back to school with a back to school budget

July 26, 2019

There’s still lots of summer left, but it’s a good time to start thinking about a back to school budget. We know, budgets aren’t fun like sitting by a pool, reading a book, swimming, or basically anything else left on your summer bucket list. But, planning your back to school budget now will help you be ahead of the game when September rolls around.

Whether you’re heading to high school, university, or sending your kiddies off to school, keep reading for some budgeting tips.

Tips for making your back to school budget

1. 1. Write down all your expenses. Take a second to go back in your account to last year to get a refresher on what you spent and what you’ll need for this year.
   2. Focus on the necessities first and make sure you can cover what you really need.
   3. Then add in some of the fun things, like new shoes or some special snacks.
   4. If you are going to post-secondary school, make sure your budget extends through the year. The need for coffee breaks doesn’t end in September.

Important items to include

There’s a lot to consider while budgeting, so we’ve put together a few suggestions to help you get started.

• • School supplies (notebooks, pens, backpack, etc.)
  • New school outfit (or two)
  • Coffee + snacks
  • Lunch costs
  • Textbooks
  • Bus fare or transportation costs
  • Sport team fees

Post-secondary students bank for free at Sunova

Free banking is one way to save a few bucks. If you’re signed up for post-secondary school, bring your proof of enrollment to a branch to get free banking. Note: you’ll need to show proof each year you are a student.

School supply drive at St. Mary’s

If you have some extra room in your back to school budget, pick up an extra notebook or a pack of pens and drop them off at our St. Mary’s branch. They are collecting school supplies for Rene Deleurme Centre until August 31.