Spending on kids activities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spend $1500/month for my son's fencing. And I take home only $5500. I am a single dad. Some days I regret putting him in fencing because it's clearly too much given my take home pay. Other days I am happy that my son enjoys fencing and brings him joy.

My advice to parents like me who don't make a lot is to be plan well otherwise you will end up spending on a sports that won't give them scholarship for college instead saving that money for college.

But he has been doing it for 6 years now and he likes it.

It's okay. When I die it's not like I am going to be buried with my money. At least I have $0 debt.

My neighbor is from France and his son is amazing in tennis and swimming. He said it cost them very little compared to here.

America is fantastic at monetizing everything.

On a positive note, if you are wealthy and can afford it please support your child and give them whatever they need. They will be very appreciative. My son is really grateful and that alone is enough to keep motivated.

that’s insane to spend 108k on fencing of all things. All i can do is calculate how much down the drain that is for someone at your income
level. and the lost opportunity costs…ooof!

It's not down the drain. His son is having fun and is exercising, making friends, and honing his skills.

He's a single parent with take-home pay of 66K/year who is spending 27%+ of that on that activity. That is fiscally irresponsible. He's spending more than his mortgage should be at that income. The kid can take karate for $125/month and achieve the same "having fun and is exercising, making friends, and honing his skills".

Fencing is a great sport. We spend more on activities and tutoring than our mortgage.

Do you only bring in $66K/year total?

I get it's a great sport. It's also an expensive sport and not one ideal for someone at that income level. I too spent way more than our mortgage on our kids activities. We also had no mortgage after our oldest was 5 years old. It's all relative to your entire budget. But I highly doubt someone with $5500/month can really afford to spend that much on a kid's activity (unless it's medical/therapy that is desperately needed). There are much better and more affordable alternatives to give the same "benefits"

There are lower cost options but if they can make it work why not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spend $1500/month for my son's fencing. And I take home only $5500. I am a single dad. Some days I regret putting him in fencing because it's clearly too much given my take home pay. Other days I am happy that my son enjoys fencing and brings him joy.

My advice to parents like me who don't make a lot is to be plan well otherwise you will end up spending on a sports that won't give them scholarship for college instead saving that money for college.

But he has been doing it for 6 years now and he likes it.

It's okay. When I die it's not like I am going to be buried with my money. At least I have $0 debt.

My neighbor is from France and his son is amazing in tennis and swimming. He said it cost them very little compared to here.

America is fantastic at monetizing everything.

On a positive note, if you are wealthy and can afford it please support your child and give them whatever they need. They will be very appreciative. My son is really grateful and that alone is enough to keep motivated.

that’s insane to spend 108k on fencing of all things. All i can do is calculate how much down the drain that is for someone at your income
level. and the lost opportunity costs…ooof!

It's not down the drain. His son is having fun and is exercising, making friends, and honing his skills.

He's a single parent with take-home pay of 66K/year who is spending 27%+ of that on that activity. That is fiscally irresponsible. He's spending more than his mortgage should be at that income. The kid can take karate for $125/month and achieve the same "having fun and is exercising, making friends, and honing his skills".

Fencing is a great sport. We spend more on activities and tutoring than our mortgage.

Do you only bring in $66K/year total?

I get it's a great sport. It's also an expensive sport and not one ideal for someone at that income level. I too spent way more than our mortgage on our kids activities. We also had no mortgage after our oldest was 5 years old. It's all relative to your entire budget. But I highly doubt someone with $5500/month can really afford to spend that much on a kid's activity (unless it's medical/therapy that is desperately needed). There are much better and more affordable alternatives to give the same "benefits"

There are lower cost options but if they can make it work why not?

Well my definition of "make it work" means you are adequately saving for retirement and college and are debt free except mortgage. And It's highly unlikely someone bringing home $5.5K/month and spending 27% of it on fencing alone is able to do so in the DCUM area (or anywhere really).