Most kids are back to school. Maybe this week is to get oriented and say hello to friends but next week it’s the real deal. Did you have enough time to get prepared? It’s a quick transition from summer fun to back to school. Here are a few suggestions to make sure you get the numbers covered.

• School Supplies: The costs adds up quickly so make sure you’re only buying what the kids really need.
• School Clothes: Determine what items are required and set a budget. If your child is older, involve them in the process by sharing the budget value and the list of items to be bought.
• After/Before School Care: What do you pay? Be sure to include it in the budget as well as any other costs when care isn’t covered by these programs (summer camps, ad hoc babysitting)
• Sports and Other Activities: Don’t forget to budget for these. Depending on the sports or activities your kids are involved in, it can be a sizable amount.

Life can be VERY busy once everyone in the house is back into the routine. Time is a valuable resource and it’s a juggling act just to make it through the week. There are short cuts but most of them come at a price.

Convenience foods are nutritionally inferior and more expensive. I find that making a menu and doing one food shop a week is the best way to get food on the table and in the lunch bags. I’m not very creative so trying to magic up a yummy dinner based on the fridge/cupboard contents is not an appetizing prospect. The fewer trips to the store the better and we throw out far less food it I buy it with a plan! There are stores and produce suppliers that deliver and not all of them charge a premium.

Cleaning and laundry can be a bore and adds up if you pay someone else to do it. What age are your kids? Old enough to contribute to maintaining the house? Maybe doing these things yourself covers the cost of a pizza night once a week.

The main thing it to work out a system that works for you in terms of time, money and stress. Taking a little time to plan and communicate with your family is a good way to make sure everyone’s on board.