Back to school costs, how much has it cost you?

[Youmadorwhat]

Urrgh...I added it all up today and by the time I get school jumpers (m&s) I will have spent 300!! 😭 breaking my heart here!! And that’s for 1 child!

Just having a moan! What’s your number?

I have spent nearly £400 for my dd6. She needed everything replaced this year.
School jacket £45
Blazer £38
Shoes £55
Gym shoes £20
Wellies £15
Waterproof suit £27
Smiggle Bundle so bag, lunch bag, water bottle and pencil case £50
Book bag £12
Gym kit £18
Plus the clothes skirts, pinafores, shirts, polos, cardigans, tights, socks etc. The only thing is most of this will last at least 2 years so it's not too bad in the long run.

Books and stationary 135
Coat 35
Shoes and runners 60
Skirts 10
Lunch bag 19
Water bottle 9.50
Sistema box with cutlery 5.99

That’s approx 274 and I still have to get jumpers and tights 🤷‍♀️

800, I think. I’ve been trying not to add it up.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz her school books we buy them here in Ireland they are not provided by the school unfortunately

Smiggle Bundle so bag, lunch bag, water bottle and pencil case £50

You are a marketers dream!

@ohmsbeliever I prefer my children to be well turned out for sxhool, not making them squeeze into things or wearing something that's 'a right state.' Obviously if you can't afford it then you don't have a choice but if you can afford then I do think children should be well presented and prepared for school (as will be expected of them in the workplace).

About £100, half at the M&S 20% off sale and half for 2 logo jumpers and a tie - year 6 wears different uniform to the rest of the school so had to buy loads of new stuff. Still need to measure for shoes and she would like a new bag... we’ll see!

I get my ds 8 what he needs not just replace because its the start of the new term.

We have spent under £80. Mil bought us 5 white polo shirts and pencils etc. We got him trousers x3, shoes/ gym shoes/socks cause he had went up a size, a pair of shorts for hot days, a winter jacket and a thinner jacket and a water bottle.

All his jumpers are being reused, aswell as one pair of trousers and 2 white polo shirts. Using the same bag/lunch box/pencilcase

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz How? She had her last set for 2 years so I think that's good value as it's only works out at £25 a year.

OMFG
This is all madness.
Dd is going to college this year, but her last two years of school cost £0.
Non uniform school.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz no her 3rd year, lunch bag was quite smelly so I got rid 😬

Because it's crazy money to spend and it's purely for the branding.

The equivalent in Asda would cost around £15 and last just as long.

It's only my opinion, and it's your money to do with what you like. But 50quid on a school bag, lunch box, pencil case and water bottle for 6 year old is obscene.

Fuck thats a lot!
I came out of M&S £100 lighter and thought I'd been pretty extravagant.

Do people buy new every year?

DC1 has had new shoes & socks (~£30) and will need some new PE shoes. But everything else is good for another year or so.

DC2 has some hand-me-down uniform but will probably need some new shoes and a new coat.

We have yet to have astronomical growth spurts though. But I'm not buying new for the sake of appearances.

£70 on uniform
£12 new lunchbox
£120 to pay a year's worth of school snacks (provided by school!) plus stationery contribution

Doesn't need new shoes as ones from June still fit. Schoolbag fine too so that's it for now.

I did an M&S shop when they had their 20% offer back in May/June. I spent £107 which included 2 winter dresses, 3 summer dresses, 1 x skirt, 2 pack of cardigans, 2 multipack of polo shirts, joggers for PE, multipack of tights, PE sweater and PE tshirt.
She will need new trainers (supermarket) buy her school shoes were new in May so will be fine.
No need for a book bag as we have branded school ones and hers is fine.

You spent £19 on a LUNCH BAG?

you’re mad.

16yo -

£66 - 3 skirts
£18 - 3 shirts
£5 - 3 tights
£5 - tie
£75 - kickers
£40 - blazer

9yo -

£36 - 3 trousers
£12 - 3 polo shirts
£45 - Clark's shoes
Shirts and T-shirt for PE will be taken from wardrobe

Oh and obviously I still need winter coats, but I'm not buying them in August!

@Invisimamma, you don't need to spend hundreds of pounds to be "well turned out".

I buy as needed, at present I've spent less than £200 on 2 (mostly M&S/branded) but unfortunately 6yo is a tree climber and mud slinger and 13yo has sprouted so most needed replacing now - all they will need adding on is winter jackets which will probably still being the total in at under £300 for the year.

I don't include underwear/socks as we don't have seperate school stuff and I spent £10 on name labels a few years back which are still in use as there's plenty left.

DD10 -

Rucksack - £20
Lunch bag - £10
Shirts - £10

DS9

Rucksack - £10
Shirts - £11
Shoes - £20

DS7

Rucksack - £20
Shirts - £11

Everything else fits (& is still in good condition) from last term including winter coats - yay!

@00100001
19 euro yes from m&s as it is the one she liked. She will use it for probably 2 years like her last one so for price per use it’s not THAT bad

Dd 6. Will spend around £30 on shoes. Most of the other stuff fits as tend to buy oversized stuff so she'll wear the same dresses as last year, I buy a lot second hand too. New school bag from TK Maxx for a tenner. A few tights when TU has 25% off. Gym kit still fits from last year. I'll probably spend £50-75 in total.

At the end of the day OP if you can afford and are happy to spend that then screw what anyone else thinks.

A child can look clean and fit the uniform code regardless of your budget, it's all relative to circumstance.

£17 on new school shoes and then will be £50 on new or trainers for oldest. She will however wear them outside of school as well.

Blouses for dd2 must be on about their 6th year of wear (dd1 has them first). They cost £13 each so high initial outlay but last forever!