5 Ways To Save Money On School Uniforms This September

Sometimes when your budget gets tight you need to do a little more than swapping from paid games to playing free bingo games for fun. Sometimes you need to take a good hard look at expenditure and work on making your budget go further.

September can be a pretty pricey month. The school holidays are over, the summer holiday has left a hole in your pocket and now you need to fork out for fresh school supplies and school uniforms because, yes, the little blighters have grown 4 inches in the last fortnight, again.

Fortunately, there are a few fiendish ways you can cut down on the cost of new school socks, shirts, trousers and shoes. Read on to spend less…

1. Shop around

Supermarkets are a great place to pick up cheaper kit but make sure you shop around before you buy. Try using an app like MySuperList to make sure you’re getting the very best deal wherever you go. Take a look at LoveMoney.com’s helpful list of supermarket and department store prices to plan your uniform purchasing mission! This year Aldi, Tesco and Debenhams look like the pick of the litter so far.

2. Hold your horses

If your young learners can hold out for another month in their old uniforms, you’ll get a much better deal on new stuff. September is prime uniform buying time, so if you can last until October you’ll discover lots more in the way of discounts and deals.

3. Set up a uniform exchange

Kids grow like weeds and you’re not the only mum or dad to experience this particular problem. In the name of affordability and reducing waste, set up a uniform swap at your youngster’s school. Invite mums and dads from every class along and provide an incentive like wine and nibbles. Get everyone to label their old “grown out” uniforms with a size and start swapping! Alternatively, why not set up a Facebook group for parents at your school and swap everything from blazers to school books?

4. Avoid whites

If your child’s school offers a few uniform options, always opt for the darkest versions. White and light coloured fabrics get stained and grubby looking very quickly, which means that their darker alternatives will get an awful lot more wear.

5. Buy online

Don’t buy from the school’s recommended store. If you need uniforms with logos, simply apply the logo to cheaper clothing from more affordable sources. Buying online can work out a lot cheaper if you know where to look and what to search for. If you have a supermarket clubcard, try using your points. Keep an eye out for voucher codes. Look on sites like eBay and Gumtree. Use cashback websites. There are tonnes of ways to make school uniforms cost less on the web.

Do you have any top tips for reducing the cost of new school uniform? Share your ideas with mums and dads below or tweet @TwoLittleFleas.