WEBVTT - Back to school on a budget 0:00:02.360 --> 0:00:04.800 Welcome to How Do They Afford That, The podcast that 0:00:04.880 --> 0:00:08.360 peaks into the financial lives of everyday Australians. I'm Michael Thompson. 0:00:08.440 --> 0:00:10.320 I'm a writer and the co host of the podcast 0:00:10.320 --> 0:00:12.560 Fear and Greed business news. As always, I am with 0:00:12.600 --> 0:00:16.040 financial planner Canna Campbell, founder of Sugar Mama TV, the 0:00:16.120 --> 0:00:18.919 financial literacy platform that is just about everywhere that it 0:00:18.960 --> 0:00:23.400 is possible to be YouTube, podcast, books, Instagram, threads, TikTok, keynote, 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:28.040 speeches and more. Hello, Canna, how are you? I am? 0:00:28.360 --> 0:00:30.960 Well though we are approaching back to school. 0:00:31.080 --> 0:00:33.000 Oh, I'm fully a bit exhausted. 0:00:33.240 --> 0:00:36.880 And it is an expensive time of year. It really 0:00:36.920 --> 0:00:39.920 is that there there are a million things to buy. 0:00:40.280 --> 0:00:41.640 It's so overwhelming that you've. 0:00:41.479 --> 0:00:45.360 Got uniforms, shoes, and you got books, and you've got technology. 0:00:46.320 --> 0:00:49.479 So today we are going to look at how to 0:00:49.520 --> 0:00:51.479 save a little bit of money and send the kids 0:00:51.479 --> 0:00:55.560 back to school without sending yourself broke. Why is this 0:00:55.680 --> 0:00:59.920 time of year, the back to school season, so financially 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:01.880 overwhelming for families? 0:01:02.520 --> 0:01:05.759 Well, it's the perfect storm, perfect storm expenses. You're coming 0:01:05.800 --> 0:01:07.479 off the back or we're all coming off the back 0:01:07.560 --> 0:01:11.840 of Christmas, you know, holiday season. There may even be 0:01:11.880 --> 0:01:14.440 a bit of a hangover from you know, the Black 0:01:14.480 --> 0:01:18.200 Friday sales and we're in being hit with this new 0:01:18.200 --> 0:01:22.160 list of purchases, and you know there's it's a long list, 0:01:22.319 --> 0:01:29.720 you know, uniforms, shoes, sneakers, sporting equipment, books, technology, It 0:01:30.040 --> 0:01:33.160 just goes on and on, and then you've got the 0:01:33.160 --> 0:01:36.360 pressure deadlines and you know, nothing like deciding you need 0:01:36.400 --> 0:01:39.400 to get some school shoes and going to your local 0:01:39.480 --> 0:01:43.080 school shoes shop and seeing the mass of parents all stressing, 0:01:43.560 --> 0:01:46.560 you know, on a hot, humid summer's day, you know, 0:01:46.600 --> 0:01:48.320 where the pressure to get it right, to make sure 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:50.840 they turn up to school in their first day with 0:01:50.960 --> 0:01:53.640 absolutely everything they need in their school backpack. You know, 0:01:53.680 --> 0:01:57.520 it's a huge amount of pressure and throwing some unexpected costs, 0:01:58.160 --> 0:02:00.480 like you know, certain supplies that they need for an 0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:03.040 extracurricular activity, like a musical instrument. 0:02:03.880 --> 0:02:08.600 Oh yeah, I had not considered that those things are expensive. 0:02:08.200 --> 0:02:09.920 Really expensive. And then if you want to go and 0:02:09.919 --> 0:02:12.440 rent them and they or may not be available, you know, 0:02:12.600 --> 0:02:14.200 these can really throw you off guard. 0:02:14.480 --> 0:02:18.360 Yeah, I'm assuming again making an assumption here that the 0:02:18.360 --> 0:02:20.840 best way, because we know that the return to school 0:02:20.919 --> 0:02:24.720 is coming, so you budget ahead of time, if that 0:02:24.840 --> 0:02:27.720 is possible. And I say that knowing that we have 0:02:27.919 --> 0:02:31.120 not done that ourselves, so I was saying you should 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:33.920 do that. Don't listen to what I've done. 0:02:34.280 --> 0:02:36.720 You know. So look, the best thing is to start early, 0:02:36.840 --> 0:02:39.560 as you said, Easier said than done, you know, especially 0:02:39.560 --> 0:02:42.600 when you're so busy, you know, and you've got more 0:02:42.600 --> 0:02:44.200 than one child. You know, you've got to think of 0:02:44.440 --> 0:02:47.079 everyone's different needs. And you know, I know my son 0:02:47.160 --> 0:02:48.760 has a very different list to what my daughter has, 0:02:48.800 --> 0:02:50.840 who's starting her first year of school this year, so 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:54.720 you know, and also think if we start early, we 0:02:54.720 --> 0:02:56.440 can also make the most of the sales, you know, 0:02:56.520 --> 0:02:59.840 the boxing day sales, and have a list, a checklists, 0:03:00.080 --> 0:03:03.639 write down everything you need, separating it from must haves 0:03:03.720 --> 0:03:06.560 versus would like to have. You know, my kids want, 0:03:07.080 --> 0:03:09.520 you know, brand new pens and pencil cases, even though 0:03:09.520 --> 0:03:11.400 we've got probably fifty of them already at home. So 0:03:11.840 --> 0:03:14.280 it isn't a good also opportunity to include the children 0:03:14.320 --> 0:03:17.639 as well, but it also gives you a sense of order, yeah, 0:03:17.639 --> 0:03:19.880 because you can just refer to the list, And. 0:03:19.960 --> 0:03:22.240 A lot of schools they provide a list, don't they. 0:03:22.360 --> 0:03:22.919 What you need. 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:25.040 I mean, it is the standard kind of back to 0:03:25.080 --> 0:03:27.640 school list, and then you kind of almost need to 0:03:27.639 --> 0:03:29.840 sit down and cross check it with what you already have. 0:03:30.560 --> 0:03:33.360 Yes last year point which strong from me. 0:03:33.720 --> 0:03:36.680 I'm sorry, I just habit of yours. I have started 0:03:36.680 --> 0:03:38.800 doing this a lot, haven't I, Because now we've been 0:03:38.840 --> 0:03:41.200 doing this show for so long that I feel like, 0:03:41.360 --> 0:03:44.800 in some cases, oh no, this is dangerous, isn't it. 0:03:45.000 --> 0:03:48.320 I feel like in some cases that I almost know 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:49.360 what you're about to say. 0:03:50.840 --> 0:03:51.920 I don't know what you're going to say. 0:03:52.160 --> 0:03:53.760 I was not going to say that just then. I was. 0:03:53.880 --> 0:03:55.560 I was about to say something else almost that I 0:03:55.640 --> 0:03:58.040 know this almost better than you do. And then I 0:03:58.120 --> 0:04:01.120 realized that that is actually an act. And you were 0:04:01.480 --> 0:04:04.240 displeased with me a few weeks back when I said 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:07.320 that I was pretty much just a de facto financial planner. Now, 0:04:07.600 --> 0:04:09.640 having spent so much time in the studio with you, 0:04:10.040 --> 0:04:13.800 the eyebrow went up and the forehead was furrowed, and like, 0:04:13.880 --> 0:04:17.960 oh goodness me the displeasure. Yes, in the studio. 0:04:18.160 --> 0:04:20.400 We'll stop stealing, and we have that issue, all right, 0:04:20.440 --> 0:04:22.760 So please just go on. Talk of stealing. What can 0:04:22.800 --> 0:04:25.400 you steal it from? The office. Just kidding, I'm looking infestationary, 0:04:25.640 --> 0:04:27.480 just kidding. That was not Do not go and steal 0:04:27.520 --> 0:04:29.520 from the office too. If you get kids need pens 0:04:29.520 --> 0:04:32.159 and manciles, but obviously look at what you've already got 0:04:32.200 --> 0:04:35.159 at home. The arts and crafts often will have all 0:04:35.200 --> 0:04:38.120 the highlighters and rulers and you know, scissors and things 0:04:38.160 --> 0:04:40.800 that you need. And then obviously set a budget, you know, 0:04:40.880 --> 0:04:43.320 a realistic budget. You know how much you want to 0:04:43.320 --> 0:04:47.839 spend on uniforms, books, supplies, text sporting equipment, all those things. 0:04:47.920 --> 0:04:51.360 And then as you're buying those things, track go okay, 0:04:51.360 --> 0:04:53.640 all right, we've already spent one hundred and twenty dollars 0:04:53.720 --> 0:04:56.719 on two pairs of school shoes or you know, school 0:04:56.720 --> 0:04:59.880 shoes and gym shoes. So keep a running tab so 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:02.600 that you know exactly what you're spending and this helps 0:05:02.640 --> 0:05:04.159 avoid over spending as well. 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:09.920 Let's talk about uniforms, shall we, because uniforms like are 0:05:09.920 --> 0:05:14.479 the one thing that you really can't avoid generally, and 0:05:14.520 --> 0:05:18.320 they are really really expensive often if you buy them 0:05:18.320 --> 0:05:19.240 on mass. 0:05:19.200 --> 0:05:24.159 As well, well, not necessarily, so you know, buy wisely. 0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:28.440 So for example, my kids thrash their shoes, so I 0:05:28.480 --> 0:05:31.320 will actually spend a bit more on better quality shoes 0:05:31.440 --> 0:05:34.960 and they last so much longer. And then I'll know, okay, 0:05:35.000 --> 0:05:38.600 I will skimp on socks, and often I will say, 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:40.400 you don't have to buy everything from the school. And 0:05:40.400 --> 0:05:44.960 this is actually a stip I'm stealing from you match 0:05:45.080 --> 0:05:47.680 where you can actually go to stores like Big w 0:05:47.880 --> 0:05:51.279 in Best and Less and Kmart and Target and buy 0:05:51.560 --> 0:05:54.120 the school socks there, and buy the school pants they're 0:05:54.160 --> 0:05:55.280 the school skirt there. 0:05:55.680 --> 0:05:59.120 Anything that doesn't have the school logo, yeah, you can 0:05:59.160 --> 0:06:01.120 get it elsewhere. Get it somewhere cheaper. 0:06:00.920 --> 0:06:04.080 Much cheaper. And then you know, there's obviously the second 0:06:04.160 --> 0:06:06.839 hand clothing shop, which I am a big fan of. 0:06:07.160 --> 0:06:10.200 You know, I will stock up there, and then obviously 0:06:10.279 --> 0:06:13.279 there's the sales. But also what I will do is 0:06:13.400 --> 0:06:15.520 with my children is I don't buy it all at once. 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:18.640 You know, kids grow and then they have growth spurts, 0:06:18.839 --> 0:06:21.160 So don't go and buy a year's worth of clothes 0:06:21.240 --> 0:06:23.719 at the beginning of the year. You know, think about, okay, 0:06:23.720 --> 0:06:25.320 we'll hang on. Let me just get the summer stuff 0:06:25.320 --> 0:06:28.080 for whatever the temperature is at the time. It's appropriate now, 0:06:28.520 --> 0:06:30.719 and then later in the year we'll buy the winter 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:32.800 stuff or when the temperature starts to change, because they 0:06:32.800 --> 0:06:34.480 may have had a growth spurt. As you go and 0:06:34.520 --> 0:06:37.640 be super organized and buy everything, it may not fit them, 0:06:38.080 --> 0:06:39.520 or do what I've done in the past is bought 0:06:39.520 --> 0:06:41.480 it too big and it still doesn't They haven't had 0:06:41.480 --> 0:06:43.880 that growth spurt enough to actually fit them. By the 0:06:43.880 --> 0:06:46.160 time it does fit them, it's warm again. So buy 0:06:46.200 --> 0:06:48.520 what you need for the short term to get you 0:06:48.560 --> 0:06:50.840 through for the next three months and to help stagger 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:54.280 those expenses, and mix the old with the new. You know, 0:06:54.440 --> 0:06:57.760 hand me downs are great, and you mix up, for example, 0:06:58.000 --> 0:07:00.599 what can be reused throughout the year as well, so 0:07:01.360 --> 0:07:02.520 keeping things in good condition. 0:07:02.720 --> 0:07:04.760 I really like that idea of mixing it up so 0:07:04.800 --> 0:07:07.359 that you might buy one or two kind of new 0:07:07.440 --> 0:07:10.239 items from the uniform shop at school, and the others 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:13.320 you might buy some secondhand ones and if it's school 0:07:13.320 --> 0:07:16.080 photo day, you send them in the new nice one 0:07:16.160 --> 0:07:19.320 and the rest of the time just go for the secondhand. 0:07:18.920 --> 0:07:22.480 And then label everything with their name because they will. 0:07:23.040 --> 0:07:27.200 Everything gets lost. The amount of lunchboxes, water bottles, hats, jumpers, 0:07:27.240 --> 0:07:28.800 oh my god, hats. Hats. 0:07:28.920 --> 0:07:31.240 Hats are just like they're just currency. At school let's 0:07:31.320 --> 0:07:33.600 get passed around. Aren't they just frisbee. 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:36.640 Across the playground and then you never see it again? 0:07:36.800 --> 0:07:40.280 Extraordinary? What about though? I mean that all makes sense, 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:43.400 particularly kind of when we are dealing with things like 0:07:43.520 --> 0:07:47.200 uniforms and stationary and books and things like. You can 0:07:47.240 --> 0:07:50.520 often get secondhand for a lot of those things, and 0:07:51.640 --> 0:07:55.440 relatively inexpensive compared to what I'm about to talk about, 0:07:55.440 --> 0:07:59.640 which is technology. And when you have requirements for school 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:05.720 that might be say a laptop or a calculator. These things. 0:08:05.760 --> 0:08:07.440 I don't know whether they still require you to buy 0:08:07.480 --> 0:08:09.680 a calculator now. I remember in high school we had 0:08:09.680 --> 0:08:12.400 to buy the certain Cassio one on Yeah indeed, and 0:08:12.440 --> 0:08:16.800 everyone had the same one. Are there's strategies to save 0:08:16.960 --> 0:08:18.920 on tech purchases like these? 0:08:19.080 --> 0:08:22.040 Definitely, so shopping sales and then also shopping on those 0:08:22.120 --> 0:08:24.440 cash back websites like cash awards and shop backs, so 0:08:24.480 --> 0:08:27.400 you at least getting some money back. Your office works 0:08:27.440 --> 0:08:30.520 is brilliant. They'll match anywhere else and sometimes they'll even 0:08:30.520 --> 0:08:33.000 beat it as well. If your business, yes, oh wow, 0:08:33.080 --> 0:08:35.520 And then I think if you show you got an ABN, 0:08:35.559 --> 0:08:37.760 you might go to get it further discount. But then 0:08:37.880 --> 0:08:41.839 also buying refurbished or second hand tech, which you could 0:08:41.840 --> 0:08:45.640 actually do through Amazon as well. You know, you're buying 0:08:45.720 --> 0:08:49.440 a used iPad that's been fixed, looks almost brand new, 0:08:49.480 --> 0:08:52.079 and you're buying it for a significant discount. And that's 0:08:52.080 --> 0:08:54.160 also great for children that do tend to lose things, 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:56.079 or things tend to get broken, or they're going to 0:08:56.120 --> 0:08:59.240 outgrow it. That's something I would highly recommend. It is 0:08:59.280 --> 0:09:01.160 what I've done with my key as well. And then 0:09:01.160 --> 0:09:05.199 obviously looking at other brands. You know, Stephen Finnick did 0:09:05.240 --> 0:09:09.360 a brilliant episode on what brands to potentially go for 0:09:09.600 --> 0:09:11.480 to get better value for money. 0:09:11.600 --> 0:09:13.760 I was going to mention this because this was last 0:09:13.840 --> 0:09:15.880 year that he spoke to us, and we split it 0:09:15.880 --> 0:09:18.560 into two episodes because there was so much to cover. 0:09:19.200 --> 0:09:22.240 And in the second of the two episodes, we talked 0:09:22.320 --> 0:09:25.320 about laptops and about this idea that you do not 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:29.600 need to necessarily have a MacBook Pro, you don't necessarily 0:09:29.640 --> 0:09:32.920 need the top of the line computer, that there is 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:36.000 a whole bunch of different brands out there that might 0:09:36.080 --> 0:09:40.680 cost half the price of say of a MacBook or 0:09:40.760 --> 0:09:44.400 less then and depending on what the requirements are, that 0:09:44.480 --> 0:09:46.480 you might be able to get away with something that 0:09:46.600 --> 0:09:50.080 is of good quality. This is still good quality technology 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:54.719 and you are paying brand new half exactly well less. Yeah, 0:09:54.800 --> 0:09:56.680 so go and listen to that one. It's definitely if 0:09:56.720 --> 0:09:59.680 you search through our playlist, search through the back catalog 0:09:59.679 --> 0:10:01.920 of apos so it's with Stephen Fenneck is the ultimate 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:05.679 Guide to affordable Technology. I believe part two as the tip. 0:10:06.080 --> 0:10:07.920 We'll take a quick break in a second, but I 0:10:08.120 --> 0:10:13.240 just wanted to ask first about multiple children. If you've 0:10:13.240 --> 0:10:16.400 got more than one kid in the household, it's just 0:10:16.520 --> 0:10:21.520 prohibitively expensive, isn't it. And yes, hand me down certainly help, 0:10:22.000 --> 0:10:24.199 but still it is just an expensive time of year. 0:10:24.400 --> 0:10:27.600 It is oh look hamd me town's Well, I've got 0:10:27.600 --> 0:10:30.439 a son and then two girls, and he's did it 0:10:30.559 --> 0:10:32.840 at a different public school my daughter's going to go to. 0:10:33.000 --> 0:10:35.800 So the hand me downs unfortunately doesn't work in a 0:10:35.840 --> 0:10:38.319 household this is this year. Maybe when my youngest goes 0:10:38.320 --> 0:10:41.320 it will obviously help. But hand me downs obviously are great. 0:10:41.840 --> 0:10:45.240 But you know, think of the community, like I've got 0:10:45.440 --> 0:10:47.760 friends whose kids go to the same school as my son, 0:10:48.080 --> 0:10:49.480 and I let them know when I've got a bunch 0:10:49.480 --> 0:10:52.240 of stuff the rocker's out grown, I'll put it up 0:10:52.240 --> 0:10:54.000 in a bag and put it on their front doorstep. 0:10:54.040 --> 0:10:57.360 And you know, when things do go missing or get 0:10:57.400 --> 0:10:59.360 swapped or lost or stolen, it's not the end of 0:10:59.360 --> 0:11:02.120 the world because you've got a bag of t shirts 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:05.360 or shorts or skirts that you can quickly grab and go, 0:11:05.440 --> 0:11:07.600 and your child's not turning up to school missing items. 0:11:07.640 --> 0:11:11.480 And that takes off the stress and pressure for children 0:11:11.559 --> 0:11:14.000 going to school, which is filled with so many mixed 0:11:14.040 --> 0:11:17.120 emotions and things like buying in bulk, you know, with 0:11:17.160 --> 0:11:19.520 other families. Yeah, a great idea. You know, if there's 0:11:19.559 --> 0:11:23.160 something you need, speak to your friends. Ago, I found 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:24.760 this resource, but we need to buy a minimum of 0:11:24.760 --> 0:11:27.000 ten or a minimum fifteen. Find the other parents that 0:11:27.040 --> 0:11:27.880 are in the same boat. 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:31.120 That's a great idea. So you're forming a co op exactly. 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:34.640 It's a cult, a school cult. Yeah, I love this. 0:11:35.320 --> 0:11:38.000 All right, quick break. We'll come back and want to 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:40.600 talk then about kind of involving kids in the process, 0:11:40.840 --> 0:11:43.240 some of the long term habits, and also how to 0:11:43.280 --> 0:11:46.760 approach some of those big recurring costs like school fees, 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:48.800 and how to kind of factor those into the family budget. 0:11:48.840 --> 0:11:56.520 We'll be back in a second, can we are talking 0:11:56.559 --> 0:11:58.960 about heading back to school and ways to make it 0:11:59.000 --> 0:12:01.680 a little bit more affordable, just to manage the cost 0:12:01.800 --> 0:12:05.000 because a lot of the costs are actually unavoidable, like 0:12:05.679 --> 0:12:08.959 school fees, for instance, there's really no way around it 0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:11.079 if you are sending your child to a school that 0:12:11.720 --> 0:12:14.839 a private school for instance, where there are private school 0:12:14.880 --> 0:12:16.880 fees to pay. But even to public schools, there are 0:12:17.160 --> 0:12:19.080 certain fees that you do need to pay throughout the 0:12:19.120 --> 0:12:22.640 year that are technically voluntary contributions. But I mean it's 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:25.400 obviously better if you can pay those and do your 0:12:25.440 --> 0:12:28.400 bit to help out. How do you manage those in 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:30.679 a budget friendly way? 0:12:31.600 --> 0:12:34.040 So if you're on type budget, what I recommend you 0:12:34.080 --> 0:12:36.280 do is open up a separate savings account and nickname 0:12:36.320 --> 0:12:39.640 it school expenses, so that you know what the purpose 0:12:39.679 --> 0:12:41.959 behind that account and to get distracted or attempted to 0:12:41.960 --> 0:12:44.400 go and blow it and put a little bit in 0:12:44.440 --> 0:12:47.120 that account each week or each day or whatever you 0:12:47.120 --> 0:12:49.520 can afford, so that you can help build up and 0:12:49.520 --> 0:12:52.800 take off the stress and pressure. Then I'd also recommend you, know, 0:12:52.880 --> 0:12:55.200 especially for those extra curricul activities, because they can be 0:12:55.640 --> 0:12:58.520 you know, the straw that breaks the camel's back. You know, 0:12:59.200 --> 0:13:02.640 it's amazing different places, different activities, and different costs. So 0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:05.960 for example, we were looking at some swimming lessons. When 0:13:05.960 --> 0:13:08.360 I shopped around for swiming lessons, I was blown away 0:13:08.440 --> 0:13:13.280 by how they range in prices from different age groups. 0:13:13.920 --> 0:13:15.800 And I saved a fortune. And I think I said 0:13:15.800 --> 0:13:19.400 about three hundred dollars by switching my children's swimming lessons 0:13:19.880 --> 0:13:21.680 or two of them to a different location. 0:13:22.120 --> 0:13:22.600 Oh wow. 0:13:22.800 --> 0:13:25.559 Yeah, I was quite blown away by the difference in prices. 0:13:25.559 --> 0:13:28.080 But then my son's age group was actually very competitive 0:13:28.120 --> 0:13:31.680 where he was, so definitely shop around and also think 0:13:31.679 --> 0:13:34.720 about like logistics of your days because obviously you don't 0:13:34.720 --> 0:13:36.560 know if you've got to leave work the cost of 0:13:36.559 --> 0:13:40.160 that or transport or petrol driving kids around that also 0:13:40.240 --> 0:13:42.320 comes into it as well. And that's obviously again coming 0:13:42.320 --> 0:13:44.600 back to the community. Can you share the load, we'll 0:13:44.600 --> 0:13:47.280 do pickoff, you do drop off, you know, having the 0:13:47.320 --> 0:13:49.120 snacks in the car and things like ready to go. 0:13:49.320 --> 0:13:51.880 But then also thin things like payment plans. Some schools 0:13:51.920 --> 0:13:54.840 may offer an installment plan available to help ease the 0:13:54.840 --> 0:13:57.640 financial burden and instead of getting hit with a quarterly bill, 0:13:57.679 --> 0:14:00.559 they might allow you to pay monthly or fortnight if 0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:04.240 you don't ask, you don't know, and seeing what options 0:14:04.280 --> 0:14:06.240 are available to get on the phone, speak to the school, 0:14:06.320 --> 0:14:09.440 explain your situation, and see what do you have in place. 0:14:10.400 --> 0:14:12.360 I like those I mean, that's a great idea, but 0:14:12.400 --> 0:14:16.080 I really like those tips about the extra curricular activities 0:14:16.120 --> 0:14:19.200 like swimming and those that you can actually shop around. 0:14:19.920 --> 0:14:22.920 You're not just necessarily being funneled into one option for 0:14:23.000 --> 0:14:26.240 these things. Is that one of the mistakes then, because 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:28.000 I wanted to talk to you about the mistakes that 0:14:28.120 --> 0:14:30.360 parents make in the back to school shopping, and I'm 0:14:30.400 --> 0:14:32.360 assuming one of them is assuming that there is no 0:14:32.440 --> 0:14:35.920 other option, that you can't shop around when you can. 0:14:36.000 --> 0:14:37.880 I'd say leaving it to last minute is the worst 0:14:37.880 --> 0:14:41.360 thing you can do. It's like the amount of parents 0:14:41.400 --> 0:14:43.200 that and I will admit I am a leave it 0:14:43.280 --> 0:14:46.720 last minute type of person, but the amount of parents 0:14:46.760 --> 0:14:49.240 you see, and I use that an example of buying 0:14:49.280 --> 0:14:53.400 school shoes. It is stressful. There are so many people 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:56.160 around you, then there's shoes have sold out in that 0:14:56.200 --> 0:14:59.720 particular size. The drama it causes and the anxiety causes 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:01.680 I think you want to go to my school shoes ready? 0:15:01.720 --> 0:15:03.920 You know, for my first day of school, it's you 0:15:04.000 --> 0:15:07.720 just don't do it yourself. So not being organized, leaving 0:15:07.720 --> 0:15:11.040 it to last minute, shopping without a list is just 0:15:11.240 --> 0:15:16.200 leads to those impulsles, purchases, over spending, definitely ignoring the sales. 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:18.600 You know, boxing doest sells a great opportunity to buy 0:15:18.640 --> 0:15:20.560 the things that you know you're going to need, and 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:24.120 especially those expensive things like shoes and having a good 0:15:24.120 --> 0:15:25.880 pair of shoes that are going to last all year, 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:29.840 and then obviously prioritizing the wrong brands, like just going, well, 0:15:29.880 --> 0:15:32.600 we'll buy the most expensive top of the range, because 0:15:32.680 --> 0:15:35.560 that will then mean it's good quality, not necessarily the case. 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:39.080 You do your research. So there are a lot of 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:41.840 things you can do innocently that just make it so 0:15:42.000 --> 0:15:44.560 much harder and so much more expensive for yourself. 0:15:44.760 --> 0:15:47.000 And if you leave it to the last minute, you 0:15:47.040 --> 0:15:49.920 also lose your credibility. Then, when you are getting cranky 0:15:49.920 --> 0:15:52.080 at your kids for leaving their assignments and things to 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:54.560 the last minute, I thought about that, and you want 0:15:54.600 --> 0:15:57.000 to be able to be kind of very judgmental and 0:15:57.160 --> 0:16:00.080 very kind of self righteous about this knowing that you 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:02.520 were in fact not leaving their return to school to 0:16:02.560 --> 0:16:05.360 the last minute. It's all about credibility as a parent. 0:16:05.920 --> 0:16:10.400 Is the opportunity is here, isn't it to teach kids 0:16:10.440 --> 0:16:13.960 about money during the back to school process? How do 0:16:14.000 --> 0:16:19.000 you do that in a way that doesn't just make 0:16:19.040 --> 0:16:20.000 everyone cranky? 0:16:20.480 --> 0:16:23.600 So include your kids, like make it fun. You know, 0:16:24.440 --> 0:16:26.960 the opportunity to go to school is a blessing. You know, 0:16:28.000 --> 0:16:30.760 this is where you are going to be and need 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:33.600 to learn so many obviously obvious skills, but life skills. 0:16:33.640 --> 0:16:36.640 Are going to make new friends, So get on board 0:16:36.680 --> 0:16:39.360 with it, getting excited for them, you know, not having 0:16:39.360 --> 0:16:41.080 to pay for daycare anymore. That's also a great thing 0:16:41.240 --> 0:16:44.560 part of the excitement of kids going to school. So 0:16:44.680 --> 0:16:47.880 you know, doing the budget with our kids with Apple 0:16:47.920 --> 0:16:49.920 and Rocco, will be doing a list together and we'll 0:16:49.920 --> 0:16:51.600 be going to office works with a set feet and 0:16:51.640 --> 0:16:53.080 we have to work out how to get the most 0:16:53.080 --> 0:16:55.640 amount of value. So they're not going to do it online. 0:16:55.640 --> 0:16:57.040 I'm actually going to take them with me because I 0:16:57.120 --> 0:16:59.960 need them to see and learn and understand the difference 0:17:00.120 --> 0:17:03.400 between yes, you want every single Posca pen under the sun, 0:17:03.440 --> 0:17:06.359 but okay, you need highlighters. Is all the list says. 0:17:06.640 --> 0:17:08.639 Maybe we can think about that as a part of 0:17:08.680 --> 0:17:09.400 your birthday present. 0:17:09.520 --> 0:17:13.160 So it's quite fun. Actually, I quite like a shripped 0:17:13.160 --> 0:17:13.640 off smoke. 0:17:13.640 --> 0:17:15.199 It's true. There's a bit of me and it's in 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:15.800 this as well. 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:18.320 And when you've got a like you said, all right, guys, 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:20.920 it becomes a game like we've got x amount to 0:17:20.920 --> 0:17:24.080 spend here, we cannot spend anymore. We need to find 0:17:24.080 --> 0:17:25.760 a way to make this fit exactly. 0:17:25.800 --> 0:17:28.080 And it's fun and showing them. You know, you can 0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:30.560 buy a packet if you buy a Biro pen, it's 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:32.879 like four dollars fifty, but you can buy packets of 0:17:32.920 --> 0:17:36.159 Biros for like eight dollars and there's like seven different 0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:39.560 Biros in there. Like so spending time showing the kids 0:17:39.600 --> 0:17:42.159 like don't leave your last minute, allowed the time to 0:17:42.200 --> 0:17:45.760 go through the store and letting them get excited. Like 0:17:45.920 --> 0:17:48.160 I remember as a child getting my new pencil case 0:17:48.200 --> 0:17:51.040 and the pens and getting it all neatly organized. I 0:17:51.080 --> 0:17:55.320 felt some inspired and motivated and empowered, like allow this moment. 0:17:55.320 --> 0:17:58.199 Don't be a mad rush, panic, hurry field, anxiety and 0:17:58.200 --> 0:18:01.080 stressed and embarrassment, regret, and you know it's it on 0:18:01.080 --> 0:18:04.240 a hot summer's day like this is exciting and office 0:18:04.280 --> 0:18:05.960 work is open to a very later might I add, 0:18:06.000 --> 0:18:07.920 so you can be an evening activity. 0:18:09.040 --> 0:18:11.919 There's a risk that families will be overwhelmed by this, 0:18:12.240 --> 0:18:16.119 are they? There is support out there for back to 0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:20.320 school and I'm about to do this again, aren't I? 0:18:20.400 --> 0:18:22.879 Where I accidentally steal something that you're probably about to 0:18:22.880 --> 0:18:24.560 talk about, But I'm going to do it anyway, because 0:18:24.560 --> 0:18:27.000 I don't know what you're going to say. But different 0:18:27.040 --> 0:18:32.359 states also have different things set up. Financial assistance that 0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:37.880 might help cover some costs of extracurricular activities like swimming lessons, sport, 0:18:38.280 --> 0:18:41.720 creative activities as well, and that if you just look 0:18:41.880 --> 0:18:44.360 on the state government website depending on where you are, 0:18:44.880 --> 0:18:49.160 and you will see the grants and the b assistance 0:18:49.240 --> 0:18:51.280 that is available. Were you about to say that, yes, 0:18:51.320 --> 0:18:52.480 I was all the. 0:18:52.440 --> 0:18:55.159 Words that you did a brilliant job of it, and 0:18:55.640 --> 0:19:00.760 active Kids vouchers, creative Kids vouchers, transport and travel to 0:19:00.920 --> 0:19:03.720 school assistance, like there's so many different things, and obviously 0:19:03.760 --> 0:19:06.080 it varies from state to state, but it is worth 0:19:06.200 --> 0:19:08.719 jumping online and seeing what you're entitled to. And of 0:19:08.760 --> 0:19:11.239 course then there's you know, going to the school and 0:19:11.280 --> 0:19:14.959 looking at things like scholarships or fee waivers, or discounts 0:19:15.000 --> 0:19:17.920 for families in need, or discounts for when you've got 0:19:18.200 --> 0:19:20.119 more than two children at the school. 0:19:20.920 --> 0:19:22.800 All right, let's bring it all the way back to 0:19:22.840 --> 0:19:27.280 where we started and we were talking about budgeting. Is 0:19:27.320 --> 0:19:29.560 that the best way if we are looking to the future, 0:19:30.359 --> 0:19:34.159 long term habits that we should be building a family 0:19:34.200 --> 0:19:36.760 can adopt to make the return to school perhaps a 0:19:36.800 --> 0:19:39.760