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NEARLY THREE QUARTERS of parents say that covering the cost of back to school is a considerable financial burden.
That is according to a survey by the Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU), which found that despite a slight reduction in costs overall compared to last year, families are struggling in the lead up to September.
The main findings from the survey include:
David Malone, CEO of ILCU, said that the reduction in costs is partly due to parents cutting back on extracurriculars, with 40% stopping or reducing non-essential activities.
The hope is that the state’s primary school free book scheme will reduce the need for parents to go into debt.
Nearly half of parents have not been informed of the scheme by their school, the survey says, and most of those parents are intending to purchase school books this year.
The average level of debt is €306, with 17% of parents having debts of over €500.
“Thankfully, the message on getting a credit union loan rather than using Payday or money lenders for help with back-to-school expenses seems to be getting through,” Malone said.
“For back-to-school supplies, 4% will seek a credit union loan and no respondent said they would go to a bank or moneylender. This is the type of community need which Credit Unions meet every day.
“The cost of the loan will be cheaper – we’re answerable to our members, not to shareholders demanding big profits and a new member can join and apply for a loan on the same day.”
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Once you stop buying very expensive sneakers and NorthFace gear to you kids, you’re really fine. I see all the time complaining parents, some of them on social, almost crying that the essentials are expensive but meanwhile they spend their money buying bling bling stuff for their precious.
@Chris: land from the moon my friend…. I am single parent working full time… 3 kids (i am man/male) and i dont buy branded stuff for my kids…but the cost of electricity and food and all combined has hit my budget so much that i am barely making it… And i have 0 welfare or benefits…i make little over 50k…so tell me where my money goes? Maintaining a car is becoming a luxury…ps i dont drink and i wasnt in restaurant or pub for years…. Holidays? We go camping…. There you go…an insight of regular person without and welfare benefits.
@Chris: and for the parents that don’t buy the brands you’re referring to? which I wager is quite a few…bit of a sweeping statement by you in fairness.
@Chris: you’re dead right. Its a disgrace that people on low incomes think they should be buying anywhere other than Penny’s. If they only knew how to prioritise and budget properly they could pay all their bills and sit chatting by candlelight in their free time.
@Chris: the majority of secondary schools have school jackets & uniforms which have to be bought and can only be purchased in certain shops. And also the majority of secondary schools do not have a book rental scheme which in this day & age of eco conciousness and all that jazz is an absolute joke. Its crazy. At least if theres a jacket bought for school with no school insignia on it – it can be used in everyday wear too.
I volunteer with SVP in my area we will be flat to the mat with people looking for help in September. Then again we’re flat to mat every week even this week even though it’s children’s allowance week and we’ve had calls since yesterday. It yet when we call to the house there is a cineplex size screen hanging from the wall kids all have iPads mother has eyebrows done nails done but claims to have no food in the kitchen. It sure hey.
@Pat Barden: Thank you for highlighting the truth here, its disgusting pleading poverty with the best of things and immaculately groomed with lips the size of Donald Duck.
As a primary teacher myself, I’m at a loss as to how it costs €1,152 to send a child to school?
Books are now free. Apart from that there’s a uniform, a bag and a pencilcase with stationary.
Not sure where they’re pulling this massive figure from?
@Daithí Breathnach: I have a child going into 3rd class. Never spent near that amount for a school year. Usually it’s around the €300 mark. Be a lot cheaper this year without having to buy books
@Daithí Breathnach: The figures are incredibly misleading and include such things as lunches for the year. As if a child wouldn’t be eating if they were at home! The same goes for uniforms. They are good value given the amount of time they’re worn for and far less costly than if parents had to buy different outfits for a child to wear throughout the school year.
@Daithí Breathnach: thats great if ur child is in primary, the secondary school child doesn’t benifit from the free books scheme. Child starting in 1st yr in september has to get school laptop ( certain company) this alone cost over €700 certain programmes installed on it. No school books. You have to buy physical books download the e-book code onto laptop. Then add on the school add on fees plus school uniform, 2 jumpers etc plus school pe uniform. Shoes coat it all adds up. My biggest gripe is having to buy books that are then not used and can’t be passed on because e-code has been used. As far as i know u can’t buy the digital code on its own.
It’s great that primary kids get free books. What about secondary kids? If u dont qualify for the back to school allowance. It’s crazy money for books. You buy the laptop (compulsory), then low and behold, u have to buy the physical books to get the e-codes to download onto the laptop. Now the books sit on a shelf never used and can’t in most cases be passed on because e-code has been used. Now there’s a waste of money. Over a €1000 before uniform/pe n other subscriptions, etc
@Susan Obrien: I hear ya, we had one going into 1st year last year, their brother just finished 6th year and we couldn’t use his tablet we had to get a new one. Now we have the last child going into 1st year this September, another new tablet.
@Susan Obrien: the secondary school books are the biggest scam! Like you said €800 for an iPad then books on top of that. Books will never be used, only for the ebook code. My daughter is just finished third year, books are like brand new and now my son is starting 1st year but her books are of no use to him. I know of one publisher who will sell you an on line code at a discounted price if you already have a book but the rest need to follow suit. Gone are the days of passing books down. So much waste!
@Fiona Wyse: thats a disgrace. where i live in central europe has a system whereby if you need help getting a tablet/laptop etc then the help is there. apps etc are programmed to run on older generation machines and these older machines themselves are usually donated by companies who are upgrading for their staff or sold for (literally) a couple of EURO as recon models. All reliable and fit for the purpose. So there is no real necessity for parents to go out and throw money at a new machine. Books are paid for by the school.
We need to address the issue of tax paying separated fathers, who as per court orders pay all of the school books / school books list, tablets for first year and school fees.
If the mother is getting a back to school allowance from the state, paid for indirectly via the fathers taxes, then that should be used firstly for the total school bill, with the balance split then between both parents.
It’s not right to have one parent struggle with this while the other gets (sometimes maintenance), children’s allowance and back to school allowance when the majority of the school cost is being paid for by somebody else.
Makes no sense.
Lucky they weren’t around in 1980s….all the hand outs now and they still complaining…. maybe they should luck at there lifestyle me thinks.
Got the email telling me that the books would be supplied this year … School couldn’t help themselves by informing me that “contributory payment” will come due in August and a payment link will be supplied …. they now omit the VOLUNTARY … essentially telling me, no excuses for not paying it this year !!
Taxed to death and nothing to show for it.
Jeez let everyone have a holiday first!
Scam Ireland at it again. School books should be 100% free for a school year, the school can keep them at the end.
You have to provide the lunch for your kids despite paying taxes.
Failure of a school system.
have your say