How South African families are coping with back-to-school expenses

EVERY January, South African families brace themselves for the financial and emotional strain of back-to-school preparations.

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EVERY January, South African families face the daunting challenge of back-to-school costs. This opinion piece explores the financial strain parents endure and highlights their resilience through budgeting strategies and creative planning. | FILE

The 1Life Insurance annual Back-to-School Survey for 2026 confirms what many parents already know: this season is one of the most stressful on the household calendar. A staggering 95% of respondents admitted that preparing for the academic year was stressful, underscoring the emotional toll that education costs continue to place on families.

The survey reveals that 80% of households experience financial setbacks during this period, often forcing compromises that undermine long-term wealth-building goals.

While this figure is slightly better than last year’s 88%, the reality remains that school uniforms and fees are still the most expensive items for 62% of parents, followed by stationery at 28%, and extramural activities, transport, and food at 9%. Only 1% of respondents said these costs were not a concern.