Cutting cost with the kids' schooling
Whenever the school season is just around the corner, there's only one thing that parents are thinking about - the impending costs. Education is something we all need of course but it can become very costly, especially if you have more than one child in school. Applying for scholarships and education grants for your children one way to get them through schooling, but not many people will be able to successfully take that path.
There are a few simple and effective measures that parents can think about in regards to keeping the costs down when it comes to school, especially during the back-to-school season.
Be organized
Keep an inventory of your children's school supplies and keep it organized. Keep a record of what items the school asks you to supply at the beginning of the school year and at the start of each term. Make lists. If you come across a good back-to-school sale on those items, stock up.
Tax holidays
Tax holidays are often offered by many states during the back-to-school season. Price ceilings will be put on different school items. You might want to do a little research and ask about the schedule and the details of the tax holidays in your area.
Buying school supplies in bulk
You may find it's cheaper to buy school supplies in bulk, so if you're buying pencils, for example, you might want to buy a box rather than buying one for each of your kids. Or buy a carton of ten boxes of pencils, if you know each child will be asked to bring a whole box to school. Teachers are not given much in the way of funds to purchase these supplies for the classroom, so notices will often be sent home requesting children bring these items to school.
Transport
Is there a school bus? Can you create a carpool? Are you close enough for your children to walk or ride to school? Can you drop the kids to school while you or your husband are on the way to wherever you're going for the day so you're not making a special trip? Can you take turns driving the kids with a friend and take their kids too? Is there an older person or university student you know who is willing to walk kids to school? They could take a group of kids who all go to the same school and they could be paid a little by each family.
Snacks
If you're packing a school lunch, include food you know your kids will eat at school. Don't give them individually packaged servings of cheese, crackers, chips, cookies or pre-packaged fruit....buy a large pack and divide them into smaller serves yourself. Give them fresh fruit.
Uniforms
If your child's school has a uniform code, find out if the school sells secondhand uniform items. And you may find some of the local chain stores sell clothing items in the correct colors and styles for your child's school, it may just be a case of purchasing the school logo to iron onto the pocket. Ask at the school office if this is an option. Can you get hand-me-down uniform items from a friend who's child has grown out of them? Sometimes school uniform items, particularly for high school, are offered on freecycle.
Getting your children through the school years without bankrupting the household can be a challenging task.
Do your best though, starting with the above list...!
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