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Tip Store: Education: School Uniforms

Beat the School Sock Eating Monster

​School and sports uniform socks can cost up to $10 a pair but are easily lost, so here is a tip to help kids keep track of their own socks, whether in change rooms or in the clean laundry basket. A few minutes spent colour coding can save heaps of time, prevent arguments and enable quick matching, especially in the morning rush. First gather all socks from hiding places, launder if needed and sort out sufficient wearable pairs for each child. Bulk buy at the start of school year when fresh stocks are needed. Using a cotton bud or brush, dab a dot of acrylic interior or exterior house paint on the toe of each sock, with a change of colour for the next person. When dry it will outlast the sock. If you don't have any buy a few small sample pots at the hardware shop. Lastly, let kids take responsibility for sorting and putting away their own clean socks using their own colour code. Even if kids have identical sized feet, when it comes to mornings the dots will soon show who has left their dirty school socks in the garden, under the bed, etc. and who is organised and ready to go. This tip has saved my sanity with no nagging needed, especially as our school has discipline points for not wearing the correct uniform, including socks. Less replacements needed too.
Contributed by Caroline C., 1st January 2018

​School Uniforms - Save, Repurpose, Upcycle

Approximate $ Savings: $135.00

School uniforms are expensive when purchased brand new as I recently found out. Dress: Store A $69.95, Store B $52.00. Blouse: Store A $39.95, Store B $32.00. I was shocked at the pricing, and decided to check out the school's second hand uniform stock. I have saved approximately. $135.00 by purchasing three secondhand dresses at $5.00 each. I re-purposed two dresses into blouses and upcycled the remaining skirt material from the two dresses into scrunchies and headbands. I still have material left over and may make a library bag. The blouses were introduced to the uniform in 2012, and as such no second hand items were available. I've let a few other crafty mums know what I've done, as they too can follow the idea and also save money. Savings: Dress - new $69.95; secondhand $5.00 Save: $64.95 Blouse - new$39.95; secondhand $5.00 Save:$34.95 (I would need 2 blouses) Time taken to do this was minimal, and I won't be too concerned if my daughter comes home with paint or an accidental scissor cut to her dress/blouse now. If this occurred on a $69.95 or $52.00 item, I would be quite disappointed. Overall, for $15.00 I have uniforms in excellent condition, which some parents would have spent $149.85 for.
​- Contributed by D. Morrish, 3rd January 2013

​Make the Most of the Back to School Sales

Approximate $ Savings: $314.00
I have 2 kids and used to buy Clarks shoes for my kids at S90.00 a pair, which then needed to be replaced half way through the year, due to my kids feet growing. Total price $360.00 for the year. I now wait till Big W have their back to school sale on shoes. Boys leather shoes cost $10.00 a pair and girls leather shoes cost $18.00 a pair. I buy the shoe that fits them now and I also buy a second pair in the next size up. I save so much money, as their feet grow through the year and it is very difficult to buy school shoes. You always end up having to pay a lot of money for them half way through the year. Total cost for the year: $46.00, a massive saving of $314.00 for the year.
​- Contributed by Theresa, Belrose, 13th January 2010

​Don't Let the School Pull the Wool Over Your Eyes

​Approximate $ Savings: $40
My children's school sells royal blue socks which are compulsory to wear and they told me I wouldn't be able to buy them from anywhere else as nobody stocks them. At $9 a pair I decided to really look around and found a Lowes store that my mother goes to a few suburbs away sell the same socks for $4 a pair and better quality which is a big saving when you need 10 pairs.
​- Contributed by Michelle, Algester, 11th January 2008

​Pay More to Save, Especially on Shoes

​On the topic of buying more cheaply - sometimes you do need to pay more, to save money! I learned this the hard way when it came to my son's shoes. For years I bought him cheaper shoes, which he wore out in only months. Eventually I decided to pay more, for quality - I've found that these good quality shoes are lasting my son much longer and I'm saving money by not having to buy him several pairs less-quality shoes!
​- Contributed by Carolyn, 12th November 2007

Make Use of The School Clothing Pool

We buy as much of our son's school uniform needs second-hand. I regularly search through my son's school's second-hand clothing pool. I've found a good jacket for a third of the price of what I'd have paid for it new; plus, I paid only $25 for a (good as new) woollen jumper, rather than $72 (for new).
​- Contributed by Carolyn, 12th November 2007

​Chain Store Uniforms Just as Good

Shop for basic school uniform needs, e.g. socks, shirts, shorts, trousers, sports clothes in chains stores, e.g. Best and Less, rather than in specialty stores. Hopefully, most schools won't mind if there are occasionally, tiny differences to some of the uniform pieces.
​- Contributed by Carolyn, 12th November 2007