Back to school: 8 ultimate tips to slash school uniform costs | HELLO! (2024)

Children will be going back to school very soon, which means making sure their uniforms are in order. With the cost-of-living crisis well and truly underway you may be feeling the pinch when it comes to the pre-term school haul. Jonathan Merry, financial expert and CEO at MoneyTransfers.com, gives the ultimate advice for saving on school uniforms this year…

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1. Tackle the stains, don't avoid them

As a parent, there is nothing more frustrating than when your child comes home from school with stains all over their new clothes. However, it's inevitable so the best thing you can do is learn how to get rid of them effectively. Whether it's ink, crayon, mud or grass, there are plenty of easy cleaning hacks online that you should try out first before you throw any stained clothing in the bin.

Get your kids to change out of their uniforms at home

2. Get the kids to change out of school uniform at home

Get into the habit of telling your child to change out of their school uniform as soon as they walk through the front door. This will stop their uniform from wearing out as fast and prevent it from getting even messier at home after school.

3. Wash clothing correctly

How you wash and dry clothes is the key to helping them stand the test of time. If you didn’t already know, then different materials respond in different ways when they're washed, dried or ironed so be sure to always check the label first to avoid any damage.

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Aim for 30 degrees with your washes as this lower temperature will not only help clothes to last longer but it will cut down your energy bill too. Also, only use the tumble dryer if you really need to as drying your clothes out on the line will help maintain their quality better. Another positive that comes from line drying is that the sun will help to brighten any white items of clothing and keep them looking fresh!

Look out for school swap shops

4. Pass any school uniform down

If you have more than one child who attends the same school, then passing the school uniform down between siblings is a great way to save money each year. Especially when children grow so fast, it can get very expensive trying to keep up with the jumps in sizing. Also, many schools are now organising uniform hand-me-downs to help out other pupils.

5. Get crafty with repairs and alterations

Rather than throwing out any school uniform that has a button missing or a small hole, for example, you could try to repair it instead - doing this is often much easier than you realise and a more sustainable way to extend the use of clothing.

Also, if certain school clothes are too big or have become too small after a recent growth spurt, rather than buying a brand-new uniform that fits perfectly, get them altered and that'll do the job. Some alterations such as letting down a hemline, won't take much practice at all.

6. Look out for deals

If you have more than one child, it's a good idea to keep an eye out for bundle deals and offers if you're out shopping for new school uniforms, as this will help to knock off a quid or two. All the major supermarkets offer discounts on uniforms each year, so look out for those and know when to shop.

Know how to wash your uniforms to make them last

7. Use name tags

Last but not least, once the school uniform is ready to go for another year, the most important thing you can do next is to put name tags on every piece of clothing your child wears. This may seem like an unnecessary step but something as simple as this can prevent any uniform from getting lost and needing to be replaced.

8. Search for school uniform grants

Finally, money expert Martin Lewis' team recommends checking if you are eligible for school uniform grants. A general rule of thumb, if you get free school meals for your kids, you may be in with a chance of getting some financial contribution.