How to Get Kids to Play Sports and Not Go Broke
If you’re a parent whose kids play sports, you’ve probably noticed that it costs a lot of money. While in kids football you can get away with a $20 jersey, once they get older and start playing in teams or rehearsing for big shows, you will face much higher participation and equipment fees. From an abundance of hockey gear and baseball helmets (and gloves and cue ball and gloves and a special backpack to carry it all) and new ballet slippers for every growth spurt, parents of athletic kids have to spend something like $700 per child. by sport annually, according to a 2019 survey by the Aspen Institute. Fortunately, there are ways you can support your child’s athletic pursuits without breaking the bank.
There are less expensive sports
While your child’s passion may lie directly in the country of figure skating, it’s worth directing him to sports with less heavy equipment (if those sports suit his personality and interests). According to Money , while ice hockey can cost parents an average of more than $2,500 per child per year (with skis costing $2,250 per child), “sports like flag football, cross-country running, terrain, basketball and football, are among the least expensive, with average annual costs ranging from $268 to $537 per player.”
Also, talk to other parents and league coaches to find out if (and when) there will be a significant jump in the cost of the game. For example, spending may skyrocket at a certain level, or there may be pressure or anticipation to enter the more expensive travel league after a certain age.
Enroll multiple kids in the same sport (and stick to one or two)
Encourage children to follow in the footsteps of their older siblings and play the same sport. (Whether they will play the sport is another story.) Hopefully you can share boots, balls and rackets for a few years. Also resist the temptation to enroll them in several different sports each season and encourage them to pick the top two for the year.
Skip travel commands
Tourist sports not only have perceptibly higher prices (higher registration fees, year-round play, high-quality uniforms and tournament fees), they also include less quantifiable but significant travel expenses. At age 7, you can regularly drive your child to games up to an hour away, and by age 9, they may be invited to play in out-of-state tournaments that require hotel accommodation. Keep them on local entertainment teams if you need to protect your wallet.
Buying (and selling) used equipment
Instead of going to your local sporting goods store for shiny new gear, buy (or better yet, borrow) used sports equipment whenever possible. If you don’t know how long your child will be interested in a particular sport (and their feet grow two sizes every year), it doesn’t make financial sense to spend $40 on every new pair of boots when online resources like like Play It Again Sports and SidelineSwap allow you to spend a fraction of that amount. They also allow you to sell gear you no longer need to subsidize your child’s next season. You can also use Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and your local thrift store.
Buy in the off-season (and enjoy the tools at hand)
Another way to avoid paying full price is to buy your child a swim team training suit or a waterproof outdoor football jacket when these items are on sale. Although the sport is played all year round, you can still find discounts on seasonal items such as shorts, sweatshirts and swimwear as the seasons change. And don’t be afraid to ask friends and neighbors to trade in these size 13 spikes for a beginner tennis racquet that your child has used about once.
Car depot like it’s 1999.
I could be wrong, but there seems to be a lot less trips together these days than when I was a kid. I have vivid memories of my mother driving half of my brother’s football team in the back of her station wagon. When possible, schedule shared rides with other parents who live nearby to reduce your gas bill and the huge waste of your time that all those trips back and forth to training take.
Donate your time
Offering to coach a team can lower the cost of your child’s entry fee (and give you more control over your schedule). For example, if your child’s team is participating in an expensive dance competition, organizing a fundraiser, such as a bake sale or a car wash, can also help cut those costs.