The top five sports for kids on a shoestring budget was inspired by my children. I have four boys’ and they love sports. This is great except for the fact that the registration fees are over fifty dollars’ times four. It is not cheap to enroll them each in a sport or multiple sports for that matter.
Especially when the budget is tight due to inflation on groceries and gas. My goal each month is to eat, drive and not run out of gas. Budgeting plays a huge part in our expenses and what we can afford. Making good use of our income allows us to select the category, save for it or add it to the budget.
Giving every dollar a job works instead of frivolous spending. Don’t get me wrong, I spend plenty in a frivolous manner. That is why I have become more diligent because when it came time to sign up for the sports they wanted whether one time or ongoing it pinched the pocketbook. Here are a few ways that I have found to make it work with multiple kids.
Shoestring Budget Planning Session
To reiterate what I previously mentioned our monthly budget plays a huge part in what we can do. If I sit down each month without fail and add upcoming or ongoing sports to our budget then the money works out. Likewise, if I don’t do the budget and wing it, ultimately I end up with more month than money.
Scrambling to get the sports registrations is not fun and can through the rest of the finances out of whack. I know that some or most places offer help and assistance, but we choose to pay our own way. It’s best to leave that for others’ who really need it.
Sports on a shoestring budget is obtainable with a working budget in place.
Keep the Sports Close to Home
Next, I am just going to say this for the record. We don’t do travel teams. They are too expensive both with time and money. Our family has chosen to keep the sports within a 20-30 minute driving radius. In addition to this, we try to keep our kids’ on the same sport.
Multiple kids’ being driven to multiple sports is not ideal. We have done that before and have found that this way works better for our family.
Add a Stable Side Income
Finally, I would like to say that in any situation keep down debt. Shoestring budget families have more opportunities to enjoy the extra’s if debt is obsolete. Paying on credit cards, car loans and other misc. expenditures is not ideal. Don’t make other people and companies rich. Keep your money for your family.
After all is said and done if the budget still does not allow for all of the children to partake in the same sport then a side hustle is apparent. There are many work at home jobs available and multiple ways to raise the income level. Find out how much is needed to make this financial change. Too many times our budgets hold subscriptions that are not needed, apps that cost money and dining out in quantity. Cutting all of that out frees up money. Alignment with a shoestring budget is the less is more strategy. Bring up the income so the sports’ do not send the family in the wrong direction.
Shoestring Budget Sports Solutions
Sports are great for kids. Our family enjoys tae kwon do, soccer, swimming, wrestling and bowling. Not all at once. We alter the sports, seasons and timing. Through much research we have found discounts, free opportunities and locations that work with us based on our income. Over the years’ our income has risen and so now we try to give back by not taking the financial assistance and when possible paying it forward.
In addition to this we do have one rule. Money that is spent in our home is not wasted. We make everything last as long as possible and this goes for sports too. If our children start a sport they finish it. Mid-season if there is a change of heart they still have to continue. That is why we hold long discussions on how badly they want to do said sport. Taekwondo is a family sport and we that year around, but they all agreed that it is worth it.
Hopefully some of these tips will help you find a sport for you kids’ or family that you all can afford on a shoestring budget.
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