School Supply Costs

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irishbunny

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I help my Mam every year when it comes to get school stuff, and always notice how it costs a huge amount of money. So, so far we have only just got stationary (pens, pencils, copies etc.) and that came up to €150 ($200) for 5 kids, we also got the books needed for my smallest sister who is just starting school, these came up to €90 ($120) and her uniform came up to about €50 ($66). In Ireland, there are very few private schools and whether you are in a private or public school, you have to wear a uniform. About 99% are Catholic schools I'd say. We still have to get books for two other kids, luckily I am going into my last year of school and don't need anymore books except one, I can carry on books from last year that cost about €200 ($265). Also, one of my other brothers that is in Secondary school (High school) can carry on his books too that came up to about €300 ($498).

It will cost around €1000 ($1,327) to have everything everyone needs to go back to school and when we get back, the teachers will want us to buy all other sorts of things. Thank God you can get decent free education here, hardly anyone goes to private school. To get the things for school is expensive enough!

How much does it cost where you are?
 
Haha, I just saw the title of the thread and thought great that's something I need to vent about:) And then I had to laugh when I saw Grace had opened the thread:biggrin:
I wonder if Ireland is particularly expensive when it comes to school supplies.
I haven't even started getting any for the kids but noticed that among other things the school wants 50 euro alone for photocopying:?
I am just glad that the ones that go to Primary don't need a uniform. I spent at least 200 euro to kit out my middle son with his uniform. Not even counting the shoes...
 
During High School, the supplies weren't that expensive. I probably spent about $40-50 on year. Since I didn't always use everything like pencil lead or pens, I didn't need much for the next year. The most expensive thing would be the calculator needed for math, but I used the one my brother used and didn't need anymore as he was out of school. I really just needed binders, note books, folders and a few other things. Since I went to public school, I didn't have to pay for text books (they do require a deposit you get back when the books are returned). The school fees about about $100-150 for the year.
As it was a public school, there were no uniforms and I didn't really get new clothes for school.

I think in Elementary I did need more supplies at the start of the year. I don't remember the costs of it though, but I did end up getting almost all new stuff since most of it is notebooks, paper, and writing supplies.

One of the slightly annoying things with High School here is that you don't really know your schedule before the first day. So you just have to buy the basics and get specific stuff once you know. In Elementary, you got a very detailed list of what is needed, right down to the brand name.

At least most of the supplies go on sale during the summer, so you can get things pretty cheap.
 
Haha Sabine :p
My school and my brother's school want €100 each :rollseyes Your lucky you have a school near you that doesn't require uniforms!

Here we get book lists, and the lists are huuuuge! Especially for the youngest ones. Thank God we don't have anyone going into Secondary school, that would cost like €1000 by itself! I really feel like scanning in one of the younger ones lists cause it is totally crazy, they are practically bad at this school :rollseyes

 
One of my cost-cutting efforts for this year is to see how long my middle son gets away with wearing his black skater shoes for school:D They can hardly look at everyone's feet. Thankfully I have the odd book that can be passed on from my eldest son. But then again they keep changing the book lists just to force you to buy new stuff every year. Grrr
 
Lol, my school is awful for being strict on uniforms since we got our new vice. Seriously, she does random shoe and skirt inspections, skirt has to be just on the knee. You also can only wear one bracelet and one ring, necklaces have to be tucked in. Can't dye your hair any bright colours that look unnatural, no facial jewellery, totally black shoes, no bright eye shadow, no belts on your skirt so you can roll it up, no dangly ear rings, the list goes on.... Most schools are NORMAL though!

I hate the way they change the books! Uh, be so handy just to be able to hand everything down!
 
A friend of mine who is the vice principal in a Secondary School just told me the other night that of course she couldn't care less how the kids wore their uniform but by being very strict about it students will spend a lot of energy trying to rebel against it and try and breech the rules whenever they can.
As long as those little battles go on and a student gets a great kick out of getting away with wearing her collar up for example serious issues like drugs are less likely to arise (that's the idea anyhow)
 
I wore a uniform for 13 years and loved it - yes, $50 was more than I'd spend on a non-uniform skirt, but I also wouldn't really wear the same non-uniform skirt twice every week, so it averages out cheaper, and easier.
Now that I'm in college I have to pick out my own clothes.
Books generally run me $300-$500 a semester. Then maybe an extra $100 of notebooks, lab notebooks, pencils, etc.
 
My sister has a four year old going into pre k 4. She needed about 75 worth of stuff mostly general stuff for her classroom tissues and such. Her uniforms cost about 20 but she got hand me downs from sister and cousin. Luckily they all go to the same charter school. The older one who is the biggest girl going into 2nd grade needed about 125 worth of stuff and 200 worth of uniforms. She is the biggest so no hand me downs.

They still need shoes and tights But pay less shoes worth great when there dress is set in stone and the 200 worth of uniforms bought will go a long way for the nest 3 or 4 years. maybe longer when the twins get in school.

Shena on two kids spend about 500 a year. so double that when the twins get in school. Luckily my mom us and Fizzes daddy helps a lot.
 
My school costs make me want to cry. I spend around 1000 dollars on text books and school supplies a year. That't with buying used textbooks...

It seems outrageous to have to spend that much on books that I can only usually use for one quarter. That's only 10 weeks. You would think the university would figure out how to make textbooks more reasonable.
 
Jeepers! Sounds like the amount we spend on uni books here, I'm in my final year of college (high school) and spent $5 on stationary this year - 5 1B5s haha. Don't get me started on our "free" education though, about $500 in "donations" that are actually required!
 

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