SITTING at the kitchen table one quiet afternoon, Charlotte Higgins’ heart sank as her son handed over an information slip about a school trip to New York.
The teaching assistant and mum-of-two felt torn – she knew it was an incredible opportunity but she couldn’t justify spending £2,500 for a week-long trip.
She said: “As my eyes moved down the page, that excitement turned to dismay.
“It was going to cost a staggering £2,500 for just one week.”
“I dreaded the thought of him missing out while all his friends jetted off on this grand adventure,” she said.
It wasn’t until after the 45-year-old mum from Dover slept on it that she decided against it.
She said: “I came to a harsh realisation that this was an outrageous rip-off.”
“Breaking the news to him was agonising. I saw the hope drain from his eyes. But I had a better solution.
“I promised him that we would go to New York as a family instead. I hoped this would soften the blow, and to my relief, it did.”
Millions of parents across the UK are jostling with the rising cost of school trip, with nearly a third saying they are now too expensive according to new research by Zurich Municipal.
It found the average cost of a trip of £430 – but many cost more than that.
Charlotte said the decision left her feeling guilty.
She said: “My children love going on school trips, and I know that they learn lots from them.”
“We can’t say yes to everything, and it’s about getting the balance right between choosing what looks like a good deal financially and then what the children will get the most out of.”
The mum of two says she’s lucky because she can still afford these trips but understands that not every parent can.
Charlotte says that relatives, including her parents, have offered to chip in, but she’d rather cover the cost herself.
She said: “It’s difficult because I always feel slightly embarrassed to receive these offers.
“The thing is, I always want to pay for these things out of my own purse.
The mum tries to way up the cost versus experience for her children and she has paid £550 for her daughter, 12, to go on a trip to Snowdonia earlier this year as the trip seemed like “good value”.
She added: “However, I had to say no to a local day trip costing over £50.
“That’s why it’s a constant battle, balancing what is financially feasible with what will benefit my children the most.”.
HAVING children is expensive, but there's plenty of ways to get ahead of the game and make sure you're never wasting your cash.
Set a budget
Planning in advance of big events like school trips, birthdays, and Christmas will help prevent you from overspending nearer the time.
So, before you do anything, you need to determine what you can afford rather than what you’d like to spend.
Thinking about this a couple of paydays ahead can give you a bit of extra buffer as you can use clever ways to save and shop smart to give yourself a little more in your budget.
Eat smart
Being smart with your food shop is not just about meal planning, which can save you a lot of money on your grocery bill.
To save even more money in your weekly budget, which you can use towards big events, try to think up new and creative ways to use your leftovers.
Not only will you reduce food waste, but you can essentially create a whole new meal for free.
You could even use a food-sharing app to get free food from other members of your local community.
Check the app to see what you can get for free near you, then create a meal plan around what you get.
Join loyalty schemes
It’s always worth joining free loyalty programmes, even if you don’t shop somewhere often, as your points will add up, and you can use them to help you save money.
Some programmes offer really great rewards.
For example, with Tesco Clubcard, instead of using your loyalty points at their face value, you can get up to three times more value with hundreds of rewards.
Exchange your points for experiences and gifts the whole family would love.
Or you could use your Clubcard points towards the cost of a family meal or gift a magazine subscription.
Several supermarkets offer different loyalty schemes, we always recommend looking around for the most rewarding ones.
Check for benefits
Make sure you’re getting all the benefits you’re entitled to.
If you’re pregnant, check what maternity allowance you should be getting.
You can also get free NHS prescriptions and dental treatment when you’re expecting.
You might be entitled to Universal Credit and you should make sure you’re claiming your child benefit too.
Collectively, you could be eligible for hundreds of pounds of support each month, so do check you’re getting everything you’re entitled to.
You can find out more here.
The financial strain is evident not just for parents but also for schools. More than two-thirds (69%) of school leaders, according to a survey by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), have resorted to grants and fundraising to cover extracurricular activities.
Melissa Heppell, Principal of Atlantic Academy Primary in Portland, Dorset, highlighted the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on school trips. “When we started our end-of-year residential to London six to seven years ago, the entire Year 6 participated.
“This year, about a third won’t be going because it has become too expensive,” she said.
“The cost has risen from just under £300 for a four-day trip to over £460, driven by inflation.
“Despite reducing the trip’s duration and opting for more affordable accommodations and transportation, many parents in the area still find it unaffordable.”
