Back to School Money Saving Tips

Kitting the kids out ready for Back to School can cost a small fortune. There seems to be a list as long as your arm of essential kit to buy. To help, we have put together some fab money saving Back to School tips, which can make the start of the school term a little easier on your wallet.


Back to school tips:

Stick to a list - Write down a list of everything you need. Then don't veer from your list. There
will be plenty of pretty extras crying our for you to pick them off the shelves (and little voices pleading too) so resolve not to budge and stick to your guns.

Do an inventory first - Before you hit the shops, check if you have any items on your list around the house. It can be tempting to just head out and buy the whole caboodle brand new but it's worth a look first. Have you got pencils and rubbers hiding in drawers? Have you got t-shirts and jogging bottoms that you can use as gym kit? Can last year's lunch box be washed and used again?

Pre-loved can be as good as new - All it takes is a quick clean and nearly new items can be as good as new but will save you a small fortune. Our Nearly New boards are a great place to look for expensive items, such as school coats, logo-ed uniform and blazers, branded P.E kit etc items. If you don't see any listed then post a 'wanted' ad and you might be in luck. Before you hit the shops with your credit card, make it your first port of call.

Check the charity shops - Try charity shops near your child's school, which often have uniform in stock.

Does the school have second hand uniform sales? Ask other mums (or on the noticeboard) to see if they do. Often there are fab second hand sales near the start of term, selling hand-me-down and unwanted uniform and you can find some real bargains.

Hunt down bargains - At the end of the summer holidays supermarkets and high street stores are often tripping over themselves to tempt you with cheap uniform deals and BOGOFs. If you find a multi-pack going for a song or a great deal then buy in the next size up too and stock up.

Buy plain and jazz things up - Plain supplies are often much cheaper and you can add your own personal touch with stickers, badges and colourful doodles. Pound shops are a good hunting ground for plainer items, which you can then customise. Use fabric marker pens to add dots or doodles or pictures to a pair of plain white plimsolls or stickers to transform a plain lunchbox or water bottle into a one your child will be excited to show off to his friends.

Stock up throughout the year - Whenever you spy things in sales or going for a bargain then stock up throughout the year. Make a drawer of 'spares' for when your child goes up a size in clothing or you need to replenish pencil box supplies.

Biro power! You can buy some really colourful and fancy labels but if you want to save a few more pennies on the last leg of your Back to School buying trip then you can use a biro or fabric marker to write your child's name on washing labels and on their pencil cases and lunch boxes instead.

Good luck!