Back to School Saving

09/15/2017

School is back in. Summer is fading, and as those kids pack up and head back to school, many parents find themselves faced with the tricky challenge of navigating back to school costs. It can be easier than you think to save money during school time, and there are a number of simple tricks that can add up to big savings throughout the year.

Pack Lunches

Packing lunches can seem like a chore. For working parents, getting home after a hard day on the job, it can seem daunting to devote time to something so menial when all you want to do is relax. In reality, packing lunches can be a fun activity if approached from the right angle! Bring the kids in the kitchen and get them to help in any way they can! Not only will you save money not sending 10 dollars each day for lunch, but you can squeeze in some quality time with the little ones as you plan meals and prepare them for the next day! This is a great way to instill the importance of cooking into your children, and can transition into a lifelong love of creating meals in the kitchen! Check out this list of simple ideas for children’s lunches to spark some ideas for those important meals that will keep your kids charged up while they learn.

Keep track of old school supplies

While it may not seem like much, keeping track of school supplies throughout the year can be a huge cost saver. Hold on to as much as possible, be it pencils and pens at the end of the year to duotang binders. These can easily be repurposed for future years, and worst case scenario you could just use them for some cool crafts if they are totally beyond repair.

Set a budget and stick with it

Budgeting for back to school can be daunting. Some many unplanned costs spring up through the year, from a lost bookbag to a stolen laptop for those older university students, that it can seem pointless to budget for the back to school season. I find it is good to set aside a small chunk for these unplanned costs, and to try to write down a small budget for school costs throughout the year. I found this infographic from the Loan and Go resources page handy in giving me some ideas of what to consider when drawing up that budget. The infographic also includes some interesting facts regarding the Canadian education system. Check it out below!