Do you save or paln ahead for school fees,clothes, holidays etc?

[DAVESBABYDOLL]

I saw a thread in V/W that got me thinking...yeah I know huh? lol

I plan, or try to anyways. dawson starts school the first week of September,school supply list was in the local paper the begining of summer,so while stores were stalked,I got all the stuff she'll need. I get school clothes during the summer when I see cute things on sale etc.But really clothes for her are all year long,because she is just growing lol

Christmas, I start in July. Birthday's, a few months prior I know what I am doing for them or what they are getting so when I have money I get it.Or save up for it.

I never not pay a bill to take a vacation or buy something in a whim.Bills are paid and food is #1 before anything else. I save ALOT of money with coupons,so that helps me put some back for my girls or Christmas etc.

I do survey's,save $, do point sites and cash out for GC. It all helps. Times are harder for some then others and I understand all that all to well.

So, my question is..do you plan ahead for things such a school fee's, clothes,holidays etc?

[OmaLisa]

I do save up all year for Christmas. All the money I get for survey's throughout the year I save plus I save all my MyPoints points until November and then cash out for gift cards to do Christmas shopping. I usually don't start shopping for Christmas until about the end of November. I just have never gotten in the habit of starting Christmas shopping in the middle of summer.

[DAVESBABYDOLL]

I do save up all year for Christmas. All the money I get for survey's throughout the year I save plus I save all my MyPoints points until November and then cash out for gift cards to do Christmas shopping. I usually don't start shopping for Christmas until about the end of November. I just have never gotten in the habit of starting Christmas shopping in the middle of summer.

I do the same thing. Save MyPoints and memolink, but I cash out in September/October. I save survey money and I also put ALL my change in a jar all year until November,then cash it in just for Christmas lol. You would be surprised how much it can add up to.

[OmaLisa]

I have been throwing my change in a jar every day for the past year and a half to save for my cruise in September. I can't wait to see how much I have when I cash it all in. I have 1 full jar of dimes, nickles, pennies and quarters. One Galliano bottle completely full of nothing but dimes and a piggy bank completely full of nothing but quarters. lol, I keep trying to guess how much I have saved. I hope I am pleasantly surprised.

[magenta]

We don't buy things on a whim either. Our vacations consist of going to DH's cabin in the summer. And he & I do something for our anniversary.

The kids start school in Sept. I will start buying school clothes/supplies on Friday. I get enough to get them started then buy through out the year.

For Christmas I like to start in Oct. beginning of Nov. I can just never get in the mood until then.

We save all our change also. We use it in case something comes up. I pay all my bills first, then groceries, after that it is what the kids need/want. DH & I come last.

DH will pick up overtime for when we need more $, like Christmas, Birthdays, etc.

[PrincessArky]

I try to plan ahead as much as possible but with 4 kids I just never know and sometimes things surely come up that knock me off my game a bit. I always have a savings jar going......whether it be for Christmas, bday, or back to school......it all adds up

[Mom2-3boys]

I have to plan ahead for school! We pay $200 for our bus service, plus all the extras that a person gets hit with at the beginning of the year such as meal accounts and $5 here and there for whatever else the school wants them to have. I tend to stock up on alot of school supplies at the beginning of the year I have a flat tote under my bed where it is all stored and is available for replenishing what the kids need. I have 2 going into middle school this year so they are a little harder I swear I am stocking an office with all they needed! School shopping is done with the exception of a few items and backpacks are packed. We had Crazy Days Sales last weekend and I got alot of their clothes, guess about all I need is shoes, but I wait til the week before school to get them I'm always worried their feet will change if bought too much in advance.
As far as Christmas goes I try to buy things from Sept. on, but that doesn't always happen. I too try to use survey $, but I don't get that many surveys so most of it comes out of pocket.

[4diego]

I always have an eye out for gifts for people, then I keep them in our extra closet until needed. We also have a change jar going at all times and it can only be cashed in for Christmas & for our reunion trip each yr. I buy a ton of school supplies after they go on clearance (like at Target) each yr. and will probably never run out of notebook paper! I do have to plan ahead for everything since we are on one income and there are five of us. We never buy anything on a whim and bills always come first here too. We do pretty well I think, knock on wood!

[VenuStar]

I LOVE MY MOM....She buys the school supplies and most of the school clothes for my two kids every year along with the other grandkids...I LOVE MY MOM!

as for birthdays and xmas...I buy most of the clearance things in February and I'm usually stocked for the year.

[DAVESBABYDOLL]

I LOVE MY MOM....She buys the school supplies and most of the school clothes for my two kids every year along with the other grandkids...I LOVE MY MOM!

as for birthdays and xmas...I buy most of the clearance things in February and I'm usually stocked for the year.

That's awesome your mom does that for you. I'm sure it helps a great deal.


MOM2-3boys--I hear ya on school money. School fee's for Dawson will be around $80 due first week of school.I have a $25 fee for her class due Aug.22.Then of course feild trips,she want to join soccer (hitting her dad up for 1/2) It's just crazy.

I'm thankful Jaimie graduated this year..he school stuff just about killed me (fee's, cheerleadinf,Prom,the clubs she was in..ugg) Now,I have another 12 years to pay for Dawson lol

[THEpouty1]

I try to plan ahead before any big spending. My husband wanted to go somewhere in a couple weeks before school starts back up, but he'd have to take a few days off unpaid. I told him I'd rather wait until his paid vacation time comes back around. Even though it'll be next year before we do it, I'd rather it be that way. He's upset, but needs to get over it (I understand, we've never gone on a vacation since we've been together, but...). He/his family has always been the type to spend as soon as there's money.

I'm going back to school shopping this weekend, but when I find things throughout the year for a cheap price (especially on clearance), I'll pick it up. I'm one of those people who waits until Nov. to go Christmas shopping... unless, again, I find something really cheap when I'm out.

Things were really tough for a long time, so now I'm scared of spending money.

[Unicornmom77]

We used to live below poverty level and felt we weren't able to save any money. We struggled every month to make ends meet. We did have internet and we did eat out once in awhile. Our means of entertainment were the computer and cable.

We tried to plan, but most of the time we had to pay the minimum on a bill and make the birthday cake and invite people who we knew would bring gifts. As far as Christmas, we weren't able to buy much if anything, thanks to Salvation Army, wonderful hearts on BBS, and one year a church, and the last Christmas our own church, my kids didn't go without.

Since Febuary of this year we have been off of all and any public assistance. We finally make to much money to qualify. I have never been so proud.

Now, we are able to save, plan and actually make plans for activities outside of the house. Some months are still hard because we do tend to over enjoy being able to go out to eat or go to the store and buy all the essentials. We have had to move twice in the last 3 mts, and that has had us strapped. But several years ago the situations we went through would have ended with us being homeless. I thank God everyday for the job I have so I can pay our bills and afford the nicest house we have ever lived in.

I know what you are talking about, its hard to understand why people make the choices they do, and its very hard if you have never lived in their shoes.

Some times we did choose to pay the cable and hope for the best... It was a choice, maybe not the right one, but sometimes you get tired of sitting in a room with no furniture and ramen noodles every night, you have to do something with the little money you work so hard for. So you pay for the cable, the only thing that keeps you sane!

Anyway I know I might not be making sense here but if you have the skills to plan and budget its hard to understand how someone without those skills can be so short for bills yet has internet or whatever. Some people don't have the knowledge or support to save, budget, and make ends meet. It took us many tries to get it right.

[bears984]

I have to plan ahead for school! We pay $200 for our bus service, plus all the extras that a person gets hit with at the beginning of the year such as meal accounts and $5 here and there for whatever else the school wants them to have. I tend to stock up on alot of school supplies at the beginning of the year I have a flat tote under my bed where it is all stored and is available for replenishing what the kids need. I have 2 going into middle school this year so they are a little harder I swear I am stocking an office with all they needed! School shopping is done with the exception of a few items and backpacks are packed. We had Crazy Days Sales last weekend and I got alot of their clothes, guess about all I need is shoes, but I wait til the week before school to get them I'm always worried their feet will change if bought too much in advance.
As far as Christmas goes I try to buy things from Sept. on, but that doesn't always happen. I too try to use survey $, but I don't get that many surveys so most of it comes out of pocket.





You have to pay for bus service?? OMG why

[DAVESBABYDOLL]

I hear ya Wendy!

I know all the stuff you have been through so kudos to you that's for sure!

It took me time to figure out what a budget meant (years ago,lol) let alone go by one. But when you have one in place,you pretty much know what you have and where it goes. I'm a planner (or try to be) I even plan the weeks meals ahead of time,it actually saves money doing this.It isn't always easy.

bears, I was going to ask about paying for bus service too! Is it to and from school?

[jedmatters]

We have year round school: so summer is only 5 weeks.
We have school supplies all year long. I never run out of any of it.
When some fee comes up for a trip, sport or club: we are ready. I have money ready for school events.

School clothes are bought the week before school starts (in case she grows... learned that when my son started school 13 years ago). We buy 4 outfits: pants, shorts, skirts, dresses and tops. She gets 2 pair of shoes.

We do not "fees" to join school events or the bus fees: we do have uniform costs for sports, choir, band, etc. And supplies for classes that need fitted safety equipment.
My husband teaches, so we also provide 5 sets of elementary supplies for his class: and get the needed other items. That way he can start teaching without waiting for students who may not have all the items.


This year: we do have to get furniture, clothes, kitchen equipment, and standard move in stuff for our son. Plus his supplies and books. He moves into the dorm apartments August 16. College fees are new, but we saved for this: and are ready. We started buying the stuff for his dorm apartment 4 months ago. Plus he won a TV an dvd player from a contest at the end of school last year.

[dinosmom]

Pretty much everything is planned and saved for. I take any money from surveys I put them in the vacation fund. We save our loose change in a jar for "family fun night" where we might go out for dinner and a movie or mini golf-things like that.

I start Christmas shopping whenever I find things on sale. Same for school supplies (we get our list usually in spring).

Any extra pay we might get (bonuses, side jobs etc) get put into an "emergency fund" for expenses that might just pop up.

[sheila_361]

We unfortunately buy on whim and impulse, but bills get paid we have food in the house,but we have no kids to buy school supplies for, we kinda go overboard for the grandkids for Christmas, but that's ok we don't get to see them often enough, and the dogs are spoiled rotten.. But we manage every month to month.. When I was married to my ex he was just an airman so money was always tight and the boys were little thank goodness for my mom at times she helped me out alot..

[crystal_19]

Our son finally graduated this last May so this is the first year we have not had to buy school supplies. I caught myself standing in the school aisle this weekend and DH walked by, stopped, and turned back around to see what I was doing. Do you know I had tears in my eyes???? WHAT IN THE WORLD??? I guess it just had to believe he is out of school. He decided he wanted to work this first year and then see if he wants to continue school. God only knows how much college will cost us...LOL. Guess I better enjoy it while it lasts.

[buttrfli]

I try to save, but sometimes I just have to buy when we can. Our biggest expense is shoes and backpacks.

After all these years, I am still shocked that parents in certain states have to pay crazy fees for their kids to go to school. Book fees and the like, just blow my mind. On our kids' supply list, it says that book covers are required, but you have to buy them from the school and they are like $3 each... no way I am paying that, so they never get them lol I do buy them the agenda ($4) but thats something that helps them... book covers don't help my kids with their homework lol

This is the first year that I have heard of someone having to pay a bus fee! WTF?

[Mom2-3boys]

You have to pay for bus service?? OMG why


Yes we pay for bus service. The school district does not own their own buses and the people that provide bus service say that one must live 5 miles out of town or pay.....well we live 4 1/2 miles out of town....they will not even give us half a mile! That $200 covers us until December then we have to pay another $200 for the remainder of the year. I imagine that price will be going up this year due to gas prices, but we have not received a letter yet. I own an SUV so in the long run paying for bus service is cheaper then paying $200/month on gas just to haul the kids to and from school.

[buttrfli]

Yes we pay for bus service. The school district does not own their own buses and the people that provide bus service say that one must live 5 miles out of town or pay.....well we live 4 1/2 miles out of town....they will not even give us half a mile! That $200 covers us until December then we have to pay another $200 for the remainder of the year. I imagine that price will be going up this year due to gas prices, but we have not received a letter yet. I own an SUV so in the long run paying for bus service is cheaper then paying $200/month on gas just to haul the kids to and from school.

:eek: Unbelievable! What happens if the family can't afford to pay, yet has no way to get the kids to school? Do you live in a rural area where there are no bus stops? For that kind of money, they better feed my kids and drop them off 2 feet from my door. Is this per child or household?

Sorry I am asking so many questions, but I just can't believe that you have to pay for the bus!

[bears984]

Jedmatters where do you live that your kids go to school that long? I might want to move lol.

I just can not imange paying to bus my kids to school.

[Mom2-3boys]

:eek: Unbelievable! What happens if the family can't afford to pay, yet has no way to get the kids to school? Do you live in a rural area where there are no bus stops? For that kind of money, they better feed my kids and drop them off 2 feet from my door. Is this per child or household?

Sorry I am asking so many questions, but I just can't believe that you have to pay for the bus!

There are no bus stops here just picked up in the gravel road. My arguement with the bus providers is that we aren't out of their way....we are right along a regular route. We have ppl that live 1/2 mile N and they go by us to get those kids....but they still tell us pay! The $200 is $80/each for the first two children $40 each child after that. I believe if they feel they really cannot afford it there is an application to fill out, kind of like free/reduced meals with the state. Let me ask what does everyone pay for meals at school? For my Kindergartner it is $2.20/meal and for my middle schoolers it is $2.35/meal

[morgansmom]

My husband and I always managed to get by. We married 20 years ago and times were extremly hard. No extra for anything and some weeks we had no money at all for groceries. Thanks God we made it through that. Well, I hurt my backk 3 years ago at work and had to have back surgery. Workers Comp.paid for this and they continue now to pay me weekly a small check. All of this would be fine and dandy if my back was actually fixed. But now my husband left me almost 7 monthes ago and we have a daughter who will graduate high school this year and everything is so high. He does give me child support for her but I still can hardly make it sometimes with the monthly bills. I have to keep the internet for now as it is her main source for school work and I can usually pay for it with survey's. I did away with Direct tv, stopped using my dryer, and use box fans for as long as I can stand it. I know that I am very lucky and am Very Grateful for what I have. Sometimes I just wish for alittle bit more, ya know. I am in on a swap through Dec. and have a secret pal. I wanted to do this so that I can look forward to something each month and I really love to give to others especially if I think they will like it. So,that is what I do for myself. I'm gonna ask my husband if he will be so kind as to help me with her school clothes this year. He might but with him already giving me child support,I sorta doubt it. But, ya know I am a very happy person. So, I rambled on about my life struggles and never answered the question. The answer is, I always TRY and put money back for things,and I definitly plan ahead. Sometimes though those plans just have to be replaced with another plan. I think I'm alright for now.

[YankeeMary]

I do all the above...lol. We save, I do survery's, I watch for sales, I buy items when they are off season, and we also buy on a whim. I NEVER EVER just decide not to pay a bill, that just wouldn't happen. When I was younger seems money was alot tighter. The older you get I think things change, you make more money, you learn how to budget it better, all those things play into it. We take numerous road trips a year and most of the time we have 2 weeks that we go some where for vacation. This year we went to the beach for a week and will go to the mountains for a week.

[buttrfli]

There are no bus stops here just picked up in the gravel road. My arguement with the bus providers is that we aren't out of their way....we are right along a regular route. We have ppl that live 1/2 mile N and they go by us to get those kids....but they still tell us pay! The $200 is $80/each for the first two children $40 each child after that. I believe if they feel they really cannot afford it there is an application to fill out, kind of like free/reduced meals with the state. Let me ask what does everyone pay for meals at school? For my Kindergartner it is $2.20/meal and for my middle schoolers it is $2.35/meal

Unbelievable! I can't believe you have to pay for each child! Has it always been this way (with the contracted busses)? was there ever 'public school busses'? There is no way I could afford to pay that much for my kids to go to school.

Here is our updates lunch prices:

Elementary Breakfast $0.85
Elementary Lunch $1.40
Secondary Breakfast $0.85
Secondary Lunch $1.75
Staff Breakfast $1.05
Guest Breakfast $1.15
Guest Lunch $2.20
Extra Milk $0.35
Reduced Lunch $.40

They are actually a little cheaper than last year.

[BeanieLuvR]

We pay our bills and put food on the table before anything else. We do have money put back for emergencies. I buy gifts throughout the year for Christmas and birthdays. If something is on sale and I know someone will like it I buy it. I bought our 6 great nieces and nephews Christmas gifts for this year the week after Christmas last year. I got $40 toys for $20. School shopping I pretty much let the kids buy what they want. My DD bought a pair of dress pants and Gap jeans last week at the Salvation Army, a shirt from Penneys and said that was all she needed. I had to make my son buy 2 pair of shorts. Before school starts I will have to make him buy a pair of tennis shoes. We don't have very many school fees here.

[cutieangel]

Ok so I have been doing this for 3 years now and it has helped me out so much! I save change throughout the year and put them in jars. about a week before thanksgiving i take them to the coinstar machine and usually end up with $200. thats good money for my x mas shopping! then i go to outlets and i usually buy gifts throughout the year for x mas. thats what i save up for!

[YankeeMary]

Ok so I have been doing this for 3 years now and it has helped me out so much! I save change throughout the year and put them in jars. about a week before thanksgiving i take them to the coinstar machine and usually end up with $200. thats good money for my x mas shopping! then i go to outlets and i usually buy gifts throughout the year for x mas. thats what i save up for!

Thats a great idea but I refuse to pay coinstar...lol. I am that cheap. Can you not take it to your bank and cash it in? It is free there. The Coinstar here charges almost 9%...no way...thats my money...hehe. On $200 thats like $18.00 (If I figured right.) In my simple mind, thats another gift for someone. Not being ugly really I am not. My youngest son took his money to Coinstar he had $30.00 and it took $3.00 or so, that just upset me. He had saved his change for his trip to London all year and felt that $3 was just unreal. He learned his lesson.

[Mom2-3boys]

Unbelievable! I can't believe you have to pay for each child! Has it always been this way (with the contracted busses)? was there ever 'public school busses'? There is no way I could afford to pay that much for my kids to go to school.

Here is our updates lunch prices:

Elementary Breakfast $0.85
Elementary Lunch $1.40
Secondary Breakfast $0.85
Secondary Lunch $1.75
Staff Breakfast $1.05
Guest Breakfast $1.15
Guest Lunch $2.20
Extra Milk $0.35
Reduced Lunch $.40

They are actually a little cheaper than last year.

I don't know if the school has ever had their own bus services, we have lived here 2 years and it has been this way. It was Nov. of 2006 when I decided to have them ride the bus I went down paid the fee thought I was good for the year. Not so, I got a statement in Dec. saying I owed more money. I called and was like WTF I just paid. They said you paid first half. I said my kids have only ridden the bus for 3 weeks! They said Well we don't pro rate it....so I paid for the entire first 1/2 of the year for 3 weeks of riding...had they been honest and told me how it worked in the first place I would have just waited til Dec. before putting them on the bus! Where we lived before moving here...we lived in town, lived at the end of a dead end street off the main road....all we had to do was walk the kids to the end and the bus picked them up on their way by, I never had to pay!!
Oh and BTW we pay the school district not the bus agency because the school pays for the other rural service!! School district is a little shady here I think.....we'll it's a lot of rich ppl that seem to not give a crap about others! Even the PTA is run by ppl like that. PTA last year expected every family to pay $40 so they didn't have to do fund raisers to do things for the school/kids. I refused to pay it....that's what they are for is raising money, they are lazy a$$es I sign up to volunteer....the only time they ever call me is if it's a grunge job they don't want to do so I put a stop to that! Sorry I guess this should go to vent/whine now!!

[PrincessArky]

Thats a great idea but I refuse to pay coinstar...lol. I am that cheap. Can you not take it to your bank and cash it in? It is free there. The Coinstar here charges almost 9%...no way...thats my money...hehe. On $200 thats like $18.00 (If I figured right.) In my simple mind, thats another gift for someone. Not being ugly really I am not. My youngest son took his money to Coinstar he had $30.00 and it took $3.00 or so, that just upset me. He had saved his change for his trip to London all year and felt that $3 was just unreal. He learned his lesson.

I'm with you our bank does it for free.......I refuse to pay some machine to sort my change.........we take ours about 4 or 5 times a yr and last time we had almost $200 I would hate to lose $18

[DAVESBABYDOLL]

if something cost under a dollar,I use a dollar and throw the change in my purse (or car,lol) and then put it in the change jar. Sometimes my little Dawson will "find" my change lol. It helps.I take it to the bank to cash in.

[PrincessArky]

if something cost under a dollar,I use a dollar and throw the change in my purse (or car,lol) and then put it in the change jar. Sometimes my little Dawson will "find" my change lol. It helps.I take it to the bank to cash in.

I do the same thing......I always break a $ just so I can get the change cause I figure if I actually spend my change it will just make me spend more lol Of course I cashed ours in right before vacation so we started over when we got back in the middle of June and we already have almost $50 in the jar. Once it gets close to $100 I will take it in put into checking.....then move to high interest paying savings acct. IF nothing comes up between now and then that money is for our Disney vacation in January :)