Cheree Lawrence is the founder of parenting site, Oh So Busy Mum.
The start of the school year can be really expensive, especially when you have more than one child starting at school.
With all four of my kids now in school (two in high school and two in primary school), I had to quickly find the best ways to save both time and money when preparing my kids to start the school year.
These are my top tips that are guaranteed to save me – and hopefully you too – time and money.
1. Start preparing now and spread the costs throughout the year.
Don’t wait until after Christmas or the beginning of the school year to pay for everything at once. Try to start preparing as soon as you can by purchasing some of the school essentials you know they will need.
It also could be worth investigating any specific requirements or expectations the school might have so you can be one step ahead as soon as the year starts.
2. Order school book packs online as soon as the list becomes available.
Most schools provide the book lists in early October with the option of delivery at the start of the school year. Some suppliers even offer free delivery!
I highly recommend you do this. Not only do you run the risk of items selling out if you wait until the last minute to order, they may not be delivered in time for the first day of classes.
The added benefit of ordering prior to Christmas is knowing you can enjoy the summer holidays and start the new year organised!
3. Check which items you have left over from the previous year.
Before any purchases are made, make sure you check what items your children still have from previous years so you don’t double up. Items like calculators, folders, pens, rulers and scissors can save you a heap if you reuse the ones from previous years.
4. Keep a box of spare items.
In addition to tip #3, I have a clear plastic tub in my cupboard where I store any spare school supplies that I have accumulated or bought cheaply as and when they are on sale.
If the kids need something throughout the year, they know they can just go to the tub and grab out what they need. When the school booklists come out, I cross off anything that we already have so I don’t double up.
