty notebooks, pencil cases, lunchboxes, art supplies, school bags, hair ties. If you have more than one school-age child, check the older sibling’s drawers for uniforms or shoes that might fit younger kids, as well as school supplies they’ve grown out of.
If you don’t have older kids yourself, your friends and family might. Ask loved ones if they’ve got any back-to-school supplies going spare.
Outside of asking friends and family, search for used uniform stores online or ask your school’s PTA about any second-hand uniform events.
Don’t Succumb to Trends
As much as your kids might want the most up-to-date stuff, buying for trends is never a good idea. While they currently might want the lunch box with a film theme, in a few months’ time, they’ll have a new obsession and want a new lunch box to match. It’s better to stick with neutrals that never go out of style.
Batch Cook School Lunches
If your child isn’t eligible for school lunches, there are other ways to ensure they don’t break the bank. Batch cooking is one.
Rather than making an entirely new lunch every day and spending on costly individual items like cheese slices, batch cook lunch in bulk on Sundays. Homemade savoury muffins, sausage rolls, salads, falafel, and pizza slices can all be cooked in advance and eaten cold for lunch without access to a microwave. For dessert, skip the expensive individual chocolate bars and bake a flapjack or brownie traybake to cut up and eat across the week.
Spread the Costs Throughout the Year
Remember, not everything needs to be purchased in August/September, which is the most expensive time to buy back-to-school supplies.
If the stationery will last another few months, repurchase in January, instead, in the post-Christmas sales. Stock up on lunchbox essentials when supermarkets run offers. If your child is unlikely to have a huge growth spurt, buy their uniform at the end of the final school term before summer instead of waiting until August.
Check for Packed Lunch Waste
Parents typically provide the same packed lunch for their child by default, without checking if everything is actually getting eaten. When it comes to cleaning out their lunchbox at the end of the day, check for patterns of food waste.
If you’re consistently buying a yoghurt, a chocolate bar, or a snack that gets left 90% of the time, you’re wasting money. Perform regular lunch box ‘audits’ to see what can be cut back or replaced with a cheaper alternative.
Don’t Replace on Default
When it comes to September, we can make the mistake of replacing by default. Instead of checking whether shoes still fit or pens have run out, it’s easy to just head straight to the supermarket, shopping list in hand.
Instead of replacing everything on autopilot, do a quick audit to make sure whether clothing fits, shoes are in good condition, and stationery is usable.
Buy Own-Brand Items
Your child’s uniform might only be available from a few specific retailers, but items like basic polo shirts, socks, and shoes can typically be bought at supermarkets and discount retailers. Wherever possible, avoid branded goods and stick to own-brand alternatives.
Many larger supermarkets with clothing aisles will offer back-to-school basics much cheaper than branded versions. Plus, store loyalty cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed to buy school items, as well as offering card-only discounts. Don’t buy everything from the school-approved uniform shop except what’s necessary.
Shop Smart
As well as purchasing high street and supermarket alternatives where possible, follow the general rules of shopping smart. Online shopping can sometimes be cheaper, and timing your shopping with sales can result in significant discounts.
Sites like TopCashback provide cashback on purchases from certain stores, while discount codes can be found online. Some debit and credit cards also offer cashback deals, but don’t put items on credit cards unless you’re sure you can repay the card in full, monthly. Fair Finance is not related to TopCashback and does not receive any income from TopCashback.
Start a Uniform Swap
You won’t be the only parent worried about back-to-school costs; they set all parents back thousands of pounds a year. To lighten the load for both you and other parents alike, start a uniform swap, where parents can bring their children’s old school uniforms and parents in need of a uniform can pick some up.
Should I Get a Loan to Cover School Supplies?
Loans offer a quick injection of cash to cover major purchases or emergency expenses. A loan can be used to cover school supplies if you’re short on cash, but always ensure you can make the monthly repayments before you commit to borrowing money. Loans for people on benefits are available, although the interest rates might be higher.
Resources to Help
If you’re worried about affording back-to-school supplies for your children, you’re not alone. Many parents find themselves in the same position, and there are resources to help.
In summary…
While school supplies can be costly, they don’t have to break the bank. Beyond being savvy with cost-cutting using the tips above, you can seek financial support in the form of a grant, loan, or government programme, such as free school meals. Ask your child’s school for further advice on school-or area-specific support if you feel comfortable doing so.
