One on four households with young children will struggle to meet back to school costs in the coming weeks, with one in eight cutting back on food to afford books and uniforms.
According to new research by the Irish League of Credit Unions, the cost of a 'free' education in Ireland has increased annually since 2012 and now stands at €967 for non fee-paying primary school pupils, and at €1,474 for secondary school children.
Parents
reported that extra-curricular activities (an average €189 for primary and €180 for secondary) were the biggest budget drain during the school year. This is the first time since 2012 that this category has come in top of the list, ahead of uniforms.
School uniform costs come in second and remain high at (€145 for primary and €234 for secondary) followed by school books (€94 for primary and €214 for secondary).
The majority of parents (67 per cent) admitted that back to school costs will negatively impact household bills and family plans. In fact, the same percentage of mums and dads will have to sacrifice a family holiday or children's summer camps this year to cover the cost of sending their children back to school.
School Contributions
Seventy-nine per cent of parents (up from 73 per cent in 2015) are expected to make a contribution amounting on average €118 per child this year. Parents of secondary school children are required to pay higher contributions of €149 than parents of primary school children €86.
Shopping around
Sixty per cent of mums and dads are now shopping online for back to school items for their children (this represents a significant increase from 47 per cent in 2015). According to the survey, Dunnes Stores (21 per cent) continues to be considered the best value retailer for school uniforms and clothing by parents, followed closely by Marks and Spencer (19 per cent) and Tesco (15 per cent).
Ed Farrell, CEO ILCU urged parents to avoid using moneylenders to cover costs:
"Remember to check what you have left over from last year and also check with parents of older children who may have uniform items or books that they no longer need that may be usual to you." he said.
"Make a list of everything you need, set a budget and stick to it. Most importantly avoid using moneylenders. If you are considering a loan, make sure to visit your local credit union to see what is available to you."
Are back to school costs putting a dampener on your summer? Join the conversation on Twitter @HerFamilydotie.
