School uniform can be expensive, so follow our ten tips to help you save money when buying school uniform.

With The Return To School Looming, Here Are 10 Tips To Help You Save Money On School Uniform

Whether you’re buying for the first time or stocking up on new sizes, one thing’s for sure - buying primary school uniform is likely to put you out of pocket. Costs of school uniform can vary wildly depending on the school, where you are in the country and the type of uniform you need to buy. But when you factor it all in including shoes and coats, it quickly adds up.

To help save you money this academic year, we've put together a list of tips and tricks to help you save money on school uniform.

Here Are 10 Tips To Save Money When Buying School Uniform:

1. Buy School Uniform When Shops Have Sales Or Offers On: 

If your child's school uniform is fairly generic, with dresses, shirts, skirts and trousers in a standard colour, then it's likely you'll be able to buy from high street stores and supermarkets. Most of the big department stores and supermarkets stock an extensive range of generic uniform, school dresses and accessories. They also tend to be cheaper than specific school uniform shops. The majority of these stores will discount or offer special deals on uniform at various points of the year, usually in July, August and January. Save money by only buying during these times and not when it's on full price.

2. Use Clubcard Points Or Money-Off Vouchers: 

If you’re buying from a store or supermarket that has a loyalty card scheme, use your points or vouchers to get money off. Check if there are any specific discount deals or offers in place on your account that you can use.

3. Buy Second Hand From Your School:

Lots of schools hold second hand uniform sales where they sell off donated uniform to parents cheaply, usually to raise funds for the PTA. This is a cheap and environmentally friendly way of getting hold of uniform at a big discount, especially when it comes to things like polo shirts and jumpers with logos that can be pricey when bought from specialist uniform shops.

If your child hasn't started school yet, see if any sales are being held during open days or at a time you can attend.

4. If There's No Uniform Sale, Start Your Own

If your school doesn’t hold second hand uniform sales, suggest starting it up instead. It's a good way of raising money for the school and for parents to stock up on uniform at cheap prices.

5. Check Local Charity Shops:

Are there any charity shops in the area of your child's school? If so, they are likely to have a supply of the local school's uniform for much cheaper prices than buying it all new.

6. Buy Bigger Sizes Ahead Of Time: 

Although it's tough to think that your tiny four-year-old will one day be towering over you, it makes sense to buy bigger sizes when they're at a discounted price. Hide them at the back of a cupboard.

7. Ask Around For Hand-Me-Downs: 

Can any friends, neighbours or family members donate uniform to you? If they have older children who have long outgrown the first sizes then they will probably be on the look-out for someone to offload it all on to.

8. Shop Around For Shoes: 

You don't have to buy your shoes from the well-known high-street shoes store. Supermarkets, for example, sell good quality school shoes at about a third of the price.

If you know your child's size and have a good idea how to check the fit, then it pays to shop around.

9. Ask Other Parents For Advice: 

If you know other parents at the school, or get to know them, ask them for tips and tricks when it comes to buying school uniform - they may know a lot of valuable, money-saving ideas to help you.

10. Only Buy As Much As You Need: 

Our final tip to help you save money when buying school uniform - you don't need to buy huge amounts of each item; even messy children don't need ten shirts. Buy the smallest amount that you need.

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