Saving money by buying second hand school uniform
As I walked through the playground to collect the children from pre-school the other day I was drawn to a small rail of second hand uniform. Each item was under £1 and the woman selling it (to raise money for the school) had every size and every item.
I managed to kit out both of the twins for their first year at school for under £12. For this I got a couple of pairs of grey trousers and shorts, grey pinnafore dresses and skirts, gingham summer dresses, royal blue sweatshirts with the school’s logo and cardigans, white polo shirts, a couple of book bags and even a blue gingham hair scrunchy. Over twenty items in all.
A few days later I went through the school’s pack of information and forms I had to fill in before the children start the reception year and was astounded to find the price list of brand new school uniform from the local supplier. Each item was priced at about £8-10 which means I had made an incredible saving of well over £100 possibly closer to £200. I vowed to never buy new school uniform if I can possibly help it.
A day or so later when I was pondering this I recalled my school days at a school with the same coloured uniform. I always looked squeaky clean in my brand new clobber but actually felt quite square being kitted out in regulation uniform. The coolest kids all had slightly different versions than those stocked at the official school uniform shop, sometimes a little more faded too. If my kids ever lobby me to buy new kit I shall get them to save their pocket money for new school uniform or explain that I won’t be taking them to the cinema/ice skating/pony riding (or whatever it is they’ll be into when they’re older) if I spend £20 or so on some royal blue sweatshirts.