4 Smart Back-to-School Budget Tips for Parents and Carers in 2026

For parents and carers, the back-to-school season can feel like a financial hurdle.

After summer holidays and festive spending, January often brings a second wave of costs - uniforms, textbooks, and lunchbox essentials.

The good news? With a little planning and smart habits, you can keep these expenses under control.

Here are four practical tips from financial expert Silvia Pothoven to help you budget and save for the school year ahead.

1. Budget Early and Spread Costs Throughout the Year

Silvia’s biggest piece of advice is the foundation for all good money habits: planning.

“I tally last year’s expenses, budget for a similar amount and put that money in my offset account until I need it,” she says.

“It works for me because it reduces the interest on my mortgage in the meantime, and the funds are there and earmarked when January rolls around.

"I do this for all big annual bills, including things like car insurance. As soon as school starts, I’m already saving for the following year.”

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2. Shop Secondhand and Swap Where You Can

At the end of a school year, clothes, shoes and uniforms can look quite snug, and it can be a major cost to buy new things when January rolls around.

“Your children have growth spurts and suddenly nothing fits,” SIlvia says.

She recommends being resourceful where possible.

“For me, the best thing is secondhand uniforms,” she says. “Sometimes schools have secondhand shops, so you can use those, but if not, Facebook Marketplace and school community groups are amazing.”

Silvia recommends buying a size up where possible to future-proof your purchase, and holding on to uniforms to pass down to other siblings or swap with other families.

“There’s a six year age difference between my boys, so their uniforms went to another family for a while then came back to us. It goes around in circles and saves a lot of money.”

Textbooks can be a bit harder as they change the editions and often include single-use digital codes, but there are still opportunities to make things easier.

“I sometimes buy secondhand textbooks to keep at home,” Silvia says. “It means the kids don’t have to lug heavy textbooks to and from school each day, which saves the wear and tear on their backpacks.”

3. Check for Benefits and Financial Assistance

From childcare subsidy for after school care to state-based educational support programs, some families may be eligible for financial assistance.

“Every state has different programs, so it’s worth checking what’s available to you,” Silva says. “At that time of year, every dollar counts.”

3. Plan Lunchboxes to Cut Weekly Costs

If you’re relying on the convenience of pre-packaged snacks and canteen orders, school lunch costs can add up quickly.

“They can be great when you need them,” Silvia says.

“But it’s much cheaper to prepare a simple rotation of lunches and snacks that are easy to package, store and won’t perish in lunchboxes in Australian summer.

An ice pack goes a long way!”

Silvia carves out time on Sunday afternoons to do her lunchbox prep.

“It needs to be quick and practical,” she says.

“It all comes down to planning.” Think homemade popcorn and bulk batches of muffins, pastry scrolls, or mini quiches that can be frozen and thrown into lunchboxes to defrost.

These low-cost options can all help cut down your weekly grocery bill.

Discover more everyday budgeting tips to reduce grocery costs.

4. Bulk Buy Essentials and Gifts to Save More

Bulk buying things you need throughout the year can save you both time and money.

“My kids love new stationary every year, but a pen is a pen,” Silvia says with a laugh.

“I bulk buy so I don’t need to shop every year.

When something is missing, I just go to the stash.”

She also tries to get the school list early so she can compare resources and take stock of what she needs and – more importantly – doesn’t.

This bulk buying mindset can apply to other things too.

Take birthday gifts: “For a while, all of my sons’ friends got a soccer jersey for their birthday present, because that’s what they were into and we’d bulk bought them.,” Silva says.

“Now we do the same but I buy gift cards during Black Friday sales.

"I grab ten gift cards and keep them on hand, then just grab and go for birthday parties.”

Other smart bulk buy gifts would include stocking up on toy sets when they’re on sale or bulk art supplies they can be divided up during the year.

Want to save even more? Here are 7 financial resolutions you can actually keep