I can’t believe it’s back to school time already. The summer flew by! Sending two kids to school gets quite costly. Today, Sean Markey from Krank.ie is going to tell us some tips to help save on back to school costs. Take it away Sean…
The summer break is over and the kids are back in school. By now, you are probably thinking about all of the associated costs. You will no doubt need to buy more books, copies, stationary etc. as the year goes on – maybe even new shoes and uniform clothes as the little ones grow (they do it remarkably quickly!).
In a world where educating children can potentially cost a fortune, you have to work out ways in which you can reduce the cost of sending your kids to school without compromising on quality. Let’s have a look at some tips that will help you save.
1. Check for coupons online
There are some amazing coupon sites online that offer huge savings that will add up and reduce the costs of school supplies for the kids. Sites like Raise offer coupons to top shops that you love. It's quick and easy to grab your savings!
2. Have Your Children Get Changed After School
Many children stay in their school uniforms for the evening. This is a bad habit and one that should be nipped in the bud. Tell your children to change their uniforms as soon as they get back from school. This way the uniform won’t suffer from any unnecessary home-based wear n’ tear and it will last much longer as a result, hence helping you save money on repairs and replacements.
3. Generic Uniforms can Save you a Packet Don’t buy the branded uniform shirts and trousers for your child. Official school uniforms are a lot like Premier League football jerseys; they tend to be very overpriced for what they are and should be avoided where possible in favour of more cost-effective alternatives. You can generally pick up entire multi-packs of generic school uniform trousers, shirts, skirts etc. for the price of one branded school uniform.
If your child’s school jumper has a specific emblem you may be able to acquire it on its own and sew it to a generic brand uniform. A bit of creativity can go a long way in terms of saving money!
Shoes tend to be the thing children wear down / grow out of the most quickly. For these, I especially recommend going for the ‘cheap and cheerful’ option. It’s not nice having to fork out a hundred euro every 5 months for designer kids’ shoes!
Remember, Christmas isn’t too far off! You can reward your kids with all of the colourful branded stationery they like as part of their Christmas present – two birds, one stone!
4. Choose an Easy School Route Sending to your kids to school that’s far away is not only time consuming and tiring, it also increases your transportation costs. Preferably pick a school that is easy to travel to and is nearby. Or if your work timings and your child’s school timings match, pick a school that in on your way to work. Now that would be a money-saving technique!
It is also worth taking the time to find out who your kids’ friends are. You can then arrange a car pool with their parents, saving everybody some petrol money (not to mention taking away the hassle of having to do the school run every day).
5. Look for Scholarships and Grants There are many scholarships and grants available. Some of them are offered by the government while others are offered by other private organizations. Look and see if your child qualifies for one of these. The School Clothing & Footwear Allowance is one such grant which is particularly useful at back to school time.
Conclusion What you invest in your child’s education today will pay you back tomorrow. While you should never think twice while spending on a child’s education, it is always good to save some money where you can. You can invest the money you save now later for things like your kids’ college education or a nice summer vacation.
Thank you, Sean for sharing your tips with us! Do you have any tips to add?
