5 strategies to reduce back-to-school expenses

You might be looking forward to your children returning to school this month, but chances are your bank balance is not.

New figures from Hodge Bank suggest that back-to-school costs could be as high as £1100, including uniform, petrol for the school run and the cost of school dinners and packed lunches.

Fortunately, though, there are ways to take down the back-to-school costs. Here are five suggestions.

Cut the cost of uniform with recycling schemes and supermarket swaps 

Figures from The Children’s Society suggest that parents spend £422 a year on secondary school uniform and £287 on primary uniforms.  

You can take down the cost of this if your school runs a uniform recycling scheme or secondhand shop.

The school Facebook page is usually a good place to check for individual sales, while national website Uniformd allows you to search by school for children’s uniform. 

For non-branded uniform items, check supermarket uniform supplies rather than relying on the school uniform shop, as these will often be cheaper. 

Swap old clothes and shoes for discounts 

New school shoes can cost a fortune. Take down the cost by opting for a shoe store that will reward you for recycling the old pair. Schuh’s Too Big for Your Boots campaign will give you a £5 voucher if you bring in an old pair of school shoes to swap for new ones, while M&S will give you a five pound voucher for recycling clothes or shoes – as long as your donation includes one M&S branded item. 

Buying new Kickers? You could receive even more money off by sending off an old pair via its ‘Reskinned’ campaign. Send off your old shoes via the website and receive a £15 voucher to use in return. 

Sign up for free meals 

With the average costs of packed lunches now over £500 a year, and school meals costing an average of £2.65 each, feeding children at school can soon add up. 

In many areas all young children are eligible for free school meals, while in other areas it is dependent on income and you will have to apply. 

There’s a checker on the government website that will help you to check whether your family is eligible for free meals, or whether they are universally available. You can find it here.

Even if your child gets universal free meals regardless of income, you should still inform the school if you are on a low income or benefits, as there is extra money available for the school which can be spent on trips or instrumental lessons and other enrichment for your child. 

Laptops and tablets are increasingly useful for schoolwork, but it can be expensive to replace tech for children. Save money by buying refurbished technology instead, but ensure it comes with a warranty in case things go wrong.

Try Back Market for refurbished laptops, tablets and phones with a twelve-month minimum warranty. 

Those on a low income may be able to get access to a laptop through the Digital Poverty Alliance, working with Currys, though it only works in certain areas of the country and you must be referred by someone with standing in the community. 

Label it, don’t lose it! 

Once you’ve bought the back-to-school essentials, ensure that they don’t get lost by labelling them correctly. A sharpie pen is sufficient for most clothing items, while sticky labels may be more appropriate for shoes and calculators to ensure they don’t get lost.

Sophia Martinez