cost of school shoes

[fieldy]

I am still reeling from my visit to high street shoe shop (not sure if i am allowed to name and shame it) to buy school shoes for DD and DS; £36 and £38 respectively (they are 9 and 7). Am I being unreasonable by thinking that this is an outrageous cost for the time that they wear them.... or have I missed something

Clarks?

Asda do leather for about £15. So do Brantano, Next, H and M.

Clarks rely on the fact we have all been brainwashed into thinking only they can measure our children's feet.

No need to name and shame though- no-one made you go to Clarks.

Dd's latest were a tenner from M and S.

I don't know if you are being unreasonable.

School shoes (rather than day shoes or runners/trainers) tend to be worn for 8+ hrs a day up to 5 days a week, and then they are expected to be able to withstand more than usual wear and tear on them so perhaps spending the amount that you did isn't unheard of.

They wear them 5 days a week for about 38 weeks of the year.
That's 190 days at around 7 hours per day that's 1330 hours.
So £36 divided by 190 (just to work out the cost per day) is 19 pence per day.

YABU!

YABU - buy them a decent pair of school shoes and as long as they don't have a massive growth spurt they will last a whole school year. Buy cheap and you will end up buying about 3 pairs to get you through the year which is total false economy.

You are being a tad unreasonable. School shoes take a hell of a beating, in my experience - masses and masses of wear.

My own DS has been in adult shoes for 3 years now (he is now 13) - I have to pay £90 a time for school shoes!!

I think it's money well spent TBQH. I know it seems like a lot but really most DCs do get an awful lot of wear (and tear) out of their school shoes. Ours only ever wear Clarks ones and they usually last the whole academic year - and our DCs walk everwhere! As a cost per wear that's really very good value methinks!

School shoes take such a battering. If you buy a good quality pair and look after them then they last the whole school year provided they don't grow hugely.

I think they are really good value.

But Clarks are rubbish. Their fitters are very hit and miss and the quality of the shoes is awful.
I take DS1 to Jones and we buy Startrite.

You could buy schools shoes cheaper if you wanted to.

I think good school shoes are worth it though, they are worn for a huge amount of time and they do take a hammering.

Paying out to make sure your children have the things they need is just part of being a parent.

Try TK Maxx I got kickers in there for £19 they are lovely.

YABU - not necessarily about the specific shop but about paying £38 for school shoes. £38 for something that is going to be worn for many hours each day is not unreasonable. I tried the false economy route of buying £12 leather coated shoes once when i was skint and they wasted less than two weeks, were not padded in the correct areas and were generally rubbish.
Good shoes do cost a little more but they last a whole lot longer.

They wear them 5 days a week Yes

for about 38 weeks of the year. mine go up a size at least every term,

That's 190 days at around 7 hours per day that's 1330 hours , we get about a third of that.

So £36 divided by 190 (just to work out the cost per day) is 19 pence per day , so about 57p a day for us,

and we pay VAT on our children's shoes and school uniform because they are in adult sizes,

School shoes, trainers, studded boots, normal shoes, wellies, walking boots, all new at least every three to four months if we are lucky.

£35 a school shirt for DS aged 12, in a state school, makes me rant. I hate school uniform, pointless extra expense.

What do you consider a reasonable amount to spend OP Just curious...

Personally, I have never had any issues with Clarks shoes at all. They have always lasted the whole year and as long as you pay attention when the shoes are being fitted, taking home a bad fitting pair shouldn't be an issue. My children never buy a pair that's exactly the same as the machine reading because of course different style shoes will fit differently. It's only meant to be used as a guide.

Very easy to tell if your childs shoes fit just by feeling and squeezing the upper sole, and sending them for a walk round the shop.

for about 38 weeks of the year. mine go up a size at least every term,

But that's 3 sizes per year - at that rate they will be taking a size 20 by the time they leave school. Are you sure they go up 3 whole sizes every year? Are they being measured correctly each time?

Don't what to say quoteunquote

I also have three children, boys, all play football and generally skid around and kick things.

I also pay VAT.

You're a parent, school shoes shouldn't be dirt cheap.

I don't understand how your children's shoes go up a size every term.

So they start the year for example a size 1, go up a size each term and then start the next year a size 4 or 5?

They'll end up being a size 20 by the time they leave school!

You need to contact the Guiness Book of Records methinks

Agree that £38 is reasonable for shoes that are worn so often for so long. But I think Clarks are rubbish. Their shoes certainly do not last all year and their fitters always fit the shoes with not enough growing room.
I get Startrite (sale ones) or Hush Puppies from Brantano now for DD2. Her lastest HPs came with three sets of insoles to change as she grew.

Don't know what to say

Crosspost inthedark

Also quote why are you paying £35 for a school shirt?

Do you just mean a white collared one?

Why so much

go to a Clarks outlet store as you get the same shoes at a cheaper price. Clarks have lasted well for both my lo's.

Nobody forces you to pay that much. I have got DS a pair from M and S, much better than the ones clarks had on offer and a much better price.

quote they cannot go up a size each and every term, that is impossible. Maybe for one or two years, but longer term than that??

Don't buy from Clarks. How does a school shirt cost £35?

I was one of those parents brainwashed into buying clarks when my DC were small. Now I tend to favour an independent high-street shop, but occasionally buy from Tesco or Asda. They're perfectly suited to task and pose no more risk to your child's feet than a pair from Clarks. The difference is in the price.

There is a lot of snobbery around shoes. I must have particularly active DC I think because even clarks shoes never lasted a whole school year. At £40 a pair, that's £80 a year on shoes minimum. Or I could spend £15-20 on a pair elsewhere and get them new ones each term for less money.

The point is that they fit properly. You don't need a degree in shoe fitting to learn how to do that, you can learn off the internet and do it at home. It's only a guide anyway, and you still have to get your child to try them on to see if they fit properly. You may find even in clarks that you need a 12.5f in one style and a 12g in another.

Don't buy from the most pricey shop then.

Crosspost inthedark

Great minds