While schools are still out until September, it is never too early to start getting back-to-school supplies ready. It is no secret that back-to-school costs tend to be high, and according to the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU), 1 in 3 or 33% of parents have reported getting into debt to cover back-to-school costs. As the cost of living continues to rise, it is important to find ways to save money while not having to cut out essentials, especially for your child’s education.
In this blog, we will tell you:
- Back-to-school allowance
- Saving on back-to-school essentials
Back To School Allowance
The Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance is a programme that provides once-off payments each year to eligible families before the start of the autumn term. This year, the payment for children between the ages of 4 and 11 is €160, and for children 12 years and over and in full-time Second Level education, the payment is €285.
Over 100,000 eligible families began automatically receiving the payments from the 14th of July, and other families who qualify can apply online. More information about this can be found on the Gov.ie website.
Saving on Essentials for Back-to-School
Back-to-school essentials can include items such as stationery, books, tech, textbooks and with changing seasons or growth spurts, new uniforms. Each family’s situation is different and what may work for one may not do much for another. However, every opportunity to save some money counts. Here are 10 savings tips to consider:
1. Take stock
Before you start making lists and budgeting, go through what your child already has and check if they can still be used. Stationery can get misplaced around the house or supplies can pile up without you noticing. Items such as erasers, pens, pencils and perhaps even notebooks don’t have to be replaced each term.
2. Make a list and budget
Once you have figured out what you do have, start listing what you don’t have and create a budget specifically for buying supplies. Figure out how much you can spend and go from there.
3. Compare before you buy
Once you have your budget, don’t simply go out and buy the supplies. Take a look at what different supermarkets and retailers are offering, and compare their prices. Comparing supermarkets also allows you to find out what sort of sales, promotions and deals they may have going on. They may have end-of-week or month-end specials where you can save on stationery items or lunch essentials. If offered, you can also take advantage of price match policies.
4. Look into free resources
As mentioned above, eligible families will receive a Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance to help ease the pressure caused by the high cost of school uniforms. Citizens Information provides a list of resources designed to help parents cut down on school costs. These resources include the Special Transport Grant, Remote Area Boarding Grant and free schoolbooks programme.
5. Consider second-hand items
Children grow fast and can grow out of clothing in the blink of an eye, or they have accidents that completely ruin clothing. Buying brand new uniform or clothing items each term or as needed is not financially sustainable for many, but going second-hand can help.
By either shopping at thrift stores, checking out your local online groups or getting hand-me-downs from family, friends and other parents, you can cut down your expenditure on uniforms, sports gear, shoes and more.
For older children who may need tech such as laptops or tablets, buying from certified refurbished tech sellers can help you save a fortune. If you prefer buying brand-new tech, use our Technology promo codes and Laptop promo codes to save some money.
6. Think ahead when shopping
This applies to school uniform shopping. As already mentioned, children grow fast. When buying uniforms, try to go up a size so that they can wear them at least this year and the following year. Also, buy uniforms out of season. When it is summer, buy winter items and when it is winter, buy summer items. Many retailers will try to push out the previous season’s clothing and footwear to make room for new stock, and will have end-of-season sales.
7. Shop online
If you want to know where to buy cheap back-to-school supplies, avoid missing out on school supplies because they are sold out or find a greater variety of supplies, shop online. You can find more savings opportunities online as retailers may have online-only sales or only offer online promos. Browse Love Vouchers’ offering of promo codes from various retailers and brands that you can use online.
8. Label everything
To avoid having to replace stationery, clothing or uniforms, label your child’s items. If they get lost, there is a better chance of the items being returned.
9. Shop in bulk
If you can do it on your own, buy stationery in bulk. Buying in bulk is one of the best ways to find discount school supplies. It can help you save money in the long run and you will have plenty of stationery for years to come. If it’s not something that you can do on your own, try to team up with other parents to buy in bulk and split the cost and items evenly.
10. Pack lunches
Packing lunch for work so that you don’t have to spend money on takeout? The same can apply to school lunches. It is cheaper to buy lunch items every week to pack for your child. It is also a great way to stay on top of what they are eating. Our Food & Drink promo codes can help you save on your grocery shopping.
Save on Back-to-School Supplies
Don’t overextend yourself and your budget when shopping for back-to-school supplies. To find more deals that can help you save, be sure to check out our Stationery promo codes and Books promo codes.
