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A budget-conscious mum has shared her top tips for saving money ahead of the expensive start to the new school year.
Heidi Ondrak has 52,000 followers on Instagram, where she shares “frugal tips to save money.”
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The 53-year-old from Plymouth has previously made headlines with her clever tips and tricks for cutting costs, from feeding the family to paying the energy bill.
Now she has revealed how she is preparing for the return to school in September without breaking the bank, estimating that she is saving ‘at least’ £140 using these methods.
UNIFORM SAFE
“I always buy the logo jacket and the sportswear in a larger size and use sleeve holders for the dangling sleeves. That way I only need to replace them every other year,” Heidi said. What is there to do?.
“I also ask friends if they will get rid of blazers when their child is older than mine.
“An alternative [to save money on uniforms] is to use Facebook Marketplace to buy used blazers for your school.
“Last year I sold my kids’ for £5 which is a lot better than the £40 it was new!
“It’s extra money for a new uniform, and someone else is grateful for a bargain.”
In addition, Heidi carefully checks the old uniform to see if anything can be saved for the new year.
She said, “I’m doing a scavenger hunt to see what fits and what condition it’s in.
“Because it is often warm, I save stains on short-sleeved shirts by making a paste of white vinegar and baking soda, which I massage into the armpits and around the neck to remove stains.
“If that doesn’t work, I use Flash Spray bleach, wash them and they’re ready to use again.”
For knitting she uses a debobbler to remove any pulls.
SECOND HAND STEALS
In addition to selling her own second-hand items, Heidi also scours second-hand sites and flea markets in search of cheap gems.
She said: “Shoe-wise, we’re lucky enough to wear black trainers with a leather look, and I found a pair of black Nike AF Ones in good condition at the local flea market for £4.
“A little cleaning and buffing of the insoles and they will be fine and looking fresh.
“Because they are quite sturdy, they last all year round. We do stuff them with newspaper if they get wet and dry them in the dryer to keep them looking good.
“In previous years I’ve also found loafers in the charity shop with the stickers on – brand new for £7.
EXTRA HELP WITH SCHOOL UNIFORM COSTS
IF you cannot get targeted help from your municipality, there may be other options.
In some cases you can contact your school directly, they may be able to provide you with clothing.
Or perhaps you can buy cheap clothes from budget stores or thrift shops.
Some charities also provide assistance to families in need.
Please note that charities are often limited in the amount they can donate and have specific criteria that must be met in order to receive a grant.
Charity Turn2Us has a free grant search function on its website, which will help you see what help is available to you.
In the meantime, you can always contact your nearest Citizens’ Advice office.
If you don’t know where your nearest Citizens’ Advice branch is, you can find it at www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/nearby/.
If you are not eligible for a school uniform grant, you may be able to get help through the Household Support Fund.
“I found an immaculate padded jacket for school at a flea market for £3.
“You can also find jackets and coats for a fraction of the price on Vinted or in thrift stores.”
For school bags, Heidi prefers to buy a high-quality bag, because “cheap backpacks break and tear quickly”.
To keep costs down, she bought them second-hand on Vinted, picking up a “nearly new” one for £15, saving her an estimated £50.
SHOP SMART
When Heidi has to buy something new, she goes to Asda for ‘cheap’ uniforms without a logo.
She said: “I’m stocking up on tights and socks for school from Primark, while stocks last.
“The kids use a lot of them, so I buy them in bulk in August when no one wants tights. That way we don’t run out.
“As soon as the fluffy winter tights that are sold out at Primark come out, I’ll be grabbing these too, because they’re great on winter mornings.”
When it comes to office supplies, Heidi recommends doing a “scavenger hunt” at home before heading to the store.
She said, “Look through old bags, pockets, drawers, and backpacks for loose office supplies. Check what you find against the list of items the children need, and then buy only the items that are missing.”
Back to School Deals
SEVERAL major supermarkets and retailers are set to launch their uniform clearance sale.
Prices for the bundles and deals start from just £5
Chains offering cheap children’s uniforms include Aldi, Marks and Spencer and Tesco.
Asda
Asda’s George range includes the following key items:
Boys uniform
- 2 Pack Polo Shirt – Regular Fit or 2 Pack Short Sleeve Shirt – From £3
- 2 Pack Slim Leg Adjustable Waist Trousers – From £8
- 2-pack basic sweatshirt – from £5
- Black Double Strap Cup Sole School Shoes – From £10
Girls uniform
- 2 Pack Scallop Polo Shirt – Regular Fit or 2 Pack Short Sleeve Shirt – From £3
- 2 Pack Pleated Skirt – From £8
- 2 Pack Basic Vest – From £8
- 2 Pack Short Sleeve Shirts – From £5
- 2 Pack White Short Sleeve School Polo Shirts – From £3
Peacocks
Discount fashion chain Peacocks is offering a 20% discount on its budget uniform range in all stores from July 28.
The children’s uniform is available for children from 2-3 years up to and including 14-15 years, a new age category for this year.
Key points include:
- Children’s Blouse – £5/£6/£7
- Children’s polo 2-pack – £6/£7/£8
- Kids Skinny Trousers – £9/£10/£11
- Kids Bootcut Trousers – £9/£10/£11
- Kids Bengaline Super Skinny Trousers – £8/£9/£10
MADAM
M&S has been offering the same prices on school uniforms since 2021 and has confirmed that its popular 20% early bird discount on school uniforms will be back in place from 2 July.
You can get a discount by shopping online or in stores where the uniform is in stock.
Some examples of the range are:
- From £7 for a 3-pack of 100% responsibly sourced cotton unisex polo shirts, with stain resistant technology
- From £11 for 2-pack of boys slim leg school trousers
- From £12 for 2 pack of girls pleated school aprons
Tesco
Tesco is introducing another 25% discount on uniforms this year. The sale starts on 23rd July.
It usually doesn’t take long to work, so it might be a good idea to stock up while you can.
Make sure you have your Tesco Clubcard or app to hand when you get to the checkout so the discount is applied.
Tesco has not yet announced exactly which items are on offer.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s says it has left prices unchanged for 2022 school uniforms.
The 25% discount promotion is reportedly set to launch on June 19.
Last year you could buy two packs of polo shirts from £3, trousers from £4 and two packs of gingham dresses from £10 online and in stores.
PACKED LUNCHES
Finally, budget-conscious moms are advised to avoid packing expensive school meals and instead pack a cheaper version for their kids.
She said: “School kitchen food is expensive – I mean, who wants to pay £2.50 for wedges and £1.90 for a bottle of Radnor Splash?
“I just give mine water in a metal bottle to keep them cool.
“Lunch packs are packed hard in a school bag, which means that bagels stay fresh longer than bread and do not become misshapen and soggy.
“If you buy a pack of frozen sausage rolls, you always have an emergency snack that you can prepare.
“Instead of cheese strings and expensive snacks, I’m going to pack chunks of cheese and crackers and make my own snacks.
“I prepare the week’s lunches and keep them in bags in the fridge drawer so I can grab them every morning.
“[They have] Eat only cooked meat for the first three days and only cheese for the last two days, as it does not spoil.
“I’m also going to put cherry tomatoes and bell pepper pieces in bags, and homemade popcorn in bags.”
Heidi previously made headlines when she shared how she feeds her family for a week on one roasted chicken.
The frugal mother challenged herself to spend her money as frugally as possible and discovered that she could provide for lunch and dinner for the entire week with one large chicken, supplemented with frozen vegetables and potatoes.
Last winter she also revealed her clever tip for saving on energy bills ahead of the new year: put aside £1 every day to avoid any nasty surprises.
