A mum-of-two has revealed how to carry out the back-to-school shop while on a budget and how to make the return exciting for kids – costing only £60 a year.
Stacey Victoria, 35, a stay-at-home mum from Huddersfield, is a self-proclaimed “savvy saver” who shares her top tips on how to see your money go further – especially for fellow parents.
As the summer holidays draw to an end, families across the UK are gearing up for sending their little ones back to school, but for many parents, the cost of living crisis has left them with little to spend.
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The mum-of-two previously hit headlines after sharing tips on supermarket shopping, feeding the family for as little as £2 per day and how to keep the kids occupied during school breaks.
Now, she’s revealed how to keep those purse strings tight while back-to-school shopping and how to make the “dreaded” return exciting and fun for the kids.
“I decided to make the return to school more exciting because my daughter always gets anxious about leaving myself and her sister,” Stacey, who shares her expert tips on Instagram (@eating_fresh_on_a_budget), told Need To Know.
“We are all very close knit and spend all our time together, so being separated after six weeks is very difficult for us.
“I really do feel like we’ve approached the whole back-to-school situation differently this year and I must admit, it’s been much more enjoyable.
“My two daughters are looking forward to the weeks ahead – which makes a change.”
She hopes these unique gestures will help to relieve the “school scaries” for her daughters, Emily, eight and Isabelle, four.
Here are Stacey’s top tips:
SURPRISE GIFTS
In the days leading up to their return, Stacey begins preparing little gifts and surprises for her two girls to enjoy.
She doesn’t spend a fortune on these luxuries, though, and claims the cost never exceeds £1.50.
She said: “German parents present their kids with a ‘schultüte’ which is a massive cone filled with school supplies and sweets, that’s typically given on the first day of school.
“I usually buy the cones from Etsy as they have some really cute ones and I fill them with educational items, such as rulers and pencils, which I take from their craft box.
“I also include chocolate bars and purchase some new rubbers which they can take to school with them – these work out very cheap from budget homeware shops.
“I give my girls a book on their first day back and this typically corresponds to their class year.
“Such as a book for their first day of school, second day, and so on.
“I’m not the kind of mum who has to memorialise every moment and I have definitely skipped some years or got the day wrong.
“But if you have more than one child, it’s nice to spread these out as a tradition and as they get older, there’s some anticipation.
“The types of books I purchase are from the charity shops and they can be as cheap as 10 for £1 depending on the shop.”
EMOTIONAL DESSERTS
As kids struggle to express their emotions freely, the mum-of-two found through creating desserts and adhering them to different goals and feelings, her kids are able to be more open.
Stacey said: “We have a baking party and rename the toppings with things like ‘bravery’ or ‘friendship’ and ‘kindness’ so they can say what they’d like to achieve throughout the school year.
“I also ask them to name their goals, such as ‘reading at a higher level’ and their emotions about going back to school, as this gives them a chance to open up.
“We usually use cheap cones and ice cream, as my girls love these and are an inexpensive dessert for the family as a whole.”
GIVING BACK
Due to the cost of living crisis, many households are feeling the pinch – with schools and other companies also doing without due to rising bills.
Stacey believes it’s important to teach kids from a young age how to be kind to others and help those in need.
She said: “We get all the best adverts from the back-to-school fliers in the newspapers and then one night, we go out for dinner and then jump around all the stores.
“I want other kids who can’t afford the essentials to still enjoy school, so we find deals such as 100 pencils for £1.40 or five folders for a penny.
“We pack up a big bag and donate it all to the school, as they need so many extra supplies.
“It’s a lot of fun running around to find the best bargains as well, so it’s a great activity for the kids.”
PERSONALISED MEMORIES
Even though it’s a small gesture, she believes giving her two daughters personalised equipment helps to motivate them and also ensures no supplies are stolen.
Stacey said: “I always order my girls a set of personalised pencils and for some reason, they are obsessed with office supplies.
“They find it motivating to start off the year with a fresh batch of new educational items with their names on.”
Like many parents, she likes to keep memories as her kids grow older – with her recent favourite being a blank t-shirt.
She said: “I’ve seen people buying a big t-shirt that says ‘class of’ and then the year they’ll leave school and taking a picture of their child growing into the shirt.
“You take the photo on each first day of school and watch their progress – and this can be done for very cheap.
“I’ve always been handed down shirts from my dad, but on Amazon, they are under £5 and that’s a bargain for a life long memory.”
SOCIALISING
It’s always daunting joining a place where you don’t know anyone and for sociable kids, the experience can be enjoyable.
However, for those who find making friends difficult, Stacey believes it’s worth meeting up with some kids in their class on the weekend before going back, as this helps to form relationships.
She said: “If your child is beginning school for the first time or heading back to a new class, try to arrange a gathering with fellow classmates and parents.
“It’s a great way to break the ice and I can remember the pre-school years being invited to a family’s home once, for a ‘getting-to-know-you’ event.
“I thought it was so smart and especially helpful for our kids, as they were able to establish a relationship with their peers before the first day.
“I always think it’s worth taking their favourite teddy and asking them to tell a story about it to the other kids.
“Also, bringing cupcakes is a must and from the lower cost supermarkets such as Aldi and Asda, these can cost under £1.50 so a few can be shared.”
Due to the cost of living crisis, the mum-of-two claims she’s had to cut back hugely on the overall back-to-school shop, in a bid to still live the life they enjoy.
Before, she used to spend £400 per year on her children’s uniforms and supplies – but now, she claims this only costs £60 in total.
SHOPPING ON A BUDGET
Stacey said: “Backpacks and lunch boxes usually only need a good wash and there are probably binders, pens and pencils which can be put back into rotation.
“I’ve pulled out the unused pages of multiple spiral notebooks and use them as loose-leaf paper or write them a little positive note for their day ahead.
“Another fun savings hack is buying inexpensive stickers, patches or keychains and hooking them onto their backpacks for a little bit of change.
“In the budget homeware stores, you can find made up boxes of accessories for as little as £5 and these last forever.
“With a little hunting, you can save a fortune with coupon codes and sites like TopCashBack, as well as in Asda and Tesco.
“Always look at second hand sites too, such as Facebook Marketplace, as you’ll be surprised with what you find – I got polo shirts for 50p this year.
“You’ll also pay more for the jazzier school supplies, so stick to plain white and basic ranges, where the kids can get creative with their own designs to dress them up.
“This also makes it easier for them to spot theirs in a sea of school supplies.”
She’s carried out these “traditions” over the past two years and claims it’s helped her children feel more ready for school, especially as they have something to look forward to at home.
Stacey added: “All of this helps them to get involved and enjoy going back to school, rather than dreading it after many weeks off.
“I think every parent will say they spend a fortune, but it doesn’t have to be that way and I’ve been inspired through Martin Lewis and my friend on Instagram.
“The way she saved and budgeted completely inspired me and I’ll always be grateful for her changing my outlook on many things.
“Always look in charity shops, especially in your local area as people are likely to donate school supplies there.
“Check Facebook and uniform exchange sites, as they hand out free school logo items.
“It’s more worrying now more than ever and I’d love to be positive and say it’ll get easier, but I don’t think it will – now is the time to prepare for the future.”
