Back-to-school shopping isn’t the best part of parenthood. If dragging your kids around town wasn’t stressful enough, you have to shop at ‘approved’ stores and constantly refer to the uniform rules of the particular school.
Then there’s the cost.
I wouldn’t go as far to say school uniforms are a cartel, but it feels close at times. You’re restricted in what you can buy, where you can buy from and you have almost zero freedom of choice.
And the cost.
I can’t change the way school uniforms are managed and run but I can help you save a little money on your back-to-school shopping.
1. Check what you need
I would say the first, and most important, task is to see what you have and exactly what you need. Not all children grow at the same rate and while they may have grown out of shirts or blouses, they may not yet have grown out of skirts or shorts.
Do an inventory, check the condition of clothes, check the uniform rules and make a list of what you can hand down and what you need to buy.
Do the same for stationery, lunchboxes and anything else your kids use too.
2. Set aside old clothes to sell or hand them down
If you find clothes that no longer fit but are in good condition, set them aside for later.
You can sell them on your local school Facebook group or WhatsApp group, sell them at a car boot or hand them down to family or friends.
Let nothing go to waste. You’re keeping clothes out of landfill and are potentially saving someone else money on their back-to-school shopping.
3. Double check the school rules
I cannot overstate this enough, double, then triple check the school uniform rules. I know of many parents who have gone out and spent a fortune on school uniforms only to find they didn’t comply.
If in doubt, ask other parents or on social media. Some schools do a better job of explaining rules than others.
4. Team up for bulk buys
If you’re part of a parent’s group or know other parents who are facing the same challenge, why not team up and buy in bulk. This mainly works for stationery and other packaged items but can work for t-shirts, blouses and so on that come in packs of 3 or 4.
5. Size up
Most parents already know this but it’s worth stating here. Size up one or two sizes on all expensive items. This is especially useful for blazers where an extra size or so won’t make all that much difference.
Getting an extra term or three out of an expensive purchase like that can save money.
If your school accepts those brands with expandable hems or other tricks to extend their life, consider those too. That’s another term or three you won’t have to buy new clothes!
6. Consider used items
The days of shame over wearing used clothes is long gone. While your children probably won’t be overjoyed at the prospect, they will get over it.
Check those same social media groups you advertise your kids’ old clothes and see if you cannot buy the next lot from there.
There are also lots of websites that sell secondhand school uniforms, sports kit, tech, books and other school items.
Clever use of secondhand is a key way to save money on back-to-school shopping.
7. Compare prices
I’m big on comparing prices. I think spending an hour comparing prices to save a decent percentage on the price is time well spent. It’s the same for back-to-school shopping as it is for car insurance.
Shop around, check cashback websites and check every online store you can for items you can buy. Just remember to make sure it meets the uniform rules before you buy.
8. Don’t forget to check supermarket clothes
Supermarkets may not have our best interests at heart but they can help with your back-to-school shopping.
Supermarket clothes are pretty good for the purpose. They aren’t the best quality and the fit can be problematic, but they are cheap and readily available.
You can also browse the school items while you’re doing your big shop to save a little time.
As long as they conform to the uniform rules, there’s nothing wrong with buying school clothes alongside your groceries and you could save money while you do it.
9. Buy plain items and customise them
For some reason, plain lunchboxes, water bottles, bags and other items are cheaper than those with prints or designs.
Buy plain and use your own creativity, or work with your kids to customise them yourself.
Younger kids will enjoy this more than older ones, but what’s wrong with spending an afternoon with some felt tip pens, stickers, glitter and whatever else your child likes to be original?
10. Stock up during sales
Planning ahead is a key part of saving money and planning what you might need for an entire year rather than the next term or two can help save money on back-to-school shopping.
You can shop for winter clothes in summer, use sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday for electronics and local or random sales for anything else.
As long as you plan carefully, stick to your list and get the sizing and uniform rules right, there’s very little chance of wasting money.
It’s more work but could result in more savings!
