It’s almost that time of year – when you get to kiss the kids goodbye, send them on their way back to school and breathe a sigh of relief. You made it through the school holidays and you made some more memories too – go you! But before we can celebrate too much, it’s back to school shopping time, which we know can get a bit pricey.

Budget tricks for back to school

For many families, buying stationery, tech equipment and even brand-new uniforms can be one of the biggest expenses of the year! It’s no secret that back to school shopping can quickly add up, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We’ve compiled a list of some nifty tips and tricks to cutting down expenses and snapping up bargains that you need to know about.

Take stock of what you actually need

It can be tempting to head to the local stationery shop and grab an off-the-shelf pack for your child’s year group. But do they actually need another pair of scissors, glue stick or everything else that’s in there? With those pre-packed options, you pay extra for the convenience, but also for things you may have leftover from last year or even lying around the house.

Get your hands on a stationery list and before you head out to the shops, do a quick whip around the house and cross off anything you already have. You can even get the kids involved and make a stationery treasure-hunt out of this! By doing this, you can quickly drop the price of the supplies you need or cover you so you can buy new things later in the year when the back to school rush is over.

Got more than one child? Think about what can be passed down too as their need for certain stationery items changes.

Make a budget (and stick to it!)

Once you’re armed with your condensed list of everything you need, take some time to work out how much you have to spend on back to school in total, and then go the extra step and break it down into a price per category of supplies so you don’t get tempted to overspend in some areas.

If the sum of all the items you need is going to empty your bank account, come and chat with us! We can help you get your kids back to school with everything they need easily without breaking the bank. Apply online for a loan now and get the ball rolling.

Swap before you shop

Uniforms can get pricey, especially as your kids get older! Touch base with friends, family and neighbours who have kids at the same school and work out what uniform pieces you can swap instead of buying brand new. Since the average uniform cost in NZ is around $600, even saving on one or two pieces can drop your costs a lot!

Many uniform shops have second-hand options too, so ask around and see what you can get your hands on at a discount.

Shop around to snap up a bargain

It may take a little longer, but shopping around can help you snap up a bargain, especially when it comes to tech equipment.

Our mates at MyHome have just launched their Back to School tech deals where you can get your hands on everything your child needs with zero deposit, at an affordable price and you can pay it off with a loan from us to suit your budget! Think laptops, headphones, a wireless mouse and a secure backpack – everything they need to thrive this year. You can also get $100 cashback when you purchase any of the MyHome Back to School Teck Packs from now until Feb 28th, so what're you waiting for? 

Teach your kids!

We know it’s technically still the holidays, but if your kids are old enough why not use this as a teaching experience? This can be a great intro to money and budgeting, so get them involved in every step of the process. Let them help you make the budget and find the bargains that will fit!

Need a hand with back to school?

Apply now!