Sending children back to school can be an expensive time for any family. Between school supplies, daily lunches out of the house, and transporting students to school, the school year presents a host of expenses. Fortunately, most school-related costs can be anticipated, and with a few hints, you can save on these education expenses.Here are a few tips on how to save for:
Books – Buying a whole new set of school books each year can be an incredible expense, but a necessity for students to keep up in the classroom. Utilizing your local or school library is always a good option, as well as purchasing used books. Websites like sahipisand.com, amazon.com, and craigslist.org offer a place to purchase used books for significant markdowns off the cost of a new book. You can also resell old, unneeded books there, and make a little money.
Meals – Although it might seem easier to send the kids out the door every day with some money to buy food at the cafeteria or local restaurants, a daily packed lunch is one of the best ways to save cash. Menu plan and grocery shop for the week on Sunday, and send the kids off each morning with a freshly made sandwich, or a container full of leftovers from last night’s dinner. An extra 10 minutes in the morning will yield incredible savings, and will end up being healthier for the kids as well.
Transportation – Daily bus fare for each child adds up quickly, and gas costs can be even higher if you’re driving to school daily. If possible, organize a carpool with other families near by – the parents can share driving responsibilities throughout the week, cutting down on gas expenses. And if you live close enough to the school, organize a walking group so the students can walk to school together – a completely free mode of transportation, and after working off some energy in the morning, your students will be primed to focus at school throughout the rest of the day.
Clothing – Before going shopping for back to school clothes decide on your budget. Don’t forget to add costs of accessories and shoes. Children grow fast, so choose clothes that are slightly bigger. In this way you won’t have to worry about buying new clothes so often. Exception is shoes, which should be the right fit. If you have friends who have children you can do a swap of clothes that are too small for your kids.
