Five clever ways to save cash and keep your kids’ school uniforms fresh, clean and smart for longer

GETTING kids kitted out for the new term can cost a fortune, so make sure you keep school clothes in good condition. A few simple habits can help uniforms stay fresh, clean and smart for longer. Use our top tips to keep your kids’ school uniforms going for longer Credit: Getty Save on costly replacements with these tips . . . HANG IT ALL: One of the easiest ways to make a uniform last is to get children into the habit of changing out of it as soon as they get home. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! And encourage them to hang their clothes up. Crumpled clothes will look tattier and often they end up being put in the laundry basket sooner, costing you more in energy bills. SPORTING CHANCE: PE clothes get whiffy after days at the bottom of a bag. Get kids into the habit of unpacking their kit as soon as they get home. READ MORE MONEY SAVING TIPS If it’s extra-pongy, add half a cup of bicarbonate of soda to the machine with your usual detergent. And a paste made from bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar makes short work of stubborn sweat patches. STAIN PAIN: Grass, mud, ink and make-up can all wreak havoc on school clothes, so it pays to keep a stain remover in your cleaning cupboard. Stardrops The Pink Stuff Miracle Laundry Oxi Stain Remover, 500ml, gets good reviews and is £1.50 at Sainsbury’s. Most read in Money For trickier marks, try Dr Beckmann Stain Devils, £2.99, dr-beckmann.com. KEEP WHITES WHITE: White shirts, socks and PE tops can turn dull after repeated washing. Do whites separately from coloured clothing to keep them bright and avoid cramming too much into the machine. If a white top has a colourful logo, a colour catcher is the answer. A pack of 40 Dylon Colour Catcher sheets costs £3.75 with a Nectar card at Sainsbury’s, down from £4.90. MARK-IT DAY: Avoid clothes disappearing into the lost-property pile by naming everything before term starts. You can get a Haber laundry pen with labels at Asda for £1.48. Mark stationery with a dab of nail varnish, so kids can put the right things back in their pencil case. All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability Deal of the day Don’t miss these Apple AirPods (4th generation) in Argos’s tech sale Credit: Argos PICK up Apple AirPods (4th generation) in Argos’s tech sale, down from £119 to £95.20 with code RED20. SAVE: £23.80 Cheap treat Save on these Angel Delight’s mango jelly and passion fruit bubble dessert snack pots GET pop for your pound with Angel Delight’s mango jelly and passion fruit bubble dessert snack pots, down from £2.85 to £2 for four at Morrisons. Also available in strawberry, blueberry or lemonade flavours. SAVE: 85p What’s new? Get 20 per cent off at selected Scottish hotels FANCY a break north of the border? Leonardo Hotels’ Advantage Club members get 20 per cent off if they book getaways to selected Scottish hotels before 8am tomorrow. You can join for free. Top swap Grab this rechargeable lamp for £29.99 Credit: laura-james.co.uk Or pick up the Livarno cordless LED lamp for less Credit: Lidl SWITCH on the rechargeable lamp, currently £29.99 from laura-james.co.uk or light up your life with the Livarno cordless LED lamp, £8.99 from Lidl (£6.99 for Lidl Plus members). SAVE: Up to £23 Little helper Get half-price on selected fruit and veg at Sainsbury’s NECTAR card users at Sainsbury’s can get half-price on selected fruit and veg. Deal includes sweetcorn, peppers, mushrooms and British baby gem potatoes. Shop & save This UA Studio Lite bag is down from £36 to £25.20 GREAT for gym bunnies, the UA Studio Lite bag is down from £36 to £25.20 at underarmour.co.uk. It comes in a range of colours. SAVE: £10.80 Hot right now BUY a 20-pack of Walkers assorted crisps for £3.50 at Iceland – reduced from £5.25, saving you £1.75. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 Join thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we’re giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers – whether you’re saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket. The more codes you enter, the more tickets you’ll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!