"It saves us a lot of stress and hassle, we'd rather pay $5 a week than $140 at the end of the year."
Mrs O'Brien said costs for her intermediate school-aged son were more than primary school but they also learnt to pay off a little gradually.
"We are on one-and-a-half incomes, as I work part-time so when we could we would go into the school and pay $20 or $10 when we had the money; sporadic payments have helped.
"We've also found with uniforms, it pays to shop around and ask family and friends going to the same schools if they have heard of any uniforms for sale. You just need to plan ahead, if you have school-age children, you have to expect that these costs are coming," she said.
Ngongotaha mother Sabrina Yorke also recommended preparing early but admitted it was a juggling act to pay school costs and uniforms for her 16-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter.
"It's the ongoing costs that are hard to cope with, my son is given a list of fees at the beginning of the year but there are always extra expenses throughout the year," Miss Yorke said.
"My son is in the accelerate class and there are fees needing to be paid for things such as his Cambridge maths workbooks that most of the other students wouldn't have to pay."
She said the uniforms were also costly for the single income family with a winter set costing up to $200.
"I often layby at Postie Plus, where they have my daughter's uniform but we've also learnt to shop around in the second hand shops. You have to really look but I also searched the Daily Post ads and found some uniforms for sale there."
She said February was a hard month as they coped with school expenses and bus fares as well as car warrant and registration and insurance which were all due.
"I'm a single parent working part-time but we are managing. Things are extra tight around this time of year but we've learnt to live within our means and that's the best thing parents can do. But if you can't afford something, you can't afford it and if you talk to the school they're pretty understanding and most are happy to arrange something."
There are things you can do to beat the financial back-to-school blues and avoid dumb debt this year: Make an inventory.
While a new year brings a fresh start, not everything has to be new for school too. Save yourself from making unnecessary purchases by checking what your children already have that can last another term or year. Then make a list of "must haves" your child needs for the year including books, stationery, fees and clothing.
* Make a plan.
Now you have your list, you need to work out how to pay for it. Take a look at your budget and add in the school expenses. You'll be able to figure out if you need to review your spending in other areas or access your savings. Remember that not everything has to be paid for at the start of the year so think about what could be delayed for another term, or spread across the year to make your household budget more manageable.
* What to wear.
If there's a school uniform, chances are there'll be a second-hand uniform shop. This can be a good option, especially if your child is growing quickly and may need to go up a size or two before the end of the year.
* Shopping solo.
When you know what you need to buy, it's often best to venture to the shops alone, if you can - you'll avoid the pressure from the kids to shell out for the latest designer folders or scented felt-tip pens that line the shelves.
* Save for school activities.
Every parent wants their children to get all that they can out of their school years. However, the cost of sending kids on school camp or starting piano lessons can add up and cause financial pressure. By regularly setting money aside for school expenses you might find your children can make the most of extracurricular activities without putting stress on your budget. If you're unsure how much you might need, look back at previous years or contact the school for information.
David Kneebone is the Sorted spokesman. www.sorted.co.nz
Tips how to cope from our readers on Facebook
* For stationery buy at the Warehouse Stationery at the beginning of year and buy a few extra of each, if [my children] run out during the year I have it on hand and doesn't cost as much. If they don't use it then it's there for next year.
* Saving fund during the year for school needs, I put $30 away a fortnight.
* [I've] started an account at Bill Davis [Outdoors Sportsworld] for school uniforms it's helped heaps. Means I was able to pay what I could a week and then go in and get what I needed with what was in my account.
* If you can't afford it talk with the principal about time payment, some schools set up an account for families. Biggest thing is though is to budget for it.
* General school fees are considered a donation. Some of which you can claim back from Inland Revenue if you are working. Every little bit helps.
* With school uniforms, buy the necessary items first and extras later.
