The real cost of outside activities (a mini rant)

[StephanieZ]

This is not how we experienced scouts. BUT you have to be proactive. Several things:

 

1. The boy will only wear one outfit, no matter how long the camping trip. Any other outfits you send will come home untouched. So don't stress about having the perfect outfit three times over.

 

LOL, this is entirely true. Even for weeklong camp!! It is also true that they will not brush their teeth the entire trip (so make sure they are well brushed the day they leave & return!)

 

2. Always assume that anything you send camping may not come home at all, and if it does come home may, er, be somewhat different. That is, you may send A hat, and you may get back A hat, but it may not be the SAME hat. Do not spend a fortune on any particular item, if you can possibly avoid it. Don't be afraid to send cargo pants that arestained, frayed at the bottom and have a hole in them - if they weren't that way at the start, they will surely be when they come home. (And that means your son had a great time!)

 

This is also entirely true. At camp last summer, ds left: fishing pole, camera, tackle box, hat, and a brand-new Land's End rain jacket that I never actually saw on his body. . .and I'm sure a few things I never found out were missing. We were able to track down everything except the jacket. I'm still steaming about the jacket. I'm learning to send the oldest/cheapest stuff we have that will do the job needed.

 

3. Due to 1&2, the thrift shop is your friend. Make regular visits, scooping up tech clothing in any size above your boy's current size. I've even gotten uniform shorts and uniform shirts at thrift shops.

 

Hand-me-downs are a huge help if you know anyone!

 

4. Talk to the scout leaders. They won't know your feelings if you don't tell them.

 

5. Scouts is mainly run by men. Now, no offense to men implied, but for many of them, they live a life where, when they need something (a shirt, t.p., whatever), it's right there, because someone else is taking care of that for them (wife, mom). They have no idea that when they write "bring three outfits" how much work/money that simple statement causes. Chances are, if you talk to them, they didn't really mean that the 3 outfits were essential.

 

6. Start a clothing and equipment exchange program in your troop. Families are only too happy to donate old scout stuff. We put ours out at each quarterly court of honor, and people can take what they need. Boots, cargo pants, uniform parts, etc. It saved us a ton of money over the years.

 

7. eBay. I have gotten shorts for summer camp for significantly less than the "new" price.

 

8. Ask, every time, if you actually need each item on the list. My son didn't need uniform pants for several years. We got belts and hats as hand-me-downs.

 

9. Befriend a mom who has had a son in the troop for a while. They'll give you the inside scoop every time.

 

Scouts is well worth it for the right kid, and it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Speak up, and let your concerns be known.

 

My son's troop is very reasonable about expectations & requirements. Pack lists for camps/backpack/even winter camping are very reasonable. Nothing like what PP described!

[myfunnybunch]

Ugh. No kidding. Choir= Tuition + uniform costs+ trip costs + volunteer time. Karate= Tuition + uniform + test fees + (optional but fun) activity fees. The "hidden cost" that I have the hardest time with isn't necessarily money, but the time.

 

My ds looked over my shoulder as I was reading an email from his choir director, asking if any kids wanted to audition for a children's theater production. "I want to do THAT!"

 

There's the tuition.

 

The practices, 3-4 days a week.

 

The volunteer time measuring kids and making costumes and setting up the stage and selling tickets and posting flyers.

 

Additional costume costs for tights and shoes and "public underwear".

 

I'm not exactly complaining, because for my son the benefits of participating in theater have been amazing. But it's been a time suck that I didn't anticipate. Although, to be fair, I do volunteer in positions that make me very aware that without parent volunteers and willingness to cover the extra expenses, these organizations wouldn't be able to make it financially, but still.....I'm tired.

 

Cat

[Ginevra]

What activities have you found that require you to sign over your child's life to that activity? Which require only what you thought you were signing up for? Which activities had hidden costs?

 

I hear what you're saying. I have usually spotted out activities that were going to be like this, though. Gymnastics was headed this way, but I could see how it was going to be. DD was asked to be "pre-team" when she was 5yo. Well, that was going to be 2 practices a week and I think something like $55/month. But, looking at the parental information packet, I could see it would be an unbelievable commitment down the road. You could say they did have "full disclosure," assuming you read the packet. Once they get to team, they practice hours a day; they then call the price "tuition" - an appropriate term, since I could send her to a private school for that amount! Warm-up outfits were listed as over $100 each. There were also coach fees for every competition. I could see that it was not for us.

 

When dd was in a community chorus, it was a pretty big commitment, too, but also full disclosure. There wasn't anything really big lurking behind, although there were opportunities that cost a lot in both time and money. (For example, going on a singing trip to Estonia.) The thing that wore me out with chorus was that they were so serious about not missing any practices during the 9-month session. They were very strict about it. It bugged me, even though I am big on showing up for the commitments you make!

Edited January 15, 2011 by Quill

[mom2scouts]

I'd like to add some points about Scouts. DH is an Eagle Scout and our oldest is also an Eagle. Our other three sons are in Scouts. What askPauline said is all very true. The boys rarely change their clothes at camp. They just need a few weather appropriate clothes in case they get muddy or wet. As for expensive camping equipment, dh got his backpack, camp stove and sleeping bag when he was about 15 and he's STILL USING THEM at the age of 51. Good equipment can last for many years. We tell parents what they really need and give them options of how they can rent or use what they have.

 

We are Cub Scout leaders and we hold a parent information meeting before anyone signs up. We have a very low initial fee and we let parents know that other activities will have a small charge. They can help keep those prices down by helping make our one fundraiser (popcorn) successful. We work very hard to keep prices low and most of our leaders donate much of the supplies and equipment we use. We also pass out a planned schedule for the year so parents know how often we expect to meet, but many other optional activities come up during the year. If there are things you are unhappy about, get involved with the troop committee. We tell people not to complain if they don't show up at planning meetings to give their opinion. If they do complain about how something is run, I'll gladly put them in charge of that activity!

 

Boys who go to camp do have a better opportunity to earn badges. It's very hard to earn things like rifle, shotgun, wilderness survival, swimming, climbing, horseback riding, hiking, archery, small boat sailing, canoeing or many other badges at monthly meetings.

[cin]

I sure hope nobody in our group is on here, but here goes...American Heritage Girls has been a HUGE drain and disappointment. I soooo should have ran after the information meeting. First off, there is a fundraiser. I was able to 'buy out' of that. For $20/person. We bought the uniforms, there's a national fee and a local troop fee. And they take you to within an inch of getting a badge, and then you have to finish it up at home. And it's usually a long or arduous task. Then they had an overnighter, at which they showed a movie that we had already nixed for her. We didn't even know they were SHOWING a movie.

 

We are due to take a snack in a couple of weeks, and I think after that, we'll be quietly dropping into the background, and fading off into the sunset.:leaving:

[Mommee & Baba]

I felt so terrible after homeschooling from day one and not having my children involved in anything. We don't play with the neighborhood kids because of how their households are. We don't go to play groups. We don't go to the YMCA and do other costly acitivites. We simply can't budget it right now. So finally I gave into the idea of Girl Scouts last year and after signing up...I ended up spending over $300!! The cost of the troop, the uniforms x2, the book x2 and the badges...and bringing snacks and then we did gift exchanges for the holiday...ect...it was VERY unexpected and I didn't want to pull the girls but it was getting expensive..then I ended up buying cookies from them both so they could atleast earn the badge!! After the troop leader and I had a falling out about the meetings times and starting early and my girls missing out on the entire thing but snack time we pulled from the troop. Needless to say we were owed our money back for the troop cost and we never got it :( So I gave up on the whole Girl Scouts thing.

 

But thankfully we've now got the girls into Awana (FREE!! No costs...I asked ahead of time) and Girls in Action and Mission Friends...all cost NOTHING!! And my girls LOVE it and it's through a great Church we attend.

 

So no more falling for the guilt because guilt costs ALOT of time, stress and money!

[JennifersLost]

We've cut way back on activities over the years, but the one thing that kills me is the pressure we get because we don't send our son who is in karate to every meet out there.

 

After much pressure we sent him to a provincial meet. $300+ for one weekend.

 

Immediately afterward we got pressed to send him to another provincial meet at a cost of another $300.

 

He did so well, we were supposed to send him to Nationals. ($5000+!!!!!!)

 

If he had done well there, which we were assured he would, he was supposed to go to Internationals - in PORTUGAL!

 

 

To put this in perspective, we take one family vacation a year (if that). All six of us travel across country to my family's place and spend 5 -8 weeks there - for less than $4,000!

 

We would have spent nearly $10,000 for one kid to go for one week to Portugal.

 

Really? And we're supposed to feel guilty about saying no?