Back to School: A Time for a Financial Reset and to Reflect

The uniforms are on, the packed lunches are made, and the kids are back in the classroom. Take a moment, parents, and give yourselves a well-deserved pat on the back. You survived the six-week school holidays! 🥳

But now that the dust has settled, it’s time to ask yourself one question: Do you know what your total cost was for this summer?

For many, the answer is a little unsettling. The bills and spending from July and August can easily add up to more than you expect. It's no wonder, when you consider the average UK family faces bills of over £1,000 per child just for holiday childcare. Add to that the significant cost of school uniforms, which the can be over £340 for primary school children and around £454 for those in secondary education. For many, this comes right after a family holiday that could cost thousands. It’s clear the UK system is leaving parents to carry an immense financial burden.

But here’s the good news: you can use this moment to reset and ensure you're in a much stronger position for next year.

Here are 3 Things You Can Do NOW to prepare for the next summer holidays:

1. Do a Financial (and Mental) Post-Mortem: Don't just hide from your bank statements. Go through your statements from July and August and tally up exactly what you spent on "holiday stuff." This isn't to make you feel bad; it's to create a clear picture of what you need to save for next year. What worked this year in terms of summer clubs and time out of work - and what could be changed next year? This simple act of awareness is the first step toward control.
2. Set a Budget for Next Year's Fun: Planning is power. Now that you have a clear idea of your costs this year, sit down and map out a realistic holiday budget for next summer. Think about how much you want to allocate for activities, food, and travel. This gives you a plan to work toward and helps you stay on track when the holidays arrive. Booking holidays early also helps keep the cost of the them lower.
3. Start a "Holiday Sinking Fund": Now that you've agreed a budget for next years summer spend, divide that number by 10 (the number of months until next summer). Set up a separate, ring-fenced high interest savings account and transfer that amount weekly or monthly. By the time next July rolls around, you'll have the money ready without any stress.

Bonus tip: See whether you can get covered childcare through work schemes which provide emergency dependent cover and also with the increased 30hrs free childcare which is now live as of September 2025 for children between 9months and 3 years old.

Ways to Save on Uniform Costs

While the cost of school uniforms can be high, there are ways to reduce the burden. Some councils offer grants of between £30 and £170 towards uniform costs. This is decided council by council, but you can check here to see if you meet criteria.

Other ways to save include:

• Checking to see if the school organises second-hand uniform sales or runs their own pre-loved uniform bank.
• Seeking help from charities such as Turn2Us.
• Checking with major retailers, including supermarkets, for their back-to-school deals.
• Looking for pre-loved items on online marketplaces like Vinted.

The holidays may be over, but your time to reset and refocus has just begun. Let #75Money our free 75 day money challenge starting mid september help you carve out the time and mental space to get your finances in order. Our challenge provides the structure and accountability to tackle these financial tasks one step at a time, so you can stop just surviving the holidays and start thriving.

Share this post:

‍