Holy crap!!! I went school shopping today with my daughter and I couldn't believe the bill for school supplies! I spent a little over 70 bucks just on supplies! That didn't even count a backpack cause she wants to reuse the one she had last year, thankfully. I was reading over the charges for the school year when I register her next week and between book fees, towel fees and fees for her to play volleyball will be close to 100 bucks. What is my tax money going for? We pay a local school tax in my area and it still seems the prices go up every year. How do people with 3 kids in school do it? What is it like in your area? Am I getting off cheap or is this pretty high?
How much is it to enroll your kids in school?
by snarf 10 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Wordly Andre
What state are you in?? I never heard of book fees in California
-
snarf
Good ole Iowa is where I am.
-
Taythan
Four children....spent 85 bucks outfitting ....will probably spend another 85 before school starts and that's just getting the stuff on the list. How things have changed. If such things existed when I was a kid I never knew about it. I took a couple notebooks and pencils to school all of which must cost my folks two bucks....counting tax. Nowdays the lists have crayons and glue sticks and seven different colored folders and scissors, rulers, a box of kleenex etc etc. on top of the traditional pencil and paper. First year actually living in a house.....ouch those summer taxes are no joke. Almost makes one think apartment living wasn't so bad........well not that much...
-
snarf
I was shocked when I read at the bottom of my list to buy non-marking sole sneakers to keep at school so the kids didn't wear dirty shoes in the gym. I understand the non-marking soles to protect the gym floors, but to have a perfectly good pair of shoes sitting in a locker only to be worn 2-3 hours out of the week is ridiculous I think.
-
MidwichCuckoo
My lad's school uniform cost around 150 quid, and has to be replaced every few terms. Not to mention the 'regulation' footwear (detention for not wearing correct uniform/footwear).
-
sunshineToo
Did the teacher give you the list of what to buy and what to pay for? You might want to talk with other parents whose chidren have different teachers. I know that it is a common practice for a teacher to have parents pay everything.
However, one of my friends found out that her daughter's teacher was taking "school supplies" for her personal use. At the end of year check for any leftover supplies, and have the teacher save them for the next year.
-
serendipity
Hi snarf,
I only have one kid. We shopped at Walmart for school stuff and tried to buy the cheap version of everything. It still cost $40 bucks. The last few years the kiddo wanted special binders and pens that cost 3 times what the cheap version was. I made her pay the difference.
Then counting school clothes and music fees, yikes!
I too wondered how poor families with more kids make it.
-
mrsjones5
I have 4 kids, 2 are in school and the third on will be starting kindergarden this year. My youngest will be in Early childhood development (school sponsored preschool) because he doesn't speak much. I hate and love this time of year. I hate it because of the shopping for school supplies (each child has a list ), but I love it cuz soon everyone will be in school - timed just right before I lose my sanity.
We don't pay the books fees because I don't work and our income level qualifies the children for the reduced lunch progarm which also qualifies them for the non book fee program. I just wish they had something like that for school pictures.
Josie
-
mrsjones5
A good place to go for clothes is consignment shops like Once Upon a Child. They have really nice stuff for half or less of what you would buy retail. I plan to go there, Old Navy, Walmart, garage sales and the Goodwill. I also plan sewing a few things - I have these great patterns out of a mag that a friend (yep an exjw) from Aussieland that I just have to get too - cute stuff! Oh yeah the mag is named Top Kids.
Josie