After two months of vacation, the return to school lands again. He does it with a month of September of a reality shock in every way, after a few months where more than usual especially for trips and vacations are usually spent, which causes lack of liquidity in some families just when more expenses have to face for the start of the course.
For this not to happen, small acts and forecasts can be carried out causing the expense to fall considerably and that ‘the January slope’ (in September version) hurts a little less.
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The return to school, an economic challenge of 2,390 euros per student
According to the latest OCU survey, the average school expense during the next school year will be 2,390 euros per student, a figure that encompasses all the usual disbursements of September such as: books, uniform, enrollment or school supplies, also including dining fees, extracurricular activities and other recurring expenses throughout the course.
In practice, it will be 400 euros more than the previous year. In fact, only equipment expenses for the return to school (between books, material and uniform) can mean more than 425 euros on average per student.
With the great inflation we have, there are many parents looking for formulas to reduce costs without giving up what is necessary. Although it is true that there are some keys to face September with the most relieved pocket.
How to spend less on the return to school 2025/2026
The exact savings on the return to school will always depend on the circumstances of each family and its starting point, but you can always relieve some tricks to spend less:
- Check what you already have at home. Before buying, inventory should be done. Many backpacks, cases and notebooks of the last year are still in good condition, and reuse can be a remarkable savings.
- Opt for the basics and buy in a group. School basics are usually cheaper than brands. In addition, some materials such as folios, pencils or markers are cheaper by buying them in large packs that can then be divided between several families and students.
- Buy calmly and mark a budget. Not everything is urgent. Some materials can be purchased later, depending on the needs of the course. Establishing a prior budget helps to avoid impulsive purchases.
- The offers, always with a head. First of all, you have to be clear about the savings of the offer compared to the normal price. It is usual to find the word discount when, in reality, you can buy that same product at a similar price throughout the year and even cheaper.
- Buy second -hand books. A good savings plan are books. Books that are always of the biggest expenses of each course, and there is the perfect opportunity to save. We can look for them in markets organized by parent associations, in sale apps or on online bookstores that offer second -hand packs at a good price. In addition, many schools have book exchange programs between courses
- Since we are going to spend, at least that part of the money returns to your pocket. Today many banks and apps offer cashback promotions in the return to school, returning a percentage of what we pay in associated stores. There are also applications that accumulate balance in the purchases of school material or clothing. It may seem small savings at the beginning, but at the end of the campaign it can be a good recovered amount.
- Compare prices. It is more than known that each surface establishes its prices based on its benefits. Therefore, it is essential to compare prices to get the best and reduce the final expense in material.
Saving in the return to school is not an impossible mission, it only requires a bit of organization and strategy. If we plan the purchases with time, we take advantage of the sales of the return to school and apply the tricks that we have mentioned, we will verify how the September expense is significantly reduced.