Balik-Eskwela na naman! The thrill of picking out fresh notebooks, colorful pens, and cool backpacks can make the start of the school year feel like an adventure, but parents know what's coming: the long shopping list, a pile of bills and the fear of being bitin with back-to-school preparations.

But who’s to say that starting the school year has to drain your savings? With a touch of creativity and a bit of diskarte, you can kick off the academic year on a high note by making the most of what you have and managing your resources wisely.

Repurpose and Reimagine

To avoid the pitfalls of overbuying, before going on a shopping frenzy, unleash your creativity and go through what you already own. Revisit your shopping list and hold off on purchasing anything that’s not needed right now, doesn’t have to be new, or won’t have a big impact on your child’s education. Back-to-school shopping doesn’t have to be done all in one go!

Create and Collaborate

Back-to-school preparations don’t have to be a solo mission – get crafty and involve your kids. When buying bags and clothes, pick out options that fall within your price range for your kids to choose from. This way, you stay within budget and still empower your kids to make decisions they’re excited about.

Research, Research, and Research

Knowledge is power, especially during the back-to-school mayhem. Before buying a new gadget, read up beforehand to find one with the right specs that fit your kids' needs and your budget. Most of the time, the latest devices are souped up with features your child will never use. Take time to look for available discounts and installment plans to help manage costs.

Navigate School Expenses with GCash

While making the most of what you have can go a long way, the reality is that there will be times when you will still come up short, especially with higher prices and bigger expenses. In these instances, having a reliable and flexible financial partner that understands your struggles and offers a suite of solutions is crucial. And the best part? It’s already at your fingertips.

Amid simultaneous and urgent school expenses, finance superapp GCash offers lending solutions to help with education costs.

“Resourcefulness has always been in the blood of Filipino parents and breadwinners. We see you work tirelessly just to give your kids the best school year possible,” said XP Villa, Product Head of GGives. “At GCash, we want to honor that dedication by offering a helping hand when you need it most, so you can spend the back-to-school season making great memories with your kids.”

With GCash's GLoan, eligible borrowers can access loans ranging from PHP 1,000 to PHP 125,000. For select GLoan customers, this can be received straight to their GCash wallet within 24 hours of submission for pre-approved loans. This can be used for expenses such as tuition fees before the school term begins and can be paid with flexible payment terms of 5 to 24 months. Additionally, eligible borrowers can apply for multiple loans.

Meanwhile, GGives provides a solution for big-ticket purchases with light and flexible installments that allow partial payments of up to 24 months, all with zero down payments. GGives is accepted at over 110,000 GGives-enabled merchants nationwide, making it possible to purchase gadgets such as laptops and tablets and even other big-ticket items such as study tables and pay for them in installments without paying any downpayment or fees from their GCash wallet. GGives can also be used to pay for tuition fees of select universities using the Pay Bills feature on GCash.

GCredit, powered by CIMB, offers a credit line of up to Php 50,000 for eligible users, which can be used to pay for school supplies, groceries and other back-to-school essentials at over 100,000 GCredit-enabled stores and billers nationwide. With a prorated interest rate of as low as 0.17% daily, GCredit users get charged low interest if they pay earlier. Additionally, GCredit allows users to pay as low as 10% of their dues on their billing and/or due date.

“Every Filipino child deserves a chance to reach their full potential in the classroom. Our lending products are our way of helping empower families during this exciting milestone of back-to-school season,” said Villa.

To be eligible for GLoan, GGives, and GCredit, users must have a fully verified GCash profile and must continue using GCash and its services, such as maintaining a high wallet balance, regularly cashing in and paying your dues early or on time.

Access GLoan, GGives, and GCredit through your GCash dashboard or find it under “Borrow.” No GCash yet? Download the GCash App on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei App Gallery! Kaya mo, i-GCash mo!