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Back to School Budget Australia: Plan Term 1 Costs Before January Hits

January is one of the hardest months for Australian family budgets. Christmas has just been paid for, and then come school shoes, uniforms, book packs, levies and maybe a laptop. The fix is simple: start a back-to-school budget in spring, and save for it a fortnight at a time alongside Christmas.

What to include, per child

Uniforms (summer and winter), hats and school shoes.
Stationery or the school's book pack.
School bag and lunchbox, drink bottle.
Device or BYOD laptop/tablet for older students, plus a case.
Voluntary contributions, subject levies or fees.
Excursions, camps and sport for the year.
Before and after school care, if needed.

Check your school's list first

Schools publish book lists and uniform rules, and some have second-hand uniform shops. Get the actual lists before buying. Some states offer back-to-school support for eligible families, such as vouchers or bonuses, so check your state education department website for what's available in your area.

Spread the cost

Add up the total for each child, then divide by the paydays between now and late January. Even starting in late October gives about six fortnights. Buy non-urgent items early when you see a genuine sale, and leave size-dependent items like shoes until closer to the date.

Save on the big items

Second-hand uniforms from the school shop or local groups.
Label everything to avoid replacing lost items.
Check whether a refurbished device meets the school's BYOD specs.
Reuse bags and lunchboxes that are still in good condition.

Plan the whole year, not just January

Camps and excursions are announced throughout the year. Add a small fortnightly amount to a school sinking fund so those notes from school never cause a panic.

Worked example

Here's a worked example. Rachel has two kids starting Year 2 and Year 7 next year. For the Year 2 child: uniforms and a hat ($120 using the school's second-hand shop for jumpers), shoes ($70), the book pack ($85), a bag and lunchbox reused from this year ($0) and the voluntary contribution ($100). For the Year 7 child: a full new high school uniform ($320), shoes ($90), stationery ($60), the BYOD laptop that meets the school's specs ($550, refurbished) and subject levies ($180). The total is about $1,575. Starting in late October, she has six paydays before the end of January, so she needs around $265 a fortnight, alongside Christmas. That's too much on top of Christmas, so she asks about the school's payment plan for levies, and her state's support for eligible families, which lowers her number to about $215. Prices here are illustrative, so price your own school's lists.

How to do it: step by step

Get each child's book list, uniform rules and BYOD specs.
List every item and fee per child and price it.
Check your state for any back-to-school support you may be eligible for.
Divide the total by paydays until late January and save that each fortnight.
Keep a small school sinking fund for camps and excursions during the year.

Do it the easy way: Back-to-School Planner

Have Term 1 costs sorted before January hits. It works offline on PC, Mac, iPhone and Android, keeps your data on your device, and is a one-off A$19 (no subscription).

Kids: add each child and year level.
Shopping list: uniform, shoes, stationery, levies, tech and more, with estimate and actual.
Dashboard: total, still to buy, per-kid progress and category breakdown.
Savings plan: amount to put aside each weekly, fortnightly or monthly pay until day one.

See Back-to-School Planner Or start with the free printable

Frequently asked questions

How much does going back to school cost in Australia?

It depends on the school, year level and whether a device is needed. Price your school's actual lists for an accurate number.

When should I start saving?

Spring is ideal, so the cost is spread over several paydays before January.

Is there government help with school costs?

Some states offer support for eligible families. Check your state education department.

Should I buy uniforms second-hand?

It's a common way to save. Many schools run a second-hand uniform shop.

General information only, not financial or tax advice.