Several hundred euros quickly: That's how expensive it is to start school

Created: 06/09/2022, 16:02

By: Raphael Scherer

"We have everything there, from elementary school to vocational school," says Karen Schiöberg-Fey from the Aßlinger book and stationery store.

She gives an "anti-stress discount." © Stefan Rossmann

On September 13th it starts for many first graders: A visit to the Aßlingen stationery shop, where they are busy stocking up for the new school year.

Aßling – Karen Schiöberg-Fey already has her hands full in her book and stationery shop in Aßling in the morning.

One mother after the other handed the handle to the next.

After all, dozens of students want to be stocked with the necessary materials for the start of school on September 13th.

It will be expensive, especially for the first graders, after all, everything has to be bought new.

And the selection is large: pencils alone come in a wide variety of designs.

Thick, thin, hard, soft, from the classic wooden design to the pen-like wrap for a better grip.

"We have everything there, from elementary school to vocational school," says Schiöberg-Fey, presenting the inventory with a proud smile and a sweeping gesture.

Anti-Stress Discount aims to make it easier for everyone

Ink cartridges - neatly stacked.

© Stefan Rossmann

When school starts, most elementary schools issue a list of what newcomers must have in their satchels, explains Schiöberg-Fey.

One option for the parents is then to rush through the store and collect one by one themselves.

With the hustle and bustle in the stationery store, this can sometimes become confusing and also means stress for the employees, according to the managing director.

That's why she offers the "anti-stress discount": Parents can hand in their shopping list to the staff and pick up the ready-packed bag a short time later - and that too with a ten percent discount.

"That saves time and avoids stress for everyone," says Schiöberg-Fey.

Cheap pens are often the worst

Crayons on the shelf: the cheapest are the most expensive, says retailer Karen Schiöberg-Fey.

© Stefan Rossmann

She is currently looking for the materials for a future first grader from Tuntenhausen (Rosenheim district).

Two soft pencils, a set of colored pencils, eraser, ruler, highlighter, scissors, glue stick and sharpener are required here as material for the pencil case.

“Colored pencils are always a topic: the most expensive ones are the cheap ones from the discount store.

You throw them away pretty soon," she says.

A set of premium colored pencils costs around 20 euros, and if you run out of your favorite color sooner, you can buy individual pens for 1.99 euros.

Erasers and rulers start at one euro, the smallest glue stick costs 1.89 euros and the largest 4.39 euros.

Sharpeners start at three euros, scissors at almost four.

And depending on the quality, there is always room for improvement.

Paper price increase foreseeable

Huge selection of exercise books: First graders usually get a list for the initial equipment.

© Stefan Rossmann

The shopping list continues with the notebooks: for German alone, you need one DIN A4 notebook, two DIN A5 notebooks, each including a cover, and a pad.

According to Schiöberg-Fey's experience, the children need between six and 15 different exercise books and pads, depending on the school.

"A booklet costs 99 cents and the price increase is foreseeable," says the woman from Aßling.

Actually, she should have raised the prices now, she explains with a sigh, but she still wants to wait until school starts: "Paper prices are exploding because the paper factories have switched to cardboard boxes, because during the pandemic people were ordering like crazy," she explains.

Accordingly, the classic paper is becoming scarcer and more expensive.

"And the general price increase is not leaving us unaffected either," adds the woman from Aßling.

First graders quickly cost 300 euros

This pencil case costs almost 30 euros.

© Stefan Rossmann

The only thing missing for a fully equipped first grader is the equipment for art lessons: wax crayons, water color box, as well as several brushes and drawing pads.

In the end, you can quickly add up to 100 euros for the purchase, Schiöberg-Fey knows and points to the already packed bags behind the counter.

Here a third grader's bag with stationery for 54 euros, there a 93 euro first grader's kit.

Then there is a satchel for at least 150 euros, a pencil case for at least 20 euros (the three-tiered pencil case popular with first graders from 30 euros), a pencil case for around 10 euros and a school cone for 10 euros (homemade) or ready-made (from 50 euros) in addition, a first grader can quickly cost his parents 300 euros.

Nevertheless, according to the stationery dealer Schiöberg-Fey, the difference in quality is more serious than the difference in price: "After all, the children should also have clever tools," explains the woman from Aßling, packing the bag behind the counter ready to be picked up.

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