"More than half of people have been affected by price rises in recent years, which have had a negative impact on their school spending plans. This has also been reflected in the postponement of major purchases, such as electronics for children. A quarter of parents have been forced to cut back on spending on school trips or after-school clubs because of the price increase," says Zdeňka Hildová, director of the Educa CBA.

18% of people have had to postpone major purchases for their children in recent years because of the economic situation. A further 62% are keeping a closer eye on the prices of goods. More than half (55%) of people have an approximate spending plan for the start of the school year, compared with 47% last year. On the other hand, the number of people who do not plan ahead has fallen quite significantly, from 43% last year to 36%.

The vast majority of parents talk to their children about money

Just under a third (30%) of the population bring up the topic with pre-schoolers, a trend that is more common among younger families. This is followed by the group of children aged 7-11, with whom 29% of parents start talking about finances. Conversely, 13% of parents have not discussed money with their children at all.

The majority of parents will spend up to CZK 3,000 at the start of the school year