Yahoo Lifestyle 
Mum's heartache over $500 back-to-school demand
As many parents know, back-to-school can be a very expensive time – especially if your kids need new shoes and uniforms along with their other school supplies.
But one mum was left with a particularly unsavoury taste in her mouth when she received a note from her son’s local Catholic school with a very pricey requirement.
After a tight Christmas, mum-of-three Ursula is trying to cut her household expenses to clear her bills and business payments, and has been asked to provide her eight-year-old son with a new iPad to start the school year.
“I’m sitting here and thinking, ‘How am I going to scrounge together $500 to pay for this iPad?’,” she told Mamamia, “And that’s not including the cover and the screen protector.”
“Look, I fully support the importance of technology in learning, but my concern is not just buying the iPad – I mean, yes, that is the first part – but it’s also that I’m giving it to an eight-year-old boy who I know, sooner or later, will probably bust it.
“And then I’m going to have to buy another one.”
The school also specified that they want children to have the latest version of the iPad to work with all the apps they need, so that rules out second-hand options.
Plus, they want each child to have their own so sharing amongst Ursula’s other children will be difficult.
Unfortunately for many household budgets, the back-to-school period rolls around just as the post-Christmas credit card bills come in, and while families are already spending more on entertaining the kids over the summer break.
The Australian Government’s Money Smart website recommends looking for second hand options when it comes to uniforms, and leaving any new winter gear for later in the year, but it’s still a stretch for many families like Ursula’s.
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