Bargain Hunter back to school special
Any parent tasked with getting kids out the door and in the school gates will know the cost associated with scoil are hefty.
A recent survey from Barnardo's found that the average cost needed for a fourth-class pupil in Ireland currently stands at €424, with costs doubling once children enter secondary school. Sending a first-year pupil to school will set you back around €814.
With those kinds of costs, it’s no wonder more than two-thirds of primary school parents and three-quarters of secondary school parents told the organisation they are worried about meeting school costs this year. But there are always bargains to be had, with supermarkets and retailers competing to offer the best value.
If your child is in need of a new uniform, your first point of call might be to see if you have any old hand-me-downs from older siblings, cousins, friends children etc, with lots of schools also offering a service where parents can swap around uniforms as kids grow. Schooldays.ie provide a free facility to parents allowing you to advertise that you are selling (or giving away) second-hand uniforms. You can also use the facility to advertise that you are trying to source a second-hand uniform for a particular school. You can find information on that here.
If you want to buy new, there are lots of supermarket chains offering good value, good quality clothing ahead of this school year. Lidl currently have a range of affordable school uniforms in stock including boys’ and girls’ sweatshirts (€1.49), school shirts (€3.49), trousers (€2), and polo shirts (€2). Over at Tesco, the F&F range includes two-pack stain-repellent skirts from €9 and two-pack pleated pinafores from €12.50. Three-pack easy-iron shirts start at €7. For those signed up to M&S’ Sparks loyalty program, you can avail of 20% off school uniforms.
It’s important your child has a comfortable, durable pair of school shoes to see them through the year. Sports Direct currently have a range of school-appropriate shoes from Nike, Adidas and Kangol at a reduced price. MandM Direct’s up to 75% off back-to-school offer also offers some good savings on school shoes from Clarks, Caterpillar and Kickers, like the Kickers Junior Back To School Fragma Slip Leather Shoes Black now €41.95, RRP €77.95.
Lifestyle Sports have a collection of footwear perfect for P.E. from €33, as well as a number of kids' football boots on sale if you have a budding footballer in your gang. As previously mentioned in this column, Elverys also have a buy one get one half price offer on a range of children’s trainers, including top brands like Asics, Brooks, Nike and Skechers, which may offer a nice saving on trainers if you have two or more kids who need new kicks.
Branded school jackets can be seriously expensive. Check out Regatta’s Back to School sale for great value on high-quality, waterproof jackets. The Kids' Calderdale II Waterproof Jacket is currently reduced to €35.95 (originally €90) and is available in sizes 3-4 years right up to 14 years. Comes in nine colours.
If your teenager is on the hunt for a new laptop for the school year, it’s worth looking at refurbished items which are better for the planet and your pocket. Refurbed.ie offer completely refurbished electronic devices up to 40% cheaper than a new device. Each device undergoes a rigorous 40-step refurbishment process before getting a second lease of life, and all devices come with a 30-day trial period and a 12-month warranty as a minimum. We found an Apple MacBook Air (2017) on the site for €393.98 (RRP €1,049) and a Dell Latitude E7450 Ultrabook (i5-5300U) for €295.99 (RRP €729).
Lidl has math drawing instruments (€2.49) and calculators reduced to €5.99 (RRP €29.99). There are also Aisling copybooks at €2.79 for a pack of 10. Over in Aldi, Back to Schol backpacks are priced at €14.99 each, with lunch bags 6.99 each. Smiggle is offering bundles including a water bottle, pencil case and lunchbox, with up to 27% off. At Tesco, Clubcard users can choose from a range of stationery with a 3 for 2 offer, with the cheapest product free. Offer includes the beloved, but pricey, Crayola Twistable Crayons.
Read MoreTen tips to save money on school uniforms — and make them last longer
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