With September just around the corner, parents have very little time left in which to buy their children’s school books. The kids’ lists are getting longer, while the price tags are getting heftier. A survey released by the Irish League of Credit Unions last month showed that school books are costing around €106 for primary school students and €213 for secondary school students. No laughing matter!
So if you’re a bit of Last-Minute Lucy or Disorganised Dan, Paul Carey (owner of the School Supply Centre) has offered his guide to back-to-school book shopping.
1) Buy early:
Paul said that the number one best practice for book buying is to start early (great hearing that now, eh?!) – and more and more parents are now doing so. He said that many of them will come into his shop during June or July, getting the process over with so that they can enjoy their holidays in peace.
“The old days of buying the books in the last week are mostly gone, and a good thing too, because that was a horrific situation,” he said. “As soon as parents get the book list, they should be thinking about coming in.” Although having said that, we've had a couple of last minute books to pick up and there are still queues out the door.
2) Buy second hand:
The School Supply Centre and many other shops around the country buy and sell second hand school books. Paul says that this is the way to go to save money: “School books are more or less the same price everywhere so the only way that you can affect savings is by using a second-hand service.
“Parents who buy early have a much better chance of getting very good second-hand books to fill their lists. If they can do that, they can make a saving of 30% or 40% on their school book bill.”
3) Take care of your books:
If you want to trade in on your children’s old school books to offset the cost of the new ones, you should make sure that a) your kids don’t destroy the books and b) you definitely won’t need them again.
“Parents should get the books covered when they get them,” said Paul. “There’s a range of contact paper that is quite easy to use, and they give very good protection."
Paul said that while most bookshops offer covering services for a cost of around €1 per book, parents can buy a roll of contact for €5/6 and make a saving that way.
He added that children should be encouraged to take care of their books, and keep workbooks fit to be sold on again by writing their answers in a separate copy or notebook.
“We would also say to parents looking to go through their books carefully and make sure they certainly are finished using the book, that they haven’t got another child coming along soon enough after them that the book may be of use to them.”
4) Avail of book rental schemes:
'Book rental Schemes' are popular and can end up saving you a lot of money, although that’s not necessarily the case for the schools.
“Book rental schemes work well, but the replacement rate is pretty high, what with the changing of texts and wear and tear,” said Paul. “When somebody has something that they haven’t bought or don’t own themselves, they may not take as much care of it.”
5) Consult a specialist:
Paul says that going to a specialist school book shop can make things a lot easier for parents. “Sometimes they need a bit of guidance in what books they should hold onto, what books they need, and what books lend themselves to being sold second-hand. Speaking to an expert can be helpful.” Great advice when you're facing very expensive booklists for secondary school exam years and for college years.
6) Shop online:
Shopping online can be faster and easier than going to a bookshop. Paul says that it is growing as a medium, and is particularly popular with parents who work irregular hours or live far away from the shops. The School Supply Centre has a website, www.buybooks.ie, which offers 10% discount and free delivery for orders over €50.
“People like to deal online with outfits that are backed up with shops, bricks and mortar, it makes them feel a bit safer,” said Paul. “The other thing that we’re very keen on with online business is that we give them phone accessibility. People can ring a number and they can talk to a [member of staff] and explain what their problems are and if anything has gone wrong, it can be put right quickly.”
So there you have it! All you need for a relaxed and thrifty book-buying experience! Happy shopping!
Paul Carey is the owner of the School Supply Centre, which has been up and running since 1982. They have three shops in Tallaght, Rathfarnam and Montrose - all of which are open until 8pm in this busy back-to-school season.
