Tadpoles costing me a fortune at school! Can I get through this in an O/S way?

Penelope_Penguin

frogga wrote: »

Activities week: Horseriding £230

Hi Frogga :beer: Am I the only one to find that an outrageous sum for a school to ask you to contribute for an activity during school time :eek: :eek: :eek: I'm surprised that they can expect you to pay it - I certainly wouldn't be

As this isn't strictly Old Style, I'm going to move the thread over to the Families board, to continue the discussion

Penny. x

ironed_out

With regards to the photocopying of school photos, I would speak to other parents in your tadpoles classes and ask if they want to go halves/thirds on the pics. Once you (or other person) has received the proper photo, then do a copy on your copier.
Naughty, but if needs must.

I've done it before when the whole school had a pic taken from a helicopter, but seeing as I couldn't even see which one was my child:rolleyes:

the_cat

Frogga
If you or anyone in your family has a reasonable digital camera, very good results can be achieved by taking a photo of the original print under good light. You can then upload it and print as many copies as you like!

Smashing

Guess I'm in the only one who doesn't see the need to buy school photo's - my parents bought one for my first year at school and that was it - for that I am very glad! I find them to be pretty naff to be honest (those fake backgrounds!). Other than that, it was family snapshots of moments - not forced 'sit here, tilt your head etc' manufactured moments. Take your own - far more personal.

Who came up with the horseriding holiday? You would struggle to find any activity that cost more than riding does these days.
Have you spoken to other parents about this?

First year, last year if you must and a class one.

Savvy_Sue

Frogga didn't have green clothes available for her tadpoles? :rotfl:

It's very un PC to put alcohol on a list of things children are 'expected' to provide for the school fete. Some parents would have religious objections to this, and I'd have moral ones. (No, I don't think alcohol is inherently evil, but I think it's immoral of a school to ask parents to supply it because there are bound to be some families whose lives have been wrecked by alcohol.)

I've managed not to buy school photos for a few years now simply because the boys have refused to show me the photos until it's too late to order them. They 'forget'.

And I buy raffle tickets and offer sponsorship when I want to / feel able, and that's NOT every time I'm asked.

I have, in the past, asked for help from the 'Enabling Fund' at the boys' school - we weren't on benefits but we were struggling. However that was a well-established fund supported by the PTA which meant that other parents weren't directly subsidising those who couldn't pay - which I think is VERY unfair. Might be worth agitating for something like that to be set up.

Spendless

Hi frogga- Can't give you any more suggestions on reducing costs, but for budgeting for them what I do is have my child benefit and tax credit money paid into a seperate account. I don't touch it until it is needed for things like this. Cos my children are younger, I haven't had expensive trips (yet!) instead I pay for things like school uniform and swimming lessons out of it. Is this perhaps something you could do.

Titch89

frogga wrote: »

Two weeks ago the school asked for contributions to the summer fayre. They asked for

1. No less than 5 items for the Tombolla
2. Alcohol only for the adult alcohol raffle
3. 2 cups filled with childrens items for the childrens tombolla
4. Cakes for the cake stall

One or the other, or all of them? if it's the latter, then that's way over the top. When I was at school, we were expected to bring one thing in. I wouldn't like the idea of my child bringing in alcohol for a raffle.

As for green clothes - can't you just dye some white clothes?

sticher

Guess I'm in the only one who doesn't see the need to buy school photo's - Smashing

No I rarely if ever buy them. I bought the nursery ones and the odd one if I liked it - but that is rarely the case. They are snapped so quickly I think they are a waste. Once sent all 3 of mine to have one together and he had no idea how to position them even so I don't bother now.

I always take a photo of each of mine though on the first day of term in their new uniform - that way I can mark the changes each year.

lhd4

I have two ds 2 1/2 and 1. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Im going to run around screaming for a short while now and then will think about saving some money for when they are at school... Excuse me... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH


Ok all done.;)

poet123

School time can be expensive....but as they get older it gets even worse,College then Uni......We often say it is pointless our salaries going into the bank,may as well go straight to the Uni!!