The enrollment of the child is a happy but also expensive occasion, because all the utensils, such as satchels, stationery, etc., have to be bought. In the following we give you tips on how you can keep the costs for the start of school transparent.
What makes enrollment so expensive
The last representative survey by GfK on the costs of starting school was seven years ago. According to the results from 2013, parents spent an average of 238 euros per child for the start of school – an amount that, according to researchers, has increased rather than decreased. The reason for the high expenditure lies in the nature of the products: These are usually of high quality and tailored to the needs of school beginners. So parents have to be prepared to buy thick, triangular colored pencils and various notebooks. In addition to various stationery, schoolchildren also need a satchel, gym bag, gym clothing and reflectors for a safe way to school in the dark and twilight.
Plan ahead
The schools themselves often provide lists that contain the items that are needed to start school. However, since these are often only distributed or posted after school has started, parents buy many products in advance and find themselves in the situation of having to buy or exchange items after school starts because the wrong version was purchased in advance. It is therefore advisable to observe the information on the list right from the start or to network in order to ask parents whose children have already started school for advice and thus avoid making wrong or multiple purchases. If it is clear which products are needed, it is usually worth buying multiple packs of items that will be needed again in the next school year in order to save costs.
Make the school bag yourself
Of course, the school cone should not be missing on the first day of school, as it serves as a reward for a successful transition from kindergarten to school. Both the school cone itself and the associated filling can be expensive. A large retail model costs up to 50 euros empty. Added to this is the filling consisting of sweets, cuddly toys or small gifts. This costs a lot of money, so it is advisable to get creative and make the school cone yourself. You can not only let your imagination run wild, but also take into account the individual design wishes of the child.
Rely on no-name goods or second-hand
Satchels, gym bags, pencil cases and the like with licensed motifs from brand manufacturers are often a lot more expensive than no-name products. Therefore, it is worth considering doing without articles with characters from popular children’s films and instead choosing more general motifs or no motifs at all – because many things are no longer trendy after a short time or no longer correspond to the child’s age.
Satchels and the like are usually of high quality and can therefore be used for a long time. The purchase of second-hand products should therefore be included in the planning for the first day of school in order to relieve your own wallet. Online portals often offer a large selection of used but still well-preserved items.
Stick on name tags
Once all items have been purchased, care should be taken to avoid confusion within the class. It is not uncommon for two or three children to own similar or even identical products. This can lead to misunderstandings and ultimately end up in a new purchase. However, such cases can be avoided if name tags are used from the outset. Both labeling with a waterproof pen and attaching small name tags is recommended.
Get government grants
If there are entitlements, according to the Federal Ministry of Labour, parents can receive a so-called education and participation package that covers basic needs for a specific purpose. Anyone who already receives a child allowance or housing allowance is entitled to such a package. This supports parents with up to 100 euros per school year and also subsidizes participation in social events, school trips and school lunches with a further 10 euros per month.
Inna Warkus / Editor finanzen.net