Recession Affecting Schools
Photo: flickr.com/photos/lnx/
It seems to never end—the streams of money that my children’s schools are expecting me to give to them just so they can either go on field trips or buy team shirts. I do all I can to avoid these, but they never seem to let up. Should these not end soon, a payday loan may be in my future. Even though the recession is affecting everyone, this must stop. Can nothing be done about this? Parents are facing this all across the country. Here is how to stop that endless stream leaving your pocket all the time.
Budget Well—Budget Often
If your child is constantly bringing home notes that ask you for money for everything under the sun, it may be hard to budget this. It is to your benefit when they do this. You can use this to plan ahead and budget for these small expenses. The due date is very important here, so take note of it. This will probably be after your next payday. There may be time to put this into your budget. If there is not time for this due date, you still have another way to pay the variety of school expenses.
When you make a budget, whether it is two weeks or a month at a time, make sure you are allowing money to go for school expenses. When budgeting, decide how much you think you will need and then allow about $ 10 over that amount. If there are more expense notes coming home than you planned on, you will be ready. You cannot spend this money should you not have to cover for school expenses. At the end of your pay period, put this into your savings account instead. It will allow you to grow your savings for emergencies.
Choose Your Expenses
Can you choose your expenses? Not every note that comes home means that you have to shell out money. Fund raisers and other such events are optional, regardless of what your child may tell you. Curriculum related items may also be optional. I do not pay for all the other items that are not related to the curriculum. Pay your chosen expenses at the last possible moment, especially if you must wait until your next pay period.
Negotiate with the School
If you just do not have the money to pay on time for an expense such as a field trip, try calling the school. Paying late or having the fee waived may be possible if you share your situation with them. A payday loan may work for you, but before doing this; try working with them on any of the curriculum related expenses. Should you have to do this, you must know what you are doing in order to avoid paying the excessive interest rates.
Bottom Line
Remember—you do NOT have to pay for everything your child brings home. In fact, if your district imposes certain fees at the beginning of the school year, you may be able to get them waived. If you are approved for a free or reduced lunch status, they will waive the other fees for you. Some fees may be able to be negotiated, but other you will have to pay in full. You have some freedom to choose your own expenses. By following these tips, you may be able to reduce the number of payday loans you take out throughout the year.
