How much on back to school

[parentinghacks]

Aibu to wonder how much has it cost you to get your back to school stuff?

New winter coat, shoes, trainers, polo shirts, jumpers, school logo items, new water bottle...all adds up costs me a fortune!

DC1 (13) really needs a new blazer, which will be expensive. Hoping it will last a full 3 years so I don't need to buy another.
I might get the old blazer dry cleaned before I put it away for DC2.

DC1 needed school shirts too, but I already bought those in advance as they always sell out in the right size.

I haven't checked the pencil cases - will probably have to buy the odd pen and glue stick.

Both will need school shoes, DC2 needs trainers too.

Everything else should still fit. It will still likely be over £200 though with just those few things.

DD moving up to secondary so everything new. Her backpack etc was also falling apart so for everything, including shoes / new bras etc nearly 400 quid weeps

Not loads this year - maybe £70?
Going into year 1 from reception.

They go in summer uniform for the first half term so he can wear last years shorts, I've bought 2 jumpers, 2 elastic ties, a multipack of polo shirts, a cheap blue hoody for outside PE and bigger school shoes. my DM bought him some PE trainers.
Last years PE kit still fits, and his bag is fine.

I might splash out on some fancy label stickers for him and DS2 as the ones I used later kept rubbing off stuff.

DD cost me -

£36 - 2 x 3 pack shirts M&S
£25 - 5 x leggings Primark
£45 - Nike trainers
£120 - Fjallraven bag
£19 - Blazer
£5 - tie

I haven't bought her a winter coat because its August!!

If it rains she wears an existing Adidas waterproof and we have many many water bottles so she didn't get a new one of those either.

It could have been cheaper really, but I am happy with the things she got.

We only had to replace trousers and shoes for now. Last year's PE kit and jumpers still fit and we still have four shirts from last year that are unworn. We've got to buy a tie as year one aren't allowed elastic ones 🙈. Probably spent about £35 in all.
We will be making up for it at Christmas as ds5 usually jumps a size around them so will be everything including coat. We try to buy a little bigger when possible but sometimes that doesn't eork

Ds will be home ed from Sept. Some of these posts are making me feel better about what I will be forking out for resources as he is starting his GCSEs! I am budgeting £1000 for courses/books/stationary and exams - to be largely offset by taking our 2022 summer holiday (covid permitting) in term time

For my twins going into yr 5 I have bought 1 x winter coat in sales that is it ! One hasn't grown and everything fits still. One grown out of coat and I got amazing deal in sale ! Thankfully they are small and their friends are big so we get given loads for them. Unfortunately DD starting yr 7 and needs everything...

I replace stuff as needed. DD has a lighter summer waterproof that will do until into October. It’s hit and miss wether last years winter coat will fit but I reckon it will do till Christmas. I replaced all her white polo tee shirts in May so they are ok, leggings/skirt/dresses are all ok for now. 2 out of her 4 cardigans will need to be replaced (supermarket) and PE kit I replaced at Easter so that’s ok. Book bag still in good condition so no need to replace, although when we do DD has asked for a backpack. Water bottle is still in ok condition so won’t replace now, they make decent stocking fillers at Christmas. The only time I’d replace all at once was if it was a new school.

For 2 children:

I bought one new blazer for £30.
Then spent £24 in Tescos on some shirts, pe kit.
£100 in Clarks for shoes

Everything else still fits so total of £154.

I’ve actually hit the jackpot this year with primary - dd10, ds7 and dd5 were barely at school last year with various lockdowns so their jumpers, trousers, and polos were in really good condition to be passed down/reused.

DS11 needed a new uniform for big school though, so that’s set me back a bit. His school are really awkward and like everything to have the badge on - what I normally did at primary was buy the jumper or cardi with the school logo then polo tops from the supermarket which was more reasonable. They also need to have branded pe kit, whereas at primary it was just shorts and t shirt so I sent what they already had. I understand the need for uniform but it’s frustrating that they’re so insistent on everything being branded from the uniform shop, it really pushes the prices up and means that some of his stuff from last year that’s barely used and still fits him won’t be able to be used.

I have one 7 year old boy. Very tall so wears 9-10 clothes.

Water bottle/book bag/PE bag £0 as he already has those and they are in decent condition.

He swims anyway so no swim kit needed.

Has school dinners so no lunch bag needed.

Coat £0 as I buy a good one from the outdoor shop which we use for both home and school so not a school cost.

Shoes £0 as had to buy new just after Easter because his others were too small. Had them fitted with growing room so they still fit well. He had to self isolate twice last term and was in PE kit 2 days a week so they haven't been worn much.

£21.98 on two logo sweatshirts
£6.99 on logo PE tshirt
£6.99 on PE shorts.
£27 on 6 pairs of trousers from sainsbury's
£12 on 4 plain sweatshirts from tesco
£10.50 on 6 red polos from tesco

So,all in all, around £85.

As you can probably tell, I buy enough uniform to cover a full week. So I can iron it all on Sunday and it's organised. I work full time and DH does school drop offs. It would be a headache if they couldn't find stuff and I don't want to iron midweek.

Cheap this year!
2xshoes... £54
2x cardigans... £10
2x blouses... £6
Pe tshirts... £2.50
Socks, tights etc... £15 (for 2 children)

No need for bags, lunch boxes or other equipment.

DD1 will need a winter coat this year though. So another £20ish

@parentinghacks

How much do you all generally spend on a winter coat for your DC?

When he was younger probably £40-ish, but I don't put that down as back to school clothes as he wears the same coat in and out of school (and thankfully never lost it yet!)

I have a Y11, Y10, Y8 and Y7 DC.

I spent £185 in the uniform shop the other day. A blazer, 3 x PE kit (t-shirt, shorts, rugby shirts and PE socks), 4 x ties. They've changed parts of the uniform. Luckily three DC have a blazer that still fits or I could have added another £100 to that total. PE kit has changed so Y8 who has outgrown it and Y10 who would have been changing colour anyway needed new. Ties have also changed and Y11 wanted the new one (£5, drop in the uniform ocean really)

Trousers, skirts, shirts and blouses another £100.

Bag for Y7, shoes for everyone and stationery another £150.

So £435 or thereabouts.

PE trainers will be replaced as and when and I'll get joggers for PE when it cools down. We're lucky that we can buy skirts, trousers and shirts from anywhere really. Some schools locally have everything logoed and only from one supplier.

About £50. oldest needs new PE kit (shorts, top), youngest new school shoes and a new book bag.
Otherwise the youngest wears his brothers outgrown school uniform, and the oldest still fits his from last year.

Dd2 going into year 9. About £7 on a pack of shirts and £6 on a new skirt.

Her school shoes are looking a bit tatty, but I’ll replace them in a few months. Nothing else needed this year.

Dd1 off to college. She has spent loads of money on new outfits, but that was her money from her summer job, so that’s fine.
I brought her some new trainers as a well done for doing well in your exams gift. Oh abs £13 for a lab coat. I think that’s it really. Not a bad year.

In the US

Backpack $40
Stationery $80
Tennis fee $50
PE fee $15 (cleaning of uniform)
PreK uniform $142 (2 days worth)
Shorts and Ts $90
Band fees ans uniform $650!!

@Heronatemygoldfish

Teen DS who is in the middle of his main growth spurt is off to a new secondary, and so far I've spent an unbelievable £600. Mostly on specialist logo'd games kit which he'll either never wear or never appreciate as he hates sport. From now on it's the second hand sale thankfully, apart from shoes. Size 8 men's wide shoes - £89 at Clark's so need to find somewhere else that sells wide fit flat sole shoes he can't destroy in a month...

As for growing, he's currently growing a cm every 3 weeks. Half of the trousers won't fit by Christmas! (Thankfully games kit is mostly shorts... phew)

Oh wow. How old is he? My 12 year old is growing rapidly and wondering if this is his main growth spurt but not sure if it’s too young. He is in the middle of puberty tho (voice broken etc) so it maybe. It’s bloody expensive.

Most of DD's uniform still fits so and is in good condition so I'm not replacing anything just yet. I'd just be doing it for the sake of it. The only things she needs is new shoes (last years have seen better days) and a coat which I'll get when it starts to cool down, same with tights, she won't need them for a bit yet so it's not urgent.

£65 3x trousers, 2x shorts, 8x polo shirts, 9x pairs of socks
£25 2x second hand shoes (size now and size he will suddenly grow into!)
£20 2x school branded jumpers
£15 Clark's plimsolls (I know! I felt guilty)
Plan to use existing white t shirt and black shorts for rest of PE kit.

Not bought lunch box or bag because I honestly don't know what the school wants

Foundation new starter.. Total £125

Dc1 - is starting school and wearing own clothes so £0
Dc2 - new shoes and new Pe hoody £70
Dc3 - one new jumper £18
Dc4 - nothing needed £0

Total is £88. I never buy new just because it’s September, just as and when they need them. Dc3&4 had new shoes in June so they’ll be fine to go back in.

One child going to secondary school - rucksack, pencil case, uniform, new shoes, new trainers, new football boots, new coat - £450

Other child - doesn’t need new uniform or shoes, or bag, - just new coat - £40

Ouch - wish I hadn’t done that!!

Small fortune this year:

DD secondary school
Pinafores £34
Shirts £20
Shoes £60
Bag £40
Socks etc £10
Stationary £10

Thankfully she didn’t need a new pe kit or blazer

DS juniors:

Jumper £17
Tie £5
Shirts £12
Trousers £16
Lunch box and water bottle £20
Pe kit £15
Book bag £5
Shoes £30
Trainers £17

That’s with not having to replace everything! I don’t know how people with large families afford it all!

My initial thought was £0 but then I remembered I have bought DS1 some new trousers & shorts from M&S, and 2 packs of white polo shirts from Aldi. So maybe £30 in total. His shoes from last term will still fit, and all of DS2s things will still fit apart from his shorts but he can have the ones his older brother has grown out of. I buy new things when they need them rather than buying new for September because it's the start of a new school year. I will buy DS1 a new winter coat when it starts getting cold (so probably November) and DS2 can have his old one. I spend about £50-60 on a winter coat, if it's just a school coat, or this year as he needs a new ski jacket I may spend anywhere £100-200 and get him a decent ski jacket instead in the hope we can go skiing in February!

My oldest is y11 so doesn't wear a coat but has grown taller so needs new trousers and shoes. He's using last year's bag and his blazer and shirts are fine