‘PLANNING EARLY CAN AVOID OVERSPENDING’
Budget early, reuse uniforms and look out for deals, say parents
FARHANA SYED NOKMAN AND C. PREMANANTHINI KUALA LUMPUR news@nst.com.my
IF your child is attending kindergarten, primary or secondary school, without proper planning, back-toschool expenses could burn a hole in your wallet.
Before the start of the school term, parents have been busy preparing for their children’s needs at school, such as uniforms, stationery, shoes, books and fees.
Many parents believe that early planning could help them avoid overspending. Some say back-toschool expenditure for each child could reach RM800.
They said prices of school supplies fluctuated each year, and parents need to be smart to manage their budget.
Commercial executive officer and mother of four Lili Hasliyah Hassim, 41, from Sepang, said she had set aside a fund since January last year for her children’s school needs.
“My daughter goes to primary school in the morning and religious school in the afternoon, so expenses are higher as we need different sets of uniforms.
“This year, she will be a Pembimbing Rakan Sebaya (Peer Mentor) member, so we can’t reuse her old uniforms, and we need new black shoes, too.
“School registration fees and books for both schools will cost about RM500.”
She said her son in secondary school only needed school books, which cost about RM300.
“For my younger daughter, who will enter Year 2, I reused her sister ’s uniforms, which are in good condition. I bought one new set, which cost about RM150.”
Father of eight Mohd Khidir Zakaria, 46, said he had many responsibilities, so he would buy school supplies in stages.
“This month, I’ll buy a pair of shoes for them. Next month, if needed, I’ll buy another pair.
“I live in a small town in Port Dickson, so the prices of school supplies are more bearable. I think I’ll spend about RM500 on each child.”
Freelance writer and mother of three Siti Nur Suraya Ali, 35, said she would not compromise on quality when it came to school supplies as she wanted the best for her children.
She bought five sets of primary and religious school uniforms for her son, who attends a cluster school.
“I don’t buy cheap uniforms for my son. I don’t cut corners for my needs, so I don’t think it’s fair that I wear expensive clothes and shoes, but skimp when it comes to my son’s needs.
“I have spent about RM550 on Canggih brand uniforms, including nametags,” she said, adding that she got discounts with a membership card.
She said she spent about RM250 for a year’s worth of stationery and book wrappers.
“The school provides books for my son, but we also buy extra books because he is taking Mandarin. So books cost RM150, with book aid from the school.”
She said having a membership with some shops and brands ensured she always got the best deals.
“My tip for parents is to become members of these shops and brands, and follow their social media to get the best deals.”
Federation of Malaysian Consumer Associations (Fomca) president Datuk Dr Marimuthu Nadason said to avoid overspending during the back-toschool season, parents should plan expenditures early.
“Some young parents do their shopping at the last minute and rush things.
“If they know they need to pay their children’s school fees, the solution is to plan early.
“Parents should plan a year before the school season is back. Start setting aside an allocation for school items.
“Parents can save by reusing school uniforms, shoes and bags, depending on their condition,” he told the New Straits Times.
He said the prices of school supplies differed in each state and district as they were not controlled items, hence it was vital that parents plan well.
Page 1 pic: A Year 1 pupil at SK Sultan Sulaiman 1 in Kuala Terengganu yesterday. PIC BY MOHD SYAFIQ RIDZUAN AMBAK