Back to school costly was a feature article written by Lauren Hayes in The Eye newspaper on the 16th of January with the sub heading ‘Salvation Army tells parents to shop around.’
Southland parents struggling to pay back-to-school costs are being told to shop around to ease the financial burden.
The Eye found stationery requirements for year seven pupils, entering their first year of high school in Invercargill, cost $200 on average, while a complete uniform could cost up to $900 if bought new.
Salvation Army Captain Annette Bray said many parents found January expensive, and some looked to the Salvation Army services for help.
“It can be a tough time, especially for families that have got students transferring from primary school up to high school, having to buy a complete new uniform.”
In extreme circumstances, the Salvation Army could provide financial aid, but generally advised families to look around for cheaper options, she said.
As well as looking for second hand goods in family stores, Captain Bray suggested taking the uniform search online to sites such as Trade Me.
“You don’t always get everything you need, but it’s a good start.”
Most schools also held second hand uniform sales, where families could also find good quality gear, she said.
James Hargest College Parent Teacher Association chairperson Anne Allen said the school’s second hand uniform sales were always very popular because of the large up-front cost of uniforms.
Not all families who patronised the sales were struggling, she said.
Second-hand items such as shoes, shirts and PE gear often sold for well less than half their original price, while more expensive items such as kilts and blazers sold at half the original price if they were of good quality, she said.
A table showed that if you were to buy one of each of the uniform items for Southland Boys’ High you’d be expected to pay out $554.50. While the uniform requirements for Southland Girls’ High would set you back $899.96 at the time of print from H & J Smith’s store.
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