When leaves start to fall and the sun is showing its last warm rays, you know that autumn has arrived and that it’s time for school (again). For some children, this is the beginning of a new period, for others, it is the moment when they reunite with their classmates. Nevertheless, these two categories have one thing in common: they have to be prepared with all the ‘gadgets’ that they need and here, we are talking about pens, pencils, erasers and many notebooks.
For children, it is a period filled with joy and excitement. For parents, it is a period filled with costs and expenses. According to a report taken from the American Express Spending & Saving Tracker, in 2015, parents are expecting to spend 1,239$ on products for the beginning of school. This amount of money is with 8% higher than the one from 2014. This shows that parents pay a small fortune in order to provide their children with everything they need. The question is whether they actually need everything that their parents buy.
What can parents do?
Let’s take the writing tools category: pens, pencils, colored pencils and painting tools. Some of these products have remained from last year. Buying new ones just because the other ones are considered ‘old’ by your children is not a good solution. First of all, it is a waste of material and of money. Here, parents should explain to their children that what they have is as better as the ones they see in the store. In fact, they are the same products, just the label is new. Moreover, children must become aware of how important it is to protect the environment by reusing products, and not just buying new ones.
Another aspect that parents should take into consideration are the notebooks. Using products that are made from recycled material is an excellent choice. Here are two great recommendations.
1. The Recycled Graph Journal
2. The Second Nature Notebook
There is a cheaper and more eco-friendly option for anything. All you have to do is open your eyes and your mind in order to see it and take advantage of it.