It’s back to school time and boy is it expensive. School fees, uniforms, supplies, clothes, and activity fees can leave you (and your bank account) reeling. I know that you don’t want to cut back on your kids’ fun, so here are some great tips for affording extracurricular activities to make it a little more manageable.
1. Shop Scholarships – If you are considered low-income, you may qualify for public assistance or scholarships that help ease the burden of the cost of the activity.
2. Consider Renting or Buying Used Equipment – Check out music stores for rentals, ask friends/neighbors if they extra equipment you can borrow, try Amazon to see if they have any equipment for cheaper. I have seen amazing deals on Amazon for music equipment like Violins – For under $100!
3. Check with your local Parks and Recreation Department – City-run and non-profit organizations often tend to be more budget friendly than for-profit groups. Check to see if your local park and recreation department offers things like swimming lessons, art lessons, soccer teams, baseball, and even summer camps.
4. Local Universities – We have several local universities around where we live and I found out that they offer swim lessons – at a cheaper price than my local YMCA! For 6 lessons, it was only $60, as compared to over $100 at my local Y. They may also offer other things like music lessons or tutoring – college students are often a good resource for these type of things.
5. Plan Ahead – A great way to thwart the cost if by saving ahead of when you actually will need the money. If your kids are young, start researching the costs now and start saving now. Set aside a sinking fund that you put money into each time you get paid so that way you have money set aside to buy uniforms, or pay for equipment.
6. Limit the Number of Activities – Have kids pick one activity that they really like and invest in that one thing. Maybe you can try one activity a season or take a season off – by doing this you’ll have more time with your family, more time to relax, and a bit more money available to do other things.
7. Shop Around – You can find bargains on equipment and gear by doing research online. See who has the best prices for the things you need. Check the papers to see if there are any coupons or flyers.
8. Don’t Invest Too Much Off The Bat – If your child is young or just starting an extracurricular activity for the first time, consider signing them up first through a park and recreation team before you go the route of an expensive travel league. Make sure they like the sport and are committed to it before purchasing expensive gear for it.
It’s also a good time to make sure that both you and your child want to do all of the activities you are signing them up for. Sometimes kids change their minds but don’t know what their other options are or how to tell their parents. Work together to come up with a solution that works for you, your kids, and your budget! Do you have any tips on saving for your kids’ activities? Leave your tips down in the comments!
Xo
Morgan
