📚✏️BACK TO SCHOOL COSTS 🏫 👨👧 Is it just me, or is there an overwhelming pressure to buy new stuff for your kids for when they return to school?! The first day of term is so often filled with perfect photos of children in all their new school uniforms, with new shoes, new bags, new pencil cases... new everything! A couple of years back, I literally spent hundreds of pounds on new uniform and all the kit for my 3 boys. Most of the stuff they already had from the previous year was still in good condition and still fit them, but I still felt it necessary to buy more new things. But no more! After the first lockdown, I reluctantly decided not to buy new stuff (mainly because it was hard to come across). Things were uncertain too, and it felt unwise to buy lots of things that may not get used. And this was a bit of an epiphany moment for me! Wearing previously worn clothes to return to school did not affect my children in any way. They did not have a horrible return because they were not wearing a new bag. They did not write less neatly because they did not have new pencil case. And they didn’t suddenly lose all their friends because they didn’t have a brand new jumper on. I now refuse to buy stuff which does not need to be replaced, just to ‘keep up with the Jones’s’. It is wasteful, expensive, and creates a never ending cycle of social pressure for other parents (who may be much worse off that you). Of course, I will buy items that need replacing, but now this will be on an as and when basis! I strongly recommend that you try this too. If it feels overwhelming, try to buy just one or two less items when you replace things - I guarantee that you will feel a sense of relief, both from pressure and expectation, and from your wallet! #socialpressures #parentingpressure #lesswaste #spendless #uniformcosts #school #children #spending #moneysaving #family #familyfinance #parenting #kidsclothing #expectations #money #momlife #backtoschool #schooluniform #moneysavingtips #familybudget #relief #keepingupwiththejoneses #makeachange #helpotherparents #lesspressure #kidsstuff #buyless #reuse #recycle (at Norfolk) https://www.instagram.com/p/CS_0AaFjfrz/?utm_medium=tumblr
