How to use Back to School Shopping to teach good spending habits

Get the kids involved in the shopping...

While Back to School can be a minefield to navigate it provides parents with an amazing opportunity to get young people involved in their own shopping and teach them the value of money at the same time while bringing the costs down!

Shop at your supermarket

Supermarkets are increasingly competing with department stores with Back to School promotions on school uniforms, especially over the August Bank Holiday weekend. However, stock levels can be low by then.

If you’re lucky enough to find a bargain in your preferred supermarket there’s no greater feeling, but why not take the time to explain why you’re buying the uniform there to your children? They will start to have a better idea of how much it costs to provide for them and might also keep an eye out for deals that will benefit both of you.

If you’re looking online watch out for delivery charges, which can add an extra £3 – £3.50 to the cost of your order. You will find however that some stores do have free delivery for a limited period or on a minimum spend. Wherever you get the uniform it’s also always worth checking for wear and tear guarantees so you get even more out of your purchase.

Go second hand

If you have multiple children you’re probably already going to be using a hand-me-down system, but why not take it a little further and look into if any blazers (which can be expensive) are available second hand. This could save you a few quid and teach your children how to be savvy if you include them in your search.

Look into free transport

Transport for schools can be provided for free depending on the age of your child and the distance away from the school. This could save you some money that you could put elsewhere within your back to school budget. Again, if you take the time to explain this to your children it will help with their understanding of money and how to budget.

You can find more information on free school transport online, and we think it’s well worth looking into.

Free school meals

For those on a lower income, if you’re not already aware your child may be entitled to free school meals, but you would need to apply for it through your local authority. You can find information about free school meals on the Gov.uk website. If you are eligible and you didn’t know this could cut down your food shop dramatically, and again provide an opportunity to teach your children about saving money.

Packed lunches

The alternative to free school meals is going to be packed lunches. Involving your children in the weekly shop with a set budget could be one way to help them learn about money and give them meals they will eat because they had a hand in choosing the food! They could even pay for it themselves (as long as they’re in budget) on their nimbl card.


These are just some of the many ways you could use back to school to teach your children more about money while saving a little on your Back to School shopping.

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