10 back-to-school buys for under $10
Shoes, bags and stationery on the cheap? Yes please!
To say that preparing your child for the new school year is expensive is an understatement.
In fact, according to a recent study by YouGov for Big W, the start of term is one of the most expensive times of the year. And the fact that this rolls around straight after Christmas doesn’t help!
The study reveals that parents fork out $543 per child on items ranging from school bags and shoes to stationery and lunch boxes.
CHOICE recently conducted a Back-to-School Basket Challenge of 17 school items (see list here) from Big W, Kmart, and Officeworks and named Officeworks as the cheapest destination for school supplies.
The Officeworks basket cost $26.87, which was more than 10 percent cheaper than the most expensive basket from Kmart. Big W came in second place.
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“Back to school supplies can quickly add up,” says CHOICE’s Managing Editor, Marg Rafferty.
“Uniforms, shoes, backpacks, lunchboxes, and stationery amount to quite a lot of money, especially if you have more than one child at school.”
“It’s important to shop around so that you can get the best deal possible.”
Whether you decide to do all your back-to-school shopping at one retailer or not, the key piece of advice from CHOICE is to shop around. And that’s exactly what we’ve done.
CHOICE Managing Editor, Margaret Raffery says, “One way parents can save is by doing a stocktake at home before they hit the shops – if there’s still life in the binders, pens or any other school supplies then don’t replace them.”
10 back-to-school buys for under $10
Looking to kit your child out in their school uniform?
Snap up the Best and Less special promo offer that’s currently available – any two school polos, shorts and hats, for only $10.
What a bargain!
This Kmart Junior Backpack is only $4. That’s the price of a coffee!
The bag is available in four colours, has a front zipped pocket and adjustable shoulder straps.
School shoes don’t need to cost a fortune.
These cute Kmart A-Bar school shoes are only $6! Um, hello!
Can you believe you get change from a tenner with these Kmart Single Strap Sneakers?
That’s right, they are $8.
Love stationery? You’re in luck.
The Big W Brilliant Basics School Essential pack is jam-packed with basically everything you need.
It’s currently on special for $7.50 (save $1.50).
Buy coloured pencils and save the environment? It’s a win-win!
Purchase the Staedtler Noris Coloured Pencils 12 pack, $2 and you contribute to the Restoring Australia initiative, whereby Officeworks will plant two trees for every one used, based on the weight of paper-based products that customers buy at Officeworks.
Do you have a penchant for pretty stationery? We love this rainbow neoprene pencil case.
Check out the range of Studymate Medium Single Zip Pencil Cases from Officeworks, $3.98, for more cool designs.
Fact: Your child will lose stuff. Possibly on their first day.
Labelling everything will be life but with the Studymate Name Pencil Cases Small from Office Works, $0.49, you can pop your child’s name on the front and fingers crossed it won’t show up in lost property.
Lunch? Tick. Snacks? Tick. Fruit? Tick. Snacks? Tick. Drink. Tick. Did we mention snacks?
Pack your child’s daily food haul in the Kmart 7 piece lunch set, $8.
Includes 1 x ice puck, 1 x snack box, 1 x sandwich box, 1 x insulated lunch bag, 1 x 500ml water bottle and 2 x reusable snack bags
Choose from four designs, including leopard print, camo, blue and pink.
Let’s not forget about the tiny tots starting preschool.
Best and Less stock a range of on-trend pieces that are perfect for daycare.
Toddler long-sleeve T-shirt, $3, Toddler boys jersey pant, $8, Toddler girls drop crotch pant, $10.
