In need of some cost-saving school hacks? Any parent will tell you that those school costs can drain a bank balance quicker than a trip to Disneyland. The people at Marbles.com estimate that we can all spend well over a couple of hundred pounds on equipment and clothes over a year.
To help they’ve put together a few brilliant school hacks in an infographic to help parents save a little more. Try these out, and you could save almost £100 for each kid in your family.
• How much does your child forgetting something cost you? Whether it’s library fines or leaving their sports kitbehind (which you then have to spend valuable petrol and time off work to get to them), reminders are always a good idea. Using cheap paper event wristband reminders to tag your child can help improve their memory and stop you wasting money.
• Clothes are always an issue when it comes to kids and school. Washing your dark uniforms in a solution of distilled white vinegar can stop clothes fading and keep them in decent condition throughout the year. That can save you just over £20 per kid for a start because you don’t have to replace a pair of trousers or a skirt.
• If you’ve bought your kids new shoes or trainers this year, they can cause all sorts of problems such as blisters. Then you have to spend money on things like plasters so your child can walk to school comfortably. Prepping those new shoes with a quick blast from your hairdryer to soften the leather beforehand can make everything an easier fit and stop blisters from occurring in the first place.
• Kids are sweaty little things and all that running round stains the underarms of shirts and blouses. Sprinkle just a little baby powder in these vital areas and you’ll make these garments last longer (and smell better). A little lemon juice squeezed onto the sports kit before you wash it can also help keep it fresh.
• PE kit is getting really expensive expensive and if your girl or boy is a budding world class athlete, there’s always the pressure to buy the best. Rather than get new, search places like eBay and Gumtree to find second hand brand trainers that should cost a lot less.
There’s no doubt that a few changes here and there can make a big difference to your bank balance – you can check out the full school hacks money saving infographic from Marbles here.
See infographic here(via www.marbles.com).