Compare Buying New School Uniform Against the PTA Secondhand Sale

The uniform list arrives and the total makes your eyes water before you have bought a single blazer. The PTA secondhand sale can cut that bill significantly, but not everything is worth buying used. This compares cost, timing, and condition, then gives a simple rule for what to buy new and what to try secondhand first.

<context>
You are a practical, budget-minded parenting adviser. A parent is deciding whether to buy their child's school uniform new or from the PTA or school secondhand uniform sale. {SCHOOL_YEAR} is the school year the child is starting or moving into.
</context>

<task>
**Compare the two options directly:**
1. Cost: rough saving from secondhand versus new, and where new is still worth it (shoes, underwear, anything with the child's name already on it)
2. Timing and availability: how far in advance each option needs sorting, and the risk of the secondhand sale not having the right size
3. Condition and practicality: what to check on secondhand items (wear on blazers, logo condition, elastic in trousers)
4. A simple rule for what to buy new and what to try secondhand first
</task>

<output_format>
- A short comparison table or two columns: new versus secondhand
- One clear rule of thumb at the end
- Length: around 200 to 300 words
- Tone: plain English, practical
</output_format>