“What do you need for school next year?” I asked this question to my 15-year-old daughter who is about to enter year 10.
She casually threw back over her shoulder “Some hope and ambitions?” I laughed and she laughed and then I said to her, “No, really, what will I have to go and buy you because Christmas is a bank balance killer and I really need to draw up a budget here.”
You need to draw up a budget.
Being a veteran of this hectic time of time of year and the ‘back to school madness’, I have to admit I get an overwhelming feeling of just being ‘shopped out’ come January, so that’s why I always try to pick up all of the school supplies in one shop. A single store that not only sells the brands and quality products I can trust, but at the very best price.
Also, with my daughter being older now, I’ve found that her technological needs in the classroom have increased substantially and I do NOT want to traipse all over a megaplex in search of everything. In fact, I’ve learnt in the past that I need to use almost military precision if I’m going to tick off almost everything on my list in one go. And it’s gone beyond the basic scrapbooks and crayons now.
Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Big W. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.
See, because even though all of the fundamentals are taken care of with a ‘school textbook levy’, it seems that the older my children get, the more ‘incidentals’ I have to source on my own. Especially, as my daughter tells me, her classmates continuously borrow things from her and fail to return them.
That’s why I’ve learnt to do a one-stop shop at Big W.
1. Phone charger.
Available at Big W
You see, this really IS a school requirement now days. Every kid has a phone and also pretty much every single one of them is working from their laptop and therefore, they need to charge it up at some point during the day. And yes, I’m well aware we got through school perfectly fine without either but times change, and so too our way of adapting.
2. USB Sticks.
Available at Big W
Forever am I buying these it seems. Used so often for saving assignments and projects, these are one of those ‘lent’ items that for some reason are never returned.
3. General (but cool) stationery.
Available at Big W