How parents in the UAE are saving on back-to-school shopping

Dubai: The countdown to the first day of school is on and for many UAE parents, that also means rushing to shopping malls to stock up on supplies.

Uniforms, textbooks, stationery, lunch boxes, shoes, the list seems endless, and the receipts can stack up fast. But instead of leaving shopping to the last minute, some families are taking a smarter approach.

From sourcing uniforms in other emirates to buying supplies abroad, hunting down summer sale deals, and even swapping second-hand books, parents are finding creative ways to save without sacrificing quality.

Sharrah Khilawala, a mother of two aged nine and five, says buying new school uniforms in Dubai can be costly, but she has found a workaround.

“For school uniforms, I go to a supplier in Sharjah because it’s much cheaper than the uniform supplier in Dubai, which is by the school. It’s half the price - if I go to the school supplier, it’s almost Dh100 per clothing item, but the one in Sharjah is Dh50 per item. There are similar suppliers in Ras Al Khaimah and Ajman. The quality is almost the same. It’s much more affordable, considering children grow so fast and you have to buy new uniforms almost every year.”

Sharrah also uses trips abroad to stock up on essentials.

“When it comes to school supplies like stationery and lunch boxes, I just buy them when I am in India during the summer break because it’s cheaper and the quality is decent. Also, there’s this new trend of expensive water bottles, and do not give into that, I just buy local brands with insulated water bottles that you get in the supermarket.

“Also, I tend to shop for school supplies during the off-peak season, when schools have just ended.”

“I have two high-schoolers, and textbooks are a serious expense for us. Thankfully, Dubai has a few active Facebook and WhatsApp groups for exchanging used textbooks. We hate wasting our used books in the garbage, so we prefer to give them away, it’s our teeny tiny way of reducing waste and carbon footprint,” says Anuja Mathur.

Parents are turning to hand-me-downs, especially sweaters and jerseys, to reduce costs. Platforms like Facebook Marketplace and second-hand websites are popular for sourcing uniforms, books, tablets and gadgets. Not only does this save money, but it also encourages children to value sustainability.

Eliane Chalhoub, a mother of two aged six and nine, says early shopping during sales has helped her save significantly.

“For school supplies, I did most of the shopping during the summer break when Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) had started. I got a lot of deals and was able to buy stationery in bulk, since kids sometimes lose things in school, so I like to have backups. When it comes to uniforms, I just buy them online from the school. For school textbooks, it’s included in our children’s tuition fee.”

Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), which started on June 27, has become a key event for parents, offering major deals across the city. This year’s ‘Back to School’ shopping season runs until August 31 with discounts from top brands.

She has also noticed a rise in parents trading supplies.

“I’ve also seen quite a few parents swapping or bartering uniforms or school supplies. I have not personally done it, but since I have a boy and girl, they can’t share their uniforms or give them to the other sibling, so swapping sounds like a good idea.”

Many parents are now starting their back-to-school shopping earlier than before to take advantage of sales and avoid the pre-term rush.

For Sumit, summer is the perfect time to pick up essentials.

“I just bought a pair of good quality white shoes and white socks from one of the stores in Ibn Battuta just two weeks back. White shoes and socks never stay white with children, so this is a school cost I have to factor in every year.

“Like many other parents, I look out for discounts throughout the summer season when purchasing school shoes, stationery, socks, bags, and lunch boxes so that I can then save up enough to purchase the essentials for school - uniforms, books, etc., when the school reopens.”