Consumption

That beautiful summer is almost over. September is waiting around the corner. The month where many parents of school-age children start cursing financially anyway.
School supplies, new clothes, hobby stuff ... mean a huge chunk of the family budget.

The following tips will help you keep school expenses under control:

Take an inventory
What do you still have at home and is perfectly usable for this school year? Is it necessary to buy a new book bag, new crayons ... every year? Make a list of what your child can reuse and what they really need. Then set a budget for the new stuff and stick to that budget. Involve your children as well; they too are becoming aware of sustainability and are learning to help manage a budget.

Exchange materials
You will probably find when taking inventory that you have "too much" stuff: gymnastics slippers that have become too small, more than one ruler, class teachers, school pack ... Meet with other parents and organize an exchange day.

Choose second-hand
Go browse second-hand sites or thrift stores: that nice bike, that office chair, that laptop ... can really be as good as a new one.

Bargains
If you do need new stuff, you can find some bargains in the sales. For purchases like a book bag, this can already make a financial difference. And there's nothing wrong with that "model" from last year!

Ongoing costs
Know that there are ongoing expenses during the school year as well. You can also save on these: is it necessary to bring your child a plastic bottle of drink every day? Invest in a drink canister: more durable and cheaper! Buying a sandwich every day is also unnecessary. You spend less money with a healthy filled lunch box.

(FVDV for Tagtik/Illustration picture: Pixabay)