Back to School!!!  Wednesday was 8th grade registration, yesterday was 11th grade registration and fortunately, there is no “registration” for elementary, but I did have to go pick up his supplies that I ordered at the end of the year last year.  This is the week I always dread because I literally just hand my checkbook over to the School System and tell them to take whatever they need.  You know, I didn’t really need to go to the grocery store this week anyway! 

Cost for three kids to get the year off to a good start:

Book Rental:  $500

Gym Uniform: $12  (fortunately I only have one that needs a gym uniform this year)

Yearbooks: $82 (can you see my HS pic?  Yikes!).

Spiritwear:  $30

School Supplies: $145

School Photos & ID cards:  $165

All Sports Passes: $35

PTO Fees:  $30

Whew!  I’m exhausted and broke ($1,000!!!).  This doesn’t even include any new school clothes (which I don’t purchase until mid-October any way).  Why does back to school have to be so expensive?  I don’t know how the families with parents that may have lost a job over the last year or with wage-challenged jobs can afford to send their kids to school!  The costs above don’t include lunch money or the inevitable cash disbursements throughout the year for presentation/project supplies, sewing class supplies, PTO fundraisers, field trips, etc.   Has it always been this crazy?  Since I didn’t pay for my school supplies growing up, I really can’t say.  But, I don’t remember having to supply tissues, baggies, baby wipes, etc. for the classroom.

Oh, well, I guess it’s still cheaper than the college expenses we will be incurring in a couple of years, right? 

 Here’s to another successful school year!