Back to school savers

EXPERT LESSONS ON CUTTING COST OF GETTING KIDS PREPPED

IT may feel like summer has barely started but the kids go back to school in less than two weeks, and many parents will be panicking about how to cover the cost.

Uniforms, rucksacks, lunch boxes, pens, books, sportswear, mobiles and the school run all need to be funded, at a time when we’re feeling the pinch like never before.

The average cost of a back-to-school shop is now £143.39, that’s £11.20 more than last year’s £132.19, according to money transfer service WorldRemit.

This gets you a school bag, lunch bag, water bottle, pencil case, colouring pencils, handwriting pen, pencil, eraser, ruler and sharpener. It also includes the price of polo shirts, jumpers, shoes, socks, trousers or shorts, shirts, coat, gym bag, plimsolls, T-shirts, shorts and hats.

That’s a lot of kit. So here’s how to cut the cost...

Making some uniform savings

School uniforms are compulsory and costly at around £100 per pupil, says Which? Money Expert Reena Sewraz.

“Check if your child’s school or Parent Teacher Association (PTA) has a second-hand selling group, where you may be able to pick up pre-loved items. If it doesn’t, organise your own second-hand sale with the school or check social media sites and apps such as Facebook Marketplace or Freecycle.”

WhatsApp groups and recycling apps such as OLIO can help you find pre-loved uniforms and essentials.

And many school uniform items are sold in multipacks.

“Always work out the price per item. For example, Tu at Sainsbury’s sells a multipack of four black woven school trousers for nine-year-olds for £16, which is £4 per pair. But a two-pack costs £8, which is the same per item, so don’t buy more than you need.”

If you spot a great multipack offer and don’t need all the items, buddy up with a fellow parent and split the costs.

“Buddying up with families who have children of different ages is also a great way to pass around clothes when they’re outgrown,” Reena says.

Consider buying a uniform in the next size up, especially expensive items like blazers.

“Try taking up long school trousers and letting the hem down as your child grows. Marks & Spencer sells trousers with a ‘grow-proof hem’, which you can let down by unpicking the hem and pressing with an iron,” she adds.

Some parents are eligible for a £200 uniform grant. These are typically available for people on Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit, or if your child receives free school meals.

Not every council offers this. Visit gov.uk/help-school-clothing-costs and enter your postcode to check.

Double check the school uniform policy before you buy anything.

“Some schools may require students to wear a full pleated skirt or black trousers instead of grey.

“If you have to buy branded items and you need help, speak to the school as some offer vouchers.”

Abigail Yearley, spokesperson at TopCashback, says before you rush to the shops, sort through your children’s wardrobe to see what can be reused.

“Next, put together a list of everything your kids need (not want) and tick things off as and when there are offers for each item,” she adds. The big supermarkets run back-to-school events with discounts so keep your eyes peeled.

“Discounters like Aldi are known for bargain back-to-school events, but stock gets snapped up. Even if you’ve missed the special event, check their middle aisle as often you’ll find cheap stationery and lunch boxes.”

Help others by donating old school clothes and equipment you no longer need, says Tessa Clarke, co-founder of free-sharing platform OLIO. “Our research shows that parents are still throwing away an average of 13 school items a year, despite them being perfectly useable. Help others by sharing your spare stuff.”

Some major shoe shops have online outlet stores where you can pick up discounted items for a fraction of the cost. Which? found some school shoes for £32 on clarksoutlet.co.uk, reduced from £48.

“You can get cheaper footwear from Office Offcuts at offcutsshoes.co.uk, which sells ‘end of line, ex-display and last pairs of shoes’, all new. There’s also an ex-display range at schuh.co.uk,” Reena adds.

Which? found Kickers is running a family deal that offers 20% off if you buy two pairs of school shoes, or 25% for three pairs. Aldi is selling lots of uniform items, including a black pleated skirt for just £1.75. Sports Direct is offering 10% off selected school shoes online until August 31, with code SCHOOLSHOES10. “Search for discount codes and loyalty apps,” Reena adds. Coupert and Pouch are free shopping tools that automatically find every voucher available in one click and apply them to your basket. You can also get offers by signing up to a loyalty programme. The H&M Club, for instance, is free and you build up points for every purchase, which leads to offers, money-off vouchers and free delivery. Keeping uniforms in good condition will help them last longer. For example, you can buy a clothes shaver for £5 on Amazon, which can make worn wool jumpers look new. Start-Rite Shoes fitting expert Wayne Lubbock says there is no industry norm for shoe sizes so always check the fit on your child’s feet before buying, with growing room built in.

“The better the fit, the longer they will last, and the better value for money. Fast fashion is a false economy, so go for quality if you can,” he says.

Polishing school shoes every week will make them last longer and look smarter, Wayne adds.

Get cheaper footwear by buying new end-of-line and ex-display shoes

Check rules

From September, a new law in England will force state schools to remove unnecessary branded items from their uniform, says Adrian Lowery, financial analyst at investing platform Bestinvest.

“This will allow parents to shop around or hand clothes down more easily, but for many schools it might not kick in until September 2023. They can still retain some branding on items like blazers.”

The school run is another cost with petrol prices still high, Adrian says.

“Is walking or cycling a possibility, or could you share chaperone duties with other parents?” he says.

If driving children to school is the only option, look into sharing lifts.

“An informal ride-sharing pool can be useful in rural locations.”

School dinner costs vary but start from £2.20 a day for primary school children and around £2.50 for secondary school kids. However, a

nutritious lunchbox can sometimes be more expensive.

“Your decision also depends on how much influence you want over your children’s diet, how much time you have on your hands, and your children’s preferences,” Adrian adds.

Nick Drewe, founder of discounts platform wethrift.com, suggests checking what stationery you have at home before splurging on more.

“Find out what is provided in school and what you need to buy to avoid doubling up,” he says.

Label everything

Primary school kids alone lose 13 million items each year, according to personalised label supplier Stamptastic, and the cost of replacing them adds up.

“Use name stamps or stick-on labels for clothes, shoes, PE kit, bags and lunchbox, as well as large stationery items and any tech too,” Adrian says.

You can buy label names to iron or sew on to clothes from around £3.50.

“Some label companies, such as TinyMe, are running free promotions – you just have to pay postage and packaging,” he adds.

Claim for care

Last year, more than half a million families claimed tax-free childcare of up to £2,000 a child for childminders, nurseries, nannies, after school clubs and play schemes. Yet 800,000 who are eligible don’t claim.

If you have a young child, you may be able to claim for up to 30 hours of free childcare per week during term time, says Brean Horne, personal finance writer at NerdWallet. “You’ll still have to pay for nappies, trips and meals while your child is in nursery, but this is a big help.” Visit gov.uk/tax-free-childcare.

Save on mobiles

For many schoolchildren, mobiles are the norm. SIM provider giffgaff. com says parents spend an average of £136 on a child’s smartphone, while one in four forks out over £200.

Save by purchasing a refurbished phone, either direct from manufacturers such as Apple or Samsung, on the high street or online.

Giffgaff offers refurbs from £69, with up to 24 months warranty.

Handing down one of your old devices is another option, says Catherine Hiley at uswitch.com.

“Pair it with a cheap SIM-only deal and let them pick a case to give it their own style. But make sure it doesn’t have your payment details saved, to avoid any surprise bills.”

If they only need it for calls and texts, an internet-free ‘dumbphone’ will cost less to run and has longer battery life. It is more likely to survive being thrown around or dropped.

“Most manufacturers offer more affordable mid-range handsets, such as the Samsung A13 for £14 a month, Google Pixel 6a for £15 a month and 3rd Gen iPhone SE for £29 a month,” Catherine adds.

Arrange two-factor authentication so you will be notified if they try to download any apps. Check if

their games offer in-app purchases.