OT: Expensive Kids Activities

[Julia M]

I'm just wondering how parents budget for kids activities, when it starts getting expensive. How do you save money?

Also, how do you reconcile the expense? Really, the expenses would pay for a great vacation every year, or 1/2 years tuition at the Catholic high school my son wants to attend. ANy thoughts??

Here's how I save money. Do you have any other suggestions?

I pay my dd's team fees up front, in September, and i am given one month free (worth $65)

I try to buy costumes at a discount, like on clearance, or from ebay, and stone them myself (if they need it). I buy stones from ebay also.

I don't automatically use the "recommended" hotel.....I usually find something else. I also travel with another parent, which saves gas.

I search for airfares when it's time for Nationals, and work to get a good rental car rate.

Thanks

Julia

Things I haven't been able to save on include private lessons, the team costume, the team makeup, registration fees.

 

[HaleyB]

Funny you should ask. We just had a huge debate over this. Some parents wanted to be able to do fund raising where if you sold more you got some sort of credit towards fees (this was for Cub Scouts) others thought it was unfair because the kids that sold the most often were the ones most able to pay...

When I was in HS I had to earn money for things. I babysat a lot. Kids can and should pay for their activities at some point. We used to get sports equipment for Christmas gifts...

As far as vacation vs Private school.. well that is a personal budget choice.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

We're starting to face this problem too, now that are kids are a little older they want to try EVERYTHING! We have 3 old enough for activities now so we limit them to one sport and one activity at a time (that's also to make sure they have playtime and time for good schoolwork). DD does karate and girl scouts and two DS's do boy scouts which I had no idea would cost $35 apiece just to sign them up!!! Girl scouts was only $10. One DS is also in a bowling league and will play basketball and baseball.

So far the only way I've found to save any money on it is to buy uniforms on ebay instead of from the places. I'm going to start looking for the scout uniforms today. I saved $15 getting my dd's karate uniform that way.

I've heard of people asking grandparents and other relatives to pay for some of the classes/lessons as a Christmas or b-day gift, but I've never been comfortable doing that.

I'd love to hear what others have done. These things are so expensive!!

 

[funnygarcia]

My oldest DS entered junior high this year.
It was hard to part with all the extra $$ , all in September :

activity fees($50 per season per sport-- non competing team)
equipment (most of it provided by the school but had to get a few items $50) band instrument (flute , paid off what was left over from rental $278) maintainence fee per year on flute ($45)
books ($10 band, $15 assignment book)
school supplies beyond what we have had in elementary school (additional $40)

Plus since he is not around afterschool (football practice) had additonal expense of child care for a few hours for 9 yr old ($72 per month- 50 % off full price as I work at the day care).

Some of those expenses will be deducted/credited on my state taxes.

Thankfully we get a nice property tax rebate in late August so that paid for the extra expenses and for some extra savings to set aside for next season sports.

Not sure if I want him to participate in competing teams in high school.. or at least he could do the ones that don't have as much equipment.. like swimming LOL

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Not sure if I want him to participate in competing teams in high school.. or at least he could do the ones that don't have as much equipment.. like swimming LOL

I like that idea

 

[LisaNJ25]

I never go overbaord with the kids activities. Some parents have their kids in everything.

My son always played 1 sport in the spring and fall. Average was $40 each season.

My daughter plays soccer each season and also girls scouts. Soccer is $45 for the fall season and $25 for the spring. Girls scounts is $35 for the year.

 

[Julia M]

well, I guess I was thinking more in line of kids in expensive sports, at a competitive level.

We sell cookie dough twice a year, and luckily, I have a few people (regulars) who buy quite a bit. We also have a garage sale once a year, and everyone who donates and help at it split the profits. I always ask a bunch of friends to donate extra stuff....the more to sell the better.

I also set aside $400 per month for expenses.....some months it's more, and other's it's less.....but I need to save for Nationals.

I guess I was wondering how people in this situation do it.......I am always looking for new ideas!

Thanks

Julia

 

[sln88]

I am in this boat too. I have always tried to keep the kids involved in activites to keep them out of trouble and so that they can have something they enjoy and are proud of themselves for.

But sometimes I wonder if the $ would be better off spent elsewhere. Hockey is the current sport and for each of 2 boys it is $1000 just for fees(that does not include hotels, equipment, etc) My daughter was in competitive dance for years and that was very expensive for awhile. I got lucky when she went to a public school that had a dance program.

It is a tough call. I guess I was never involved in much of anything when I was a kid and think I made some bad choices because of that. I am hoping that keeping them focused on something positive will keep them on the straight and narrow.

A bumber sticker for our hockey organizaton is "a kid on ice is never in hot water"
Lets hope that is true!

 

[Julia M]

I am in this boat too. I have always tried to keep the kids involved in activites to keep them out of trouble and so that they can have something they enjoy and are proud of themselves for.

A bumber sticker for our hockey organizaton is "a kid on ice is never in hot water"
Lets hope that is true!

That's a cute quote!

That is true, though.....the "big girls" my daughter meets are often great kids and wonderful role models...I'd be happy if my dd turn out like hem

Julia

 

[Vickie46]

I think kids things are expensive... we pay 85.00 a season for my daughter to play socceroos... if she did ballet.. it would be around 45 a month.. mom and me art would be 35.00 .. we just can't do it all...

 

[barkley]

i guess we are the lucky ones-our 2 don't participate in any activities. they have mentioned it from time to time but if they don't bring it up again i don't feel that they have a major interest to do it.

i am always shocked at the fees associated with kid's activities! i understand that there are operational costs, but it gets completely out of hand with alot of the things (dancing classes that require participation in a show with costumes that can run $100???, scouting/pathfinders that require specific uniforms for meetings and a second for "dress events"???). it just seems to preclude alot of kids from being able to participate.

as far as the private school vs activities. i agree it's a personal decision. my kids attend a private school and we feel it is a tremendous investment in their future. we do eliminate other items from our lifestyle in order to support this (we take big family vacations every other or every 2 years-and this is only do-able because we have a dvc membership). our kids still get to do special things like a week at sleepaway camp each summer (a church sponsored camp that costs a great deal less than the norm) just not as often as they would probably like.

As far as a highschooler wanting to attend a private catholic school (you did not indicate if he was currently attending a private school so i am just going to guess "maybe not") remember that the expenses will be much more than the tuition. there are books, supplies, entry fees, registration fees, activity fees...the list goes on and on (i know many parents who pay more for the "extras" than their tuition ever comes near). but again it's a personal decision on your part. i would just take into consideration what financial assistance you want to be able to provide when the child attends college-will attending this high school (or a child's participation in any type of activites) place a financial burden on your ability to help in the future.

on the general issue of kids activities that run $$$$, i think i would have to personaly (1) consider what financial burden it placed on my family currently (and is it preventing us from saving, financing retirement, financing college) and (2) am i "setting my child up" to develop a passion for an activity we/they cannot reasonably afford to continue on with (we have a large number of young equestrians, ice skaters, and "pay for participation" kid actors in our area, many of which are devistated when the money dries up or they become adults and cannot afford to continue).

 

[Skatermom23]

well, I guess I was thinking more in line of kids in expensive sports, at a competitive level.

We sell cookie dough twice a year, and luckily, I have a few people (regulars) who buy quite a bit. We also have a garage sale once a year, and everyone who donates and help at it split the profits. I always ask a bunch of friends to donate extra stuff....the more to sell the better.

I also set aside $400 per month for expenses.....some months it's more, and other's it's less.....but I need to save for Nationals.

I guess I was wondering how people in this situation do it.......I am always looking for new ideas!

Thanks

Julia

I know how you feel! My DD figure skates and between private lessons, ice time, outfits, skates... it is enough to make your head spin. Thankfully, she seems to be pulling back some. We did set a limit on competitions. We don't travel to any far away places and we don't do the off ice training and a lot of the camps she "should" be doing. It is easier to do this since it isn't a team situation. We can pick and choose. She was approached to join a team and after looking at what was required financially, we decided to pass.

 

[ntburns22]

My DD5 started competitve cheer a couple weeks ago. First off I'll start by saying all the other girls are younger then her. So this may help us in the long run meaning fewer competions. For a competition her fees will range anywhere from $20-$50. They are planning on going to atleast 2. Her shoes are going to be around $40 and her outfit will be anywhere from $75-$200. I am hoping for the cheaper version. Her class itself costs $200 for a 9 month session. I have been stashing money away for her uniform since she said she wanted to do this. It is just hard which jar to put the extra money in Disney or cheer.

 

[crisi]

We tell them they can't. I don't choose to spend my time or my money at that level.

Life is about choices - if they participate at that level, they don't have time for other things, and I don't have money for it either. My priorities are their college, our retirement, and if I'm really lucky, having enough to kick start their early lives with a downpayment on their homes. I think that will give them more than competative sports.

They do play soccer and baseball through park and rec.

 

[scrappinmom]

My oldest dd (11) is a competitive ice skater....this summer she wanted to try out for the new Theatre on Ice team, we told her she could do one or the other. I couldn't pay for 10 competitions per year plus theatre. She chose to take her prelim freeskate test and just do theatre until she can get her axel. She doesn't really participate in anything else. Band & Chorus at school, but those are bother free (minus the oboe, but I bought it on ebay last year). She doesn't get an allowance...whenever she asks why because this friend or that friend do get one...we simply tell her that we could give her a nice allowance, but then she'd have to pay for her coach ($350/month) or her ice time ($200/month) or maybe even her new pair of skates ($650...about once a year). That immeidately keeps her quiet! I sell stuff on ebay to pay for some of her stuff, I do little odd jobs every once in awhile. Our youngest dd skates and plays soccer, both rec..so it's pretty inexpensive compared to older dd. We still take one or two vacations every year, that comes out of hubbys bonus money. It takes making some choices, but all my dd ever wanted to do was skate, so it's worth it to us, she can take it wherever she wants to...I will support her, but not force her to reach her goals.