Christmas gets all the bad press for breaking the family budget each year, but with back-to-school bills averaging at €450 per child, September can be just as pricey. It is, however, one area where parents have become verbal at the extortionate bills that face them, and, to a certain extent, their efforts have paid off.
75% of schools now offer a school book rental scheme and there is traction on the school uniform debate. However, it’s like an Irish Rail advert – a lot done, a lot more to do. Making savings this September isn’t just about the money spent in the shops, it’s about being verbal with your school on the changes they can make.
Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
Are you entitled to the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance? If you’re receiving social welfare payments, you probably are.
It’s more than likely you will have received correspondence from the Department of Social Protection by now, as it is paid automatically to most people. If you haven’t heard anything yet though, it is time to get applying as applications will only be taken up until 30 September.
The allowance provides €100 for children aged between four and 11 and €200 for those aged between 12 and 22. However, as of this year, children aged 18 or older and who are in third-level education, will not receive the payment. It only applies to those in second-level education. Parents can also apply for financial help under the school book grants scheme.
Savings on books
Before you start even thinking about next year’s books, ask yourself what happened to last year’s? Make sure you keep these in the best condition possible and bring them to the second-hand book shop. Try and ensure that the money from selling the old books goes directly towards the new ones – this will help take the sting out of the costs.
Book exchanges are also a great idea but can be hard to organise when you’re not seeing parents at the school gate in the summer. Schooldays.ie is a great resource and they run their own online book exchange. If you’re buying online, this website also has the option to compare online offers. If you prefer going into the shops and seeing the books that you’re buying first though, they also have a list of second-hand book providers that you can check out.
Book rental schemes
Some parents might be lucky enough not to have the headache of buying books as many schools throughout the country are now running school book rental schemes. It can be a huge money-saving resource and also takes the hassle out of searching for the right editions of books. If your school doesn’t run this scheme, now is the time to look ahead to next year.
The Department of Education has issued a resource entitled Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes in Schools. Perhaps it’s worth printing out and giving it to the principal or parents and teachers association this September.
Uniform savings
School uniforms are a contentious issue and the argument always lifts its ugly head as the back-to-school frenzy begins. Last year, the former Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn issued a letter to schools giving parents the option to have their say on the issue of uniforms.
Irish Country Living interviewed a selection of parents, each with their own opinion on crested uniforms or generic uniforms. Whatever your opinion is, it’s worth checking in with your school to see if the suggestions were taken on board.
In the meantime, be selective with your spending. Crested uniforms, by and large, are high-quality jumpers and really can handle a bit of wear and tear. So when purchasing, make sure there is plenty of space.
Having good supportive shoes is also essential, especially at secondary school when bags can be very heavy. Speaking of which, a good schoolbag with shoulder supported straps is also worth the investment. However, there are certain items that you can save on. Check out the department stores or even the likes of Aldi and Lidl, where you can get generic skirts, pants or shirts. With polo shirts from as little as €1.99 and pinafores from €3.99, they won’t break the bank.
Labelling
It doesn’t matter how much you save on uniforms and books, it’s money down the drain if the item goes missing. Investing in labels is money well spent, but make sure they are durable. MyStuff.ie was set up by mother Deborah Brownrigg-Shields who couldn’t find high-quality labels. Labels you can purchase on the website are dishwasher proof, washing machine proof, dryer proof and, hopefully, child proof. You’ll find labels for everything from uniforms to lunchboxes. Value packs of 50 start from €14.95.
Research exclusively revealed to Irish Country Living by MummyPages.ie, Ireland’s leading online parenting community, shows that:
• 63% of mums find primary school expensive, with 51% of mums having experienced financial difficulty in putting their child through school in the last year.• 66% of mums buy their child’s school uniform through the school or a nominated specialised store, with only 30% of mums able to purchase their child’s uniform in a department store.• 96% of mums are conscious of the rise in obesity in young children and support their school’s “no junk food” lunch policy. • 54% of mums are concerned that their primary school child’s schoolbag is too heavy for them to carry on their back, with a significant number opting for bags with wheels that they can drag along the path on the way to school.
Christmas gets all the bad press for breaking the family budget each year, but with back-to-school bills averaging at €450 per child, September can be just as pricey. It is, however, one area where parents have become verbal at the extortionate bills that face them, and, to a certain extent, their efforts have paid off.
75% of schools now offer a school book rental scheme and there is traction on the school uniform debate. However, it’s like an Irish Rail advert – a lot done, a lot more to do. Making savings this September isn’t just about the money spent in the shops, it’s about being verbal with your school on the changes they can make.
Back-to-School Clothing and Footwear Allowance
Are you entitled to the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance? If you’re receiving social welfare payments, you probably are.
It’s more than likely you will have received correspondence from the Department of Social Protection by now, as it is paid automatically to most people. If you haven’t heard anything yet though, it is time to get applying as applications will only be taken up until 30 September.
The allowance provides €100 for children aged between four and 11 and €200 for those aged between 12 and 22. However, as of this year, children aged 18 or older and who are in third-level education, will not receive the payment. It only applies to those in second-level education. Parents can also apply for financial help under the school book grants scheme.
Savings on books
Before you start even thinking about next year’s books, ask yourself what happened to last year’s? Make sure you keep these in the best condition possible and bring them to the second-hand book shop. Try and ensure that the money from selling the old books goes directly towards the new ones – this will help take the sting out of the costs.
Book exchanges are also a great idea but can be hard to organise when you’re not seeing parents at the school gate in the summer. Schooldays.ie is a great resource and they run their own online book exchange. If you’re buying online, this website also has the option to compare online offers. If you prefer going into the shops and seeing the books that you’re buying first though, they also have a list of second-hand book providers that you can check out.
Book rental schemes
Some parents might be lucky enough not to have the headache of buying books as many schools throughout the country are now running school book rental schemes. It can be a huge money-saving resource and also takes the hassle out of searching for the right editions of books. If your school doesn’t run this scheme, now is the time to look ahead to next year.
The Department of Education has issued a resource entitled Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes in Schools. Perhaps it’s worth printing out and giving it to the principal or parents and teachers association this September.
Uniform savings
School uniforms are a contentious issue and the argument always lifts its ugly head as the back-to-school frenzy begins. Last year, the former Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn issued a letter to schools giving parents the option to have their say on the issue of uniforms.
Irish Country Living interviewed a selection of parents, each with their own opinion on crested uniforms or generic uniforms. Whatever your opinion is, it’s worth checking in with your school to see if the suggestions were taken on board.
In the meantime, be selective with your spending. Crested uniforms, by and large, are high-quality jumpers and really can handle a bit of wear and tear. So when purchasing, make sure there is plenty of space.
Having good supportive shoes is also essential, especially at secondary school when bags can be very heavy. Speaking of which, a good schoolbag with shoulder supported straps is also worth the investment. However, there are certain items that you can save on. Check out the department stores or even the likes of Aldi and Lidl, where you can get generic skirts, pants or shirts. With polo shirts from as little as €1.99 and pinafores from €3.99, they won’t break the bank.
Labelling
It doesn’t matter how much you save on uniforms and books, it’s money down the drain if the item goes missing. Investing in labels is money well spent, but make sure they are durable. MyStuff.ie was set up by mother Deborah Brownrigg-Shields who couldn’t find high-quality labels. Labels you can purchase on the website are dishwasher proof, washing machine proof, dryer proof and, hopefully, child proof. You’ll find labels for everything from uniforms to lunchboxes. Value packs of 50 start from €14.95.
Research exclusively revealed to Irish Country Living by MummyPages.ie, Ireland’s leading online parenting community, shows that:
• 63% of mums find primary school expensive, with 51% of mums having experienced financial difficulty in putting their child through school in the last year.• 66% of mums buy their child’s school uniform through the school or a nominated specialised store, with only 30% of mums able to purchase their child’s uniform in a department store.• 96% of mums are conscious of the rise in obesity in young children and support their school’s “no junk food” lunch policy. • 54% of mums are concerned that their primary school child’s schoolbag is too heavy for them to carry on their back, with a significant number opting for bags with wheels that they can drag along the path on the way to school. 
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