LAST UPDATE | 6 Aug 2025

IT’S NEARING BACK to school time, which means preparing for extra costs – and it isn’t getting any easier with the cost of living crisis.

One in three families are getting into debt to fund back to school costs, according to a recent survey from The Irish League of Credit Unions (ILCU).

The ILCU found that the total back to school spend is now €1,450 for primary school parents and €1,560 for secondary school parents.

A recent report from Barnardos Children’s charity suggests two in every five families are already struggling to meet ends meet on essentials, such as electricity, heating, food and medical appointments. 

Let us know about your experiences

We want to know how you’re managing with back to school costs.

• Do you feel stressed about the costs associated with sending your kids back to school?
• Have you started making back to school purchases yet? What is the cost like in comparison to previous years?
• Do you feel you will be able to get your children everything they need to go back to school?
• Have you been impacted by school fees and voluntary contributions?
• How will you handle after school caring costs?
• Will you need to take out loans to meet your children’s back to school needs?
• What support does your family need from the government?

Please get in touch by emailing answers@thejournal.ie and telling us about your situation.

Please include your name, county, and children’s age(s), and let us know if you would like to remain anonymous.

We’ll reflect your stories in a future article on this subject.