So you’ve survived the summer. Congratulations! But with the start of the new term, there’s little respite for mums yet. We’re all on the lookout for the best deals on those back to school essentials, but when time is of the essence there isn’t always enough space in the schedule to spend a long time traipsing through the high street trying things on and hunting for bargains. To ease the process, we’ve come up with a few creative suggestions of our own with the aim of helping you to save both time and money.

School shoes are often one of the hardest items to find. No doubt your little one has a very clear idea of the style he or she wants but whether this a) exists and b) is available on budget is usually a matter of luck. For a wide range of styles and highly competitive prices there are few shops to better New Look. Furthermore, you can always sit the nipper on your knee and get her to choose from the vast selection of footwear available online. With prices like these, you might even find some new school dresses too. Or, of course, a treat for you.

With the return of the school day comes the return of the lunchbox. Often the best way to make sure that your little one eats a good lunch everyday is to provide a variety of foods throughout the week. This, however, can be time consuming, but there are a few shortcuts you can take. If you’re making pasta in the evening, cook a little extra and turn it into a tasty salad with tuna and veggies for the next day. If you have a little time on a rainy weekend, you could always get the kids involved in the lunchbox process by cooking up a batch of flapjacks or brownies that they can nibble over the course of the week ahead.

If you’re looking for ways to encourage the wee ones to improve their reading and develop an interest in books, popular website thebookdepository.com is full of great ideas. Prices are competitive and, best of all, delivery to your door is absolutely free so you can be enjoying your new literary material in no time.