Just like that, summer’s over and it’s back to school once again. For the kids, it’s probably the worst time of their lives since it’s back to homeworks, “terror” teachers and waking up early again. For us parents, it’s probably just the same since it means expenses – again.

Opening of school is probably one of the heaviest bulk to parents’ financial income since it entails buying of books, notebooks, bags, shoes, uniforms, and not to mention the school tuition and fees, which take up a lot of your budget. And when you have more than one student, like me personally (my  son is in the fourth grade while my daughter is in the first grade), it’s a really big burden on your finances. Enrolling your child/ children in a private school even entails more expenses compared to sending them to a public school. But of course, that is the parent’s prerogative.

But the start of classes doesn’t have to be a parent’s nightmare. With a few saving tips and skills, one can get through it without breaking your wallet and giving you a headache.

Recycle. Nothing spells save more than recycling. If your kid’s bags, shoes and other school supplies still fit or are in good condition, have him/ her use them again for the new school year. Let them understand that the new school year doesn’t have to mean new school things, too. Make them understand the value of saving money and things. Besides, if their school things just won’t serve the purpose anymore, you’ll gladly buy them new ones. Moreover, we all know that by recycling, we are doing our part in saving the environment by making full use or limiting the use of nature’s resources.

If you really need to buy new school things for your child, buy early. This way, you have more choices on the products and you save yourself from long lines later on. And since you’re buying off school season, you’ll have more chances of getting sales and discounts especially if you buy in bulk.

Make a list of the school things you need to buy. As in any purchase like grocery shopping, a list is crucial since it controls us from going overbudget. Having a list while shopping also of course saves us a lot of time from guessing and going back and forth to and from the store. If you’ve completed the list and you still have a little extra, you can even indulge yourself and buy something nice for you or your kid.

Sometimes, we parents, in our effort and aim to save money, we end up even spending more by settling for cheap, poor quality brands that don’t last. Sometimes, it’s worth the extra penny to pay for expensive but high quality, trusted brands that really last and save you both time and money in the long run.

As parents, we want to give our children the best education we can offer them. Like the saying goes, education is the only legacy we can ever leave to our children. But this doesn’t mean we have to spend our life’s savings on our children’s education. Sometimes, the gift of time is just as, if not even more, important. What does buying the most expensive school things for our children mean when we’re not even there to see them perform in their first musical recital or compete in the most important sports tournament of their lives? Sometimes, if not always, our presence and moral support, more than our financial support and everything else, is more than what our child needs to guide them through school – and in their life.