So much to organise, so much to buy...
As the autumn term begins, do your bit by encouraging good habits and sourcing your school supplies carefully.
|
Swap uniforms or buy second hand
|
Probably the biggest energy and cost saving you can make (and the biggest help for the environment) is to get your kids out of the car and either walking, cycling or taking public transport to school.
If your children are between five and 16 years old, and you live more than three miles from the nearest suitable school (two miles for under-eights) they may qualify for free public transport. If not, public transport may still be cheaper than petrol.
See if your children qualify for free public transport
For older kids, cycling to school is fun and gives them a real sense of freedom. Give them the confidence they need to cope with traffic by putting them on the National Standard bicycle training course. It's also a good idea to buy a repair book and some tools and get them to maintain their bike. These riding and repair skills could give them a rewarding and healthy pastime for life. Make sure that their bike is in good condition and that they wear a substantial and well-made helmet.
Find your local National Standard cycle training course
If public transport or cycling aren't practical, see if you can organise a car-sharing rota. It's always better that cars carry four or more people than lots of cars carrying just one parent and child. The school might be willing to help co-ordinate this, or they might help you to find families who live on a convenient route.
Pencils, ballpoints, felt-tips, rulers, rubbers, notebooks, exercise books¿ Get together with other parents and buy common items like these in bulk. You will all save lots of money - and eliminate your own and everyone else's shopping trips. The more people involved, the more savings you can make. There's loads of places to buy in bulk online - try running a Google search on stationery suppliers or wholesalers, and visit community marketplaces like eBay. You could also look into recycled stationery. The Green Stationery Company has a wide range of environmentally friendly products and includes a kids' corner with animal design notebooks and handwriting pens.
Visit Green Stationery Company
A new year, a new uniform. It's amazing how quickly kids grow. If you want to cut the costs of the annual uniform spree, consider buying second hand. Local charity shops and classified ads are an obvious starting point but also try online. Sites like www.schooluniform.co.uk or www.uniform2.com have a wide selection and let you search by region, education authority and type. You can also sell your old uniforms to make a bit of extra cash.
Another option is host a school uniform swap. Swaps are a free and sociable way to get your child's uniform and can be held at the school or in your own home. The idea is simple; swap your children's outgrown uniforms for a larger one. To get the most from your uniform swap, invite as many mums as possible. Try to cover lots of different school ages as the bigger the range of uniform sizes on offer, the better the swap will be.
If children are using a computer to do homework or just to play, make sure they know how to switch it off when they've finished. You can also adjust your computer's automatic settings to save energy and costs. Every computer can be set to automatically switch to low-power modes after a short time of inactivity. Check with your computer manufacturer if you are unsure about how to do this.
Read last year's back-to-school tips
2008 Back to school tips
Buy second-hand school uniforms and kit
SchoolUniform.co.uk
Uniform2.com
It's packed with:
