How to cope with back to school expenses!

If you are a parent the first few weeks of September are usually very stressful. In addition to dealing with the traffic and earlier wake up calls, there is the ever present need to spend money that strains the budget.

Even if you invested time over the summer to purchase books and uniforms, you still have further expenses to face. Besides providing bus or taxi fare, parents also have to ensure their children have enough lunch money to last the day.

Lunch on a Budget

An easy and cheaper alternative to sending lunch money is to send a packed lunch with your child. School lunches are not always healthy and often children waste a lot of time standing in long lines.

As a result of the long lines, children sometimes don’t even bother purchasing their lunch.

It is certainly not easy for a hungry child to learn! A packed lunch seems to be the best solution!

Fortunately, there are a ton of tasty, cheap meals you can make at home with very few ingredients and not much time.

Sandwiches and fresh fruit are just some of the lunch time options. These can be made in the morning and carefully wrapped to preserve freshness.  Left over meat can be used in creative ways by including them in a burrito and adding some cheese.

If your child is a picky eater, it might be possible to send lunch that needs to be warmed up,  some schools allow students access to a microwave for this purpose.  As a result cooked food such as pasta and rice can be sent for reheating. If you are sending these dishes ensure that they are kept at the correct temperature.

Stews and soups can also be options for older children while younger kids will enjoy finger foods such as chicken nuggets and rolls or potato wedges.

Be creative and vary the menu so children feel as if there is an excitement to discover nutritious food every day.  Don’t forget that most items are probably already in your cupboard. So this will greatly cut down on the lunch bill.

Transportation Costs

Another way to save money is to carpool.  If you can find another parent who is willing to drop and pick up your child since they have a child at the same school, then why not take advantage of this?

You might need to offer some gas money to show your appreciation but it will still cost less than regular transportation.

Ensure that whatever mode of transportation you choose for your child they are safe!

So how will you ease back into school costs?

Let me hear from you!

Teri Ann Renee Paisley

Gleaner online writer

Tags: school lunches, transportation costs