When my teen was in primary school I didn’t have to buy any school supplies, stationery and the like. It was all included with the school fees (public school).
He now goes to a public high school and each year I get a list of things I have to buy him. When he first started high school a laptop was on that list so that was a few hundred dollars. I’m hoping he can get through another 2 years with it, but I’m not holding my breath.
He’s about to start year 11 and he informed me late last year that he needed a fancy $200 calculator for maths.
When I got the supplies list an English workbook worth $42 was also on the list, so there’s nearly $250 worth of stuff before I buy notebooks, pens etc.
I’m a part of a local Facebook buy and sell group which I don’t monitor religiously, but the English workbook showed up on there recently and I bought it for $10 – saving myself $30. It was only written on one page so I think it’s as near new as I’m likely to get and I didn’t expect to be able to buy it second hand.
I thought I’d buy the calculator second hand also and came across one for $80, saving $120. It was hardly used so it looks brand new.
Total savings – $150. That can go toward his school fees which aren’t that expensive, but this year he’s doing a VET subject which will add an extra $600 on top of his normal school fees.
