Back to school on a budget

As parents and students get ready for the new school year, Ann Francis looks at ways to cut the cost of sending kids back to school.

If you’ve got school-aged children, chances are you will be bracing yourself for the big, annual school uniform shop.

It is likely to be big hit financially this year, with school clothing, shoes, books, school bags and sports equipment averaging a staggering £315 for junior school pupils and £337 for those at secondary school.

That kind of money can be hard to find after the added expense of the summer holidays, and with costs escalating and energy price caps set to rise, it makes sense to save money where you can.

It’s worth know that if your child is eligible for free school meals, support is available with £225 per learner and £300 for a those starting year 7. This support, known as the Pupil Development Grant fund, is available through your local authority, more information is available here: https://gov.wales/pupil-development-grant-access.

Regardless of whether you are eligible for a grant there are still ways to cut the cost of the new school year:

• Get social: Use local social media selling groups where parents sell school uniforms. Often children outgrow the uniform before it gets a lot of wear, so you can get some good buys at a fraction of the cost. There are groups for different parts of north Wales including this one in Denbighshire https://www.facebook.com/groups/538251532907805/ and Wrexham https://www.facebook.com/groups/213405808813965/

• Second hand: Local uniform exchange events are restarting after the pandemic and so it’s worth checking to see whether there will be one in your area. In Flintshire, hospice charity shops are selling used uniform items at a fraction of the price, more details here: https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/Resident/Schools/School-Uniform-Exchange.aspx

• Check the school shop: Many school PTAs have used school uniform shops, helping to save parents money with the added benefit of generating funds for the school.

• Growing room: It pays to buy uniforms a bit larger than you think you need, especially the more expensive, branded items such as PE kit and blazers. Children grow very quickly, and you can always take up hems and bring them down again.

• Supermarket bargains: There are growing calls for all school uniforms in Wales to be unbranded, to bring down the cost for parents. Supermarkets have budget-friendly prices on plain shirts, polo shirts, trousers etc and, if you have a loyalty card, you can even use your points to buy them. Some schools sell embroidered school badges that can be ironed on, which can be a cost saving option.

• Books on a budget: If your child needs to buy books for school, Oxfam, World of Books and even Amazon offer used books online.

• Spread the cost: In the long-term you may want to consider opening a savings account to spread the cost of the school year. Paying in child benefit to a specific savings account, for example, can help you build up a fund for uniform, school trips, birthdays, and Christmas.

• Finally, we all know how easy it is for your child to lose items in school, so remember to label every piece!

If you’re concerned about paying for school uniform, your local credit union can help you spread the cost and you can use your child benefit to do it – either by paying it directly into your savings for times like Christmas and the new school year or repaying a small loan. We’re here to help.