Swim lessons, WWYD?

[Janeway]

The children, just the middle ones, were supposed to take private swim lessons this summer. They did last summer. This person is very popular and opened registration March 1. Last year, I could only get them in for lessons for the last couple weeks of summer as she was so booked. This year, because we had lessons last year, registration opens earlier for existing families. I registered them both for a week of lessons in early June. However, despite signing on by 9:30am that day, most lessons were full that there was only one slot in first summer session and one slot in the second summer session. This person is absolutely wonderful, and she used to be my daughter's preschool teacher and my daughter loved her.

 

I never thought my husband would still be out of a job now, but he is. The lessons are $135 per session, that includes 4 lessons. That means $270 for each child to have a week of lessons. IF I give up their spaces, it is unlikely that I could get them back in later when husband gets a job. Plus, we actually do have the money and the $270 really equals only about half of one months electric bill during the summer. 

 

Part of me thinks, no way. Cancel the lesson. Maybe she can fit them in at the end of the summer of dh has a job.  We need to maintain a spending freeze while husband is unemployed. On the otherhand, I feel like it is only $270 for the two of them and the older boys have been allowed to keep their activities which costs closer to $350 a month or so. 

 

PLUS, it was already in the 80's yesterday. I can see we have a hot grueling summer ahead of us. There are cheaper options in town, but I do not know the quality and there is not a huge price difference. This lady has private lessons where as the other options in town cost over half the cost and are group lessons with 4 kids in each lesson. Basically, this adds up to $33.75 per lesson, each of which is private. And the other places I know of are more like $22.50 per lesson and are group lessons and we have no experience with this places. We do have experience with the town's lessons and they are AWFUL. I would ever use them again. So how much they cost does not matter.

 

What do you think?

[amy g.]

I would not cancel the swim lessons.

[Catwoman]

Why do they have to take lessons?

 

Can't you or your dh teach them to swim?

[PeachyDoodle]

If you can find some way to make it work, I would keep the lessons. Especially if the children enjoy them -- I'm sure you are cutting back plenty as it is. Worst case scenario, if she's that popular, I bet that if you get close to time and find that you just can't afford it, she will have a waiting list and be able to refund your money.

 

We just came through a layoff -- (((hugs))). Hang in there. I know how it is.

[NorthwestMom]

I would not cancel the swim lessons either. You have the money and alternatives are not equal or better. Swimming is a safety issue.

[Arctic Bunny]

I would probably put them in cheap lessons. But then, I'm still not convinced $33 or $22 per hour makes enough of a difference from the $55 per level I pay at the local pool.

[AK_Mom4]

I would cancel the lessons. That's a lot of money for just a few lessons. Not worth it even for a good teacher.

[J-rap]

Can you hold the spots for now, giving yourself more time to think it over?  Maybe by May you'll have a better idea.  If she is in such high demand, I would think she'd be able to fill up two newly cancelled spots easily.  

 

In the meantime, I'd be on the lookout for other, cheaper options.  

[TXBeth]

$135 for four lessons sounds insane to me, especially when unemployed. But so does a $500 electric bill and $350/month for an extra-curricular. So I guess if you have the money set aside and are 100% sure your husband will get a job and you wont need that money for food/rent, you might as well do it.

[Janeway]

$135 for four lessons sounds insane to me, especially when unemployed. But so does a $500 electric bill and $350/month for an extra-curricular. So I guess if you have the money set aside and are 100% sure your husband will get a job and you wont need that money for food/rent, you might as well do it.

We are actually cutting out all extra curricular a for the older kids in the summer. It is just that oldest has been working on his black belt for a long time and tests in May and second child does dance and recital is in May. So it was not good to have either try to drop out midstream.

[PeterPan]

Can you go visit Grandma for a week and take a week of lessons where they are? Around here, you could get 2 full weeks of daily lessons for 1/3 of what you're paying. And it would still be 1:4 worker ratio.

 

And no, I wouldn't be spending that when my dh was unemployed. How long has he been unemployed? You have reason to think that will change soon?

Edited March 19, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[SKL]

I agree with teaching them yourself if you or your husband knows how to swim.

 

Otherwise I think I would wait.

[MistyMountain]

You have a much higher budget then us even unemployed so it hard for me to advise. I guess it would depend on how quickly you think your dh could get a job and how amazing these lessons were. That is a lot of money for 4 lessons. Do these four lessons get kids swimming? None of the lessons my kids had would be catastrophic for my kids to lose out in four lessons but maybe these are especially good. I did post a really good YouTube video series that worked for me when lots of lessons did not for one of my kids.

Edited March 19, 2017 by MistyMountain

[Acorn]

We pay $32 for four lessons. It's with high school instructors, with range of teaching abilities/ enthusiasm. Ratio is 1:4 and two lifeguards watching the pool. It's working, kids are progressing. I can't fanthom what else you would get by paying more.

[cjzimmer1]

I'm in the category of those prices are mind blowing high in my part of the world.  We pay $38 for 8 lessons of 30 minutes.  They are group lessons but it's 2 teachers for the group of 6-7 kids.  I can't imagine that the private lessons are that much more effective.  Also, if I'm remembering correctly your husband has been out of work for a while (a few months at least right?),  the longer he is out the longer it is going to take to find something.  Also there is no guarantee that a future job is going to pay at the same level that his previous job was.  Missing one week of swim lessons isn't going to be a game changer in their ability to learn to swim, but that amount of money could be a game changer if he's out of work long term or his future salary is a fraction of the former one.  I would be holding on to your money now and either find a cheaper option for swimming or just go find some open water and work with them yourself.

[bettyandbob]

I would not commit to lessons if my dh was out of work. I'm a swim instructor and water safety is very important to me. I was not my DC's swim instructor.

 

If summer arrives and dh has a job and there is cash to spend I would:

1. Look for another instructor

2. Sign the kids up for group lessons that meet 4 days a week for a month (all of the kids).

or

3. Buy summer pass and take the kids every single day, coaching them myself for thirty minutes and then have thirty minutes of play.

[bettyandbob]

$135 is on the high side, but outrageous where I live. At one facility I charge $35/30 min lesson.

 

But again I would not commit to spending that kind of money if dh was out of work. I'd start checking to see if my family could get scholarships for lessons at the local rec center.

[mommyoffive]

I guess for private lessons that isn't a lot,

 

Even if you "have" the money, nope I wouldn't spend it.  I would cut everything off that isn't a need.  Swimming is safety yes, but you can find cheaper way to do lessons.

 

You dh has been out of work a while, you have no idea when the next job is really going to come.  And what if you have to move on your own for it?  Or if it for half of what he used to make? 

 

Or a millions of other what ifs

 

 

No.  Look for cheaper options.

 

Pay for a pool pass and take them swimming a lot

teach them yourself

group lessons

do your schools teach this in the summer at all? 

do your swim teams teach lessons? 

 

No and take your kids out of their stuff too.  Save the money.  If and when he gets a job again and you can recover from however this unemployment stint has hit you then look at point them in things

[73349]

Unless I had reason to believe they were at risk of drowning before then (for example, likely attending events around water without you), I'd probably wait and have them take lessons the following summer.

 

I might also tell the instructor your situation and ask her to recommend a teen she's taught who would be able to work at a lower rate (say, $15 a lesson).

[Spryte]

I'd cancel and find group lessons. Or teach them myself. Water safety is huge for me, but not if my DH is out of work. Your DH hasn't been employed for around 6 mos, right? It was a few mos before the holidays? I would not commit to that.

[Wheres Toto]

I'd cancel.  That is extremely expensive and I'm in a super-high COL area.

 

We pay $144 for 14 weeks of group swimming lessons.  Class is usually 4 kids.  

 

You didn't say how old the kids were but they took lessons last summer.  Are they still complete non-swimmers?   If not, I would find a way they can spend a lot of time in a pool and work with them myself.

[Catwoman]

$135 for four lessons sounds insane to me, especially when unemployed. But so does a $500 electric bill and $350/month for an extra-curricular. So I guess if you have the money set aside and are 100% sure your husband will get a job and you wont need that money for food/rent, you might as well do it.

I knew a woman whose dh lost his job and they were 100% convinced he would get a new job right away so they didn't cut back on their lifestyle.

 

18 months later he was still out of work and they almost lost their house because they'd run out of money and could no longer pay the bills. (And only then did both the woman and her dh get desperate and start looking for any kind of part time work they could get -- until that point, they wouldn't demean themselves by getting lower-paying jobs just to stop the bleeding and pay some bills. :svengo: )

 

The guy finally got a job, but their formerly-substantial savings were gone.

 

I know it's mean, but I have to admit that it was kind of hard to feel sorry for them after a while, because they were so arrogant about the whole thing.

 

 

Edited for my usual typos.

Edited March 19, 2017 by Catwoman

[Annie G]

It took me a bit to push aside my initial thought that swim lessons for that price is nuts. Because in your area, I guess it's not. So once I came to terms with that, I still couldn't imagine that if dh was unemployed that we'd be buying swim lessons.  Unemployment means cutting unnecessary expenses in case it's a long time until a suitable job comes around.  You can swim with the kids...maybe one at a time...to keep their skills fresh from last year.  Maybe they won't make progress, but you should be able to help them maintain the skills they already have. 

 

Do your kids swim year round? 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2017 by Annie G

[Artichoke]

If you want to keep the lessons, could you aggressively work on lowering your electric bill?   I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around your $540 number.  MIL who lives in an all electric house and refuses to be either hot or cold in 4000 sq. ft  is usually only in the $250 range with about $300 as the highest.  She does have only three people in the house though.  

 

Could the instructor do a semi-private lesson with your two children for a lower price? 

[rebbyribs]

Another thought, if your middle children are at similar swimming ability, you might see if the teacher could do a semi-private lesson: both kids for, say, $170 during just one session.  

[historically accurate]

I would cancel especially since you are spending quite a bit on extras (even though they are for different kids) at the moment. You said it's only half an electric bill - I say, "that's half an electric payment!". Is there a local park district that you could get a pool pass for the summer? That would get you out of the house, meaning you wouldn't have to keep the AC at the same level thus bringing down that electric bill a hair, and you could practice their swimming skills.  

[Janeway]

If you want to keep the lessons, could you aggressively work on lowering your electric bill?   I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around your $540 number.  MIL who lives in an all electric house and refuses to be either hot or cold in 4000 sq. ft  is usually only in the $250 range with about $300 as the highest.  She does have only three people in the house though.  

 

Could the instructor do a semi-private lesson with your two children for a lower price? 

 

We have an only half way functioning a/c now, due to the issues of the scammer that "fixed" our a/c last year. We have a lawyer and are in the middle of litigating right now. We also need a new roof and one of the hot water heaters went out. We have two a/c units. If we replaced the roof, it would likely lower the electric bills. Leaving the one hot water heater not replaced probably has lowered our bills because we do not need to run that one (the plumber did some re-routing to make it so that the second hot water heater was not attached anymore so we can delay replacing). 

[Janeway]

I knew a woman whose dh lost his job and they were 100% convinced he would get a new job right away so they didn't cut back on their lifestyle.

 

18 months later he was still out of work and they almost lost their house because they'd run out of money and could no longer pay the bills. (And only then did both the woman and her dh get desperate and start looking for any kind of part time work they could get -- until that point, they wouldn't demean themselves by getting lower-paying jobs just to stop the bleeding and pay some bills. :svengo: )

 

The guy finally got a job, but their formerly-substantial savings were gone.

 

I know it's mean, but I have to admit that it was kind of hard to feel sorry for them after a while, because they were so arrogant about the whole thing.

 

 

Edited for my usual typos.

This is actually my huge fear.

 

BUT, we did actually cut all expenses except the existing EC (the karate for the black belt and the ballet until the recital is over). We actually managed to keep Christmas for everyone put together at under $500. We cut out organic foods and eating out. We have bought nothing at all new, even though our Samsung washer is acting like it is begging to be replaced and the dryer machine is making an eerie loud sound. Also, when the PC would not load the software DH needed for learning the new computer stuff he needs to learn, instead of purchasing another, we put out an ad for someone who might have a handmedown. And got one! We also dropped preschool. We seem to have managed to cut our bills in half. The severance package was for 3 1/2 months. It has been 4 1/2 months and we still have about half left. I am afraid I will jinx myself, I hate bragging and feel like it looks like I am bragging. But seriously, no more organic foods and no more eating out has really helped. We used to go to the movies and/or take the kids to the movies. No more. We used to rent movies on Amazon, also no more. At Christmas, we used to go to this train display, and sometimes, ride this Christmas train thing, and on rare years, go to "The Ice" and we usually have all sorts of things going on. All that was cancelled. 

 

And sadly, I only gave teacher gift to the outsourced home school teacher. I gave none to the teachers at the public school. 

Edited March 20, 2017 by Janeway

[Catwoman]

This is actually my huge fear.

 

BUT, we did actually cut all expenses except the existing EC (the karate for the black belt and the ballet until the recital is over). We actually managed to keep Christmas for everyone put together at under $500. We cut out organic foods and eating out. We have bought nothing at all new, even though our Samsung washer is acting like it is begging to be replaced and the washer machine is making an eerie loud sound. Also, when the PC would not load the software DH needed for learning the new computer stuff he needs to learn, instead of purchasing another, we put out an ad for someone who might have a handmedown. And got one! We also dropped preschool. We seem to have managed to cut our bills in half. The severance package was for 3 1/2 months. It has been 4 1/2 months and we still have about half left. I am afraid I will jinx myself, I hate bragging and feel like it looks like I am bragging. But seriously, no more organic foods and no more eating out has really helped. We used to go to the movies and/or take the kids to the movies. No more. We used to rent movies on Amazon, also no more. At Christmas, we used to go to this train display, and sometimes, ride this Christmas train thing, and on rare years, go to "The Ice" and we usually have all sorts of things going on. All that was cancelled.

 

And sadly, I only gave teacher gift to the outsourced home school teacher. I gave none to the teachers at the public school.

It's obvious that you and your dh are far more sensible than the family I posted about. You're being as frugal as you can, but it's hard for you to feel like you're depriving your children. I can absolutely understand that. :grouphug:

 

I hope your dh finds a new job soon!

[Mabelen]

I would keep the reservations until the last possible moment when I could still cancel and have the money refunded, hoping employment would come through. If my husband were still unemployed at that point, I would cancel.

[mommyoffive]

This is actually my huge fear.

 

BUT, we did actually cut all expenses except the existing EC (the karate for the black belt and the ballet until the recital is over). We actually managed to keep Christmas for everyone put together at under $500. We cut out organic foods and eating out. We have bought nothing at all new, even though our Samsung washer is acting like it is begging to be replaced and the washer machine is making an eerie loud sound. Also, when the PC would not load the software DH needed for learning the new computer stuff he needs to learn, instead of purchasing another, we put out an ad for someone who might have a handmedown. And got one! We also dropped preschool. We seem to have managed to cut our bills in half. The severance package was for 3 1/2 months. It has been 4 1/2 months and we still have about half left. I am afraid I will jinx myself, I hate bragging and feel like it looks like I am bragging. But seriously, no more organic foods and no more eating out has really helped. We used to go to the movies and/or take the kids to the movies. No more. We used to rent movies on Amazon, also no more. At Christmas, we used to go to this train display, and sometimes, ride this Christmas train thing, and on rare years, go to "The Ice" and we usually have all sorts of things going on. All that was cancelled. 

 

And sadly, I only gave teacher gift to the outsourced home school teacher. I gave none to the teachers at the public school. 

 

 

That is so great that you have half of the severance left.  You are doing a great job bringing down the bills.  Keep it up.  

[Janeway]

That is so great that you have half of the severance left.  You are doing a great job bringing down the bills.  Keep it up.  

Right now, the roof needs replacing. I wasn't going to do that because we do not have the money to pay our portion (insurance pays a portion) but now am wondering if I should just do it because even if I have to put out a few thousand, it might lower our bills enough to come out ahead. Last time we did that, in our old house, our electric bills cut in half.

[HTRMom]

I don't see a purpose in swim lessons. I never had them and swim much better than the average adult because I spent hours every day in the pool, just having fun. Do you have a pool? Or a pool membership? If so, that's all you need. If not, buy a membership instead of lessons.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TravelingChris]

^{We started with public lessons but moved to private since my ADHD kids weren't learning in the group lessons.  Our private lessons were held in private pools.  I can't remember the prices so I can't speak to whether the prices are high or low.  I used former Olympian swimmers and my strongest swimmer used the second set of lessons to become a good enough swimmer to join a swim team years later.  So I do see the value of private lessons. But I still wouldn't be able to spend that money in your circumstances.  I would be in such a panic that I think I would be switching my dinners for everyone to rice and beans.  I have experienced great financial hardship a few times in my life and so my go to in that is to drastically reduce spending to gigantic proportions because that is just one of my great fears.  For you, OP, I would wait to cancel if you can do that without penalty to closer to the swim class times.}  

 

As to your roof, weren't you asking about jobs in other parts of the country and are you still looking to move?  IF so, and you will need to sell the house, the roof probably does need to get done and better that you get the insurance to pay for some of that. If you aren't moving, I don't know whether that is as important a priority now.

[StephanieZ]

Well, my first instinct was to cancel the lessons because they sound pricey and you could have more fun in the cool water just going to an inexpensive pool or lake for half a day with the whole gang . . .

 

BUT, reading how much progress you've made in cutting your expenses . . . I have to say I'm very impressed. You're doing great. You clearly are on top of things and are doing the hard work of cutting your expenses as much as you can w/o making all of you miserable.

 

SO . . . I say, it's totally up to you. :) You can make this call!! Neither direction is gonna' make or break your budget with this one small issue. You've got the big concepts and big expenses in hand, so you are free to have a little wiggle room! You've earned it!
 

That said, I do think **I'd** rather spend $15-20 twice a week *all summer* taking all the kids to a local lake or pool for a half day picnic-n-swim instead of spending 30+ per lesson for one kid . . . Those lessons can be gotten in another summer, or not at all. Playtime in a pool or lake will give the kids huge opportunities to hone their swimming skills, and would be a much better use of limited resources, IMHO. Besides, when my budget was very tight, I'd prioritize x-c activities that gave the kids either a precious/rare personal opportunity (progressing in a skill/art they were very talented in and dedicated to) and/or were important socially (boy scouts, book club, etc.). Since these private swim lessons don't meet either of those criteria, they'd be low priority for me. I'd redirect the money to more critical goals, personally. 

Edited March 20, 2017 by StephanieZ

[Catwoman]

Right now, the roof needs replacing. I wasn't going to do that because we do not have the money to pay our portion (insurance pays a portion) but now am wondering if I should just do it because even if I have to put out a few thousand, it might lower our bills enough to come out ahead. Last time we did that, in our old house, our electric bills cut in half.

If it's not leaking, I would wait.

 

Can you add some more insulation in the attic, if you think the roof is letting too much cold (or hot) air into the house?

[mommyoffive]

Right now, the roof needs replacing. I wasn't going to do that because we do not have the money to pay our portion (insurance pays a portion) but now am wondering if I should just do it because even if I have to put out a few thousand, it might lower our bills enough to come out ahead. Last time we did that, in our old house, our electric bills cut in half.

 

Such a hard call. 

 

I hate being in that situation.   I really feel for you as this last year has just been so much for you guys.  Your dh's job and the A/C scam and now the roof.

 

That is your 3.

[Jennay]

I think learning to swim is very important but I wouldn't pay those prices, especially with the job situation.

Can they swim at all?

If so, I'd look for a summer swim team at a local pool and investigate the pre-team. Even in our HCOL area, our pre-team (five days a week for about 6 weeks) is $150 for one child. My children have made tremendous progress when they swim every day.