To be practically sorted for next school term!Anyone else

[Cuddlywuddlies]

All I have left to get are new trainers and colouring pencils for both dc and I’m done.
School books and uniforms are ordered, I have spent just over €200 so far so I reckon I can get my costs in under €400 (including the school contribution of €40 per child! Feeling proud and very much ahead of myself 🤣 anyone else??

Have you also written your Christmas cards and finished your wrapping? 😊

Have you also written your Christmas cards and finished your wrapping?'

You jest but someone on here will have done this!

@user29 books, the mountain of various bits of stationary that's requested and my DD outgrew every bit of her previous uniform. Much easier to have it all done and out of the way at the start of the holidays.

@MatildaTheCat
god no…I hate Christmas cards!! Waste of time and money in my opinion. And no for the Christmas gifts either as I never really know what my dc will want. I usually do it all in early November.

@plugee as I have said already we have a good bit to sort as we need to buy all of the books and stationery here in Ireland. Books can sell out and you could be waiting for a month or two for them to get reprinted and come back in stock. And no summer fairs here either unfortunately…

Some of England break up in a week in a half/two weeks, but atill way to early for back to school stuff

@Cuddlywuddlies no I know Ireland is different, I didn't pick up on the euro sign until later on.

I have Irish family & they used to get all quite dramatic about it tbh. Everyone just needs to chill!

€400 on primary school kids?!

Mine are in secondary. I think all I need a new PE shirt and some school shoes for ds and nothing for dd (she's in 6th form, so no uniform). Do you buy all new stuff at the end of every school year? I just buy the odd thing here and there throughout the year as needed.

@Fairislefandango i do not! I reuse what I can! My DS is getting his DD’s jumpers and polo’s and I don’t buy school bags and lunch boxes every year either. The books alone were €110 and school contributions will be €80. That’s before uniform and shoes. Some people spend WAY more believe me! I’m the frugal kind!🤣

I always just bought two sizes up then switched over when actually outgrown. So 4, 6, 8, 10. Then you don't have the issue of buying a size with less growing room than you'd like because the next looks too big.

I have Irish family & they used to get all quite dramatic about it tbh. Everyone just needs to chill!

In fairness, when I was going to school in Ireland, it was a total mission to get all the books on the list. And yes, you have to buy them, and no, they are not necessarily in print. And one year in primary I had to wear a corduroy pinafore because I destroyed my gabardine one at the wrong time of year and no replacement was available. I'm sure it's not like that now, but there is still more to get.

@Fairislefandango I bought when uniform was available then kept it to switch when the old was outgrown. It can be difficult to find what you need through the year.

My DD has gone for years getting more than 1 year wear out of everything. But she's had a growth spurt so suddenly nothing fits!

I’m in England, they don’t break up for two more weeks and except shoes I have all the next size up uniform already bought. Did a big online order a couple of weeks ago.

I don’t replace stuff that doesn’t need replacing just because it’s a new year so some bits like jumpers might not get brought out the cupboard in September if the current jumpers still fit, but then they’re in stock for when I do need them. My children go to a school with really obscure colours so if I want cheap supermarket uniform it’s not necessarily available in stock in November or whenever. And the logo uniform supplier is quoting 6+ weeks for delivery at the moment.

That's what I thought. If you don't even need to save up and can just get it all from one pay, then you're more wealthy than many!

I’ve got DS’s trousers and polo shirts, plus the next size up in underwear (which he will start using asap). He doesn’t need jumpers.

M&S had a decent discount in school uniform so that’s why I buy it now.

He will need a winter coat, new shoes and bag, which I’ll get nearer the time.

My son's uniform alone costs over £500, without shoes and trainers, so no, not sorted yet 😂

Maybe after payday.

My children grow like weeds, if I order new stuff now, it won't fit in October!

I only have shoes. Which is good right? The most difficult item. The rest will be ordered a bit later. I'm going to enjoy the process 😊 she is just starting school this year

A lot of schools in England broke up today too. Mainly preps thoughs.

Broke up today, in England!

@underneaththeash
My children grow like weeds, if I order new stuff now, it won't fit in October!

mine are slow enough growers so I just automatically buy the next size up, if for some reason unbeknownst to god they end up skipping a size then I could just return it for another size but then I run the risk of the item being sold out (which will happen as they have a very popular uniform colour 😫)

@LuciferRising we have been finished up since the 23rd and returned from our summer holiday last night and all 🙈

oh yes the long holidays!

These threads make me so grateful for DC school! It’s non uniform, don’t need to provide any books or equipment. No PE kit just come in in leggings and t shirt and trainers! She still gets free school meals so total back to school cost is basically 0! Other than the obligatory haircut and a wardrobe refresh if she needs anything generally. Dreading secondary!!