Back to School

CoffeeQueen · Guru

Back to School

daisy · Guru

activities are insanely expensive here too.
i'm not enrolling her in much at all. just her art class in the fall. potentially yoga.
i'm saving all other activities for when she starts kindergarten.

i get stressed out about the clothes too, but i'm keeping it simple this year. a few long sleeved shirts, a few hooded sweatshirts, and some sweats/yoga pants.
her skirts from last year still fit.

she hates sweaters and hates jeans. so easy peasy.

Corey · Guru

i think i will be much more overwhelmed once they go to full day/every day school like allie does than what connor does now, which is 3X/week for 2.5 hours.

lessons, etc are pricey here to for sure...so far i have limited to one thing per season-we did ice skating over the winter and soccer in the spring. he didn't like either, so we might take a break this fall.

as far as clothes, etc...i always shop a season ahead (atleast for now while he is still pretty predictable as far as size goes) so i was buying fall 09 clothes off the clearance rack at gymbo and osh gosh when everyone else was buying shorts and tee shirts--it definitely helps at the end of august, going through all the stuff i have already boughts and realizing he is done minus new shoes.

CheleLyn · Senior Member

the cost is the #1 reason we do do activities...unless one of them says they WANT to do something...damon played football for a season and zach ran track for a season...keely MIGHT be doing 4H this year, but idk yet.

there are so many school supplies and clothes and shoes they need that right now, its a stretch sometimes just to do that.

i always wanted to put keely in a tumbling class but its so expensive here....plus its SO COMPETITIVE here. Idk how it is around the country, but in texas, if you arent started in sports (including cheerleading) at a YOUNG age, you amost dont stand a chance.

I miss the days when little league was FUN for the SUMMER...now ther are just too many sports leagues that run all year.

but now i'm off on a tangent LOL

Chrissie · Guru

Yes it is expensive here as well.

I will be signing M2 up for dance class. There are two classes(funky feet and ballet) that are offered at his school. He's been in both since they started, so of course he wants to continue both.

He played t-ball in the summer. Now they are offering t-ball, soccer and football for the fall and basketball for the winter.

So I asked M2 to choose between soccer, football and t-ball and keeps saying he wants to do all three!!! I want him to be able to do all three, but the money!! :pullhair:

He will probably end up doing all three though!

Alison · Guru

We're putting Mason in a 5-week soccer class at the Y, and if he does well and enjoys it, we'll continue him with soccer and maybe add swimming lessons. But I don't feel pressured yet to put him in too many activities. He really needs his down time and I don't want to overschedule him. His pre-K is only 3 days a week, but I think that will be perfect for him now.

I think I'm a little gunshy because when he was in gymnastics about a year and a half ago, he did horribly. It was parent-participation, but he was so uncooperative. He refused to do circle time and would throw a fit. I know that was a long time ago, but it left a bad taste in my mouth, LOL. I'm sure he'll do much better at soccer when he's on his own!

As far as school clothes...the school he's going to has a playground with sand on it. When he was at daycare there, he came home every day covered in sand. So I'm not too worried about super-cute clothes for him, LOL!

Corey · Guru

people that worry about the cost of school supplies, etc--

watch the walgreens, staples, etc fliers starting the beginning of august.

almost every week they choose one item to lure you into the store--last week staples had notebooks for a penny. if you just buy the "bait" every week, by the end of the month you will have most of your supplies.

Alicia · Senior Member

Not with Raven. I save it for middle and high school. Clothing is very simple but none of us really care about it(I don't have to worry about uniforms anyway). T-shirt and shorts now and t-shirts and jeans later. Stephen even purchased his own overpriced shoes. School supplies for her were nothing compared to what my 9th grader needed for each class. I still need to buy him his $120 graphing calculator(that is what graph paper and a pencil is for IMO). It's recommended this year but required next year. Raven has no activities this fall. She will do spring soccer and then we will go from there. I'm a one activity at a time person. Stephen doesn't play sports so we don't have those activities to worry about.

Corey · Guru

alicia-

do you need a certain one?

Texas Instruments Graphing Calculators ~ TI-83 Plus $65 AR, TI-84 Plus $70 AR, Nspire $100 AR @ OfficeDepot.com OfficeDepot.com offers the Texas Instruments® TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator [officedepot.com] for $94.99 (regularly $99.99). Save another $15 by applying coupon code "70037464" to drop the cost to $79.99 plus applicable sales tax with free delivery. A $15 mail-in rebate [young-america.com] (for purchases dated 8/16/09–8/29/09) lowers the net cost of the calculator to $64.99 AR.

They also offer the Texas Instruments® TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculator [officedepot.com] for $109.99 (regularly $119.99). Save another $20 by applying coupon code "17923598" to drop the cost to $89.99 plus applicable sales tax with free delivery. A $20 mail-in rebate [young-america.com] (for purchases dated 8/16/09–9/19/09) lowers the net cost of the calculator to $69.99 AR.

Additionally, they sell the Texas Instruments® Nspire™ Graphing Calculator [officedepot.com] for $149.99 (regularly $159.99). Purchase with an inexpensive non-tech filler (such as this 19¢ item [officedepot.com]) and apply coupon code "80932878" to save another $30, dropping the cost to $119.99 plus applicable sales tax with free delivery. A $20 mail-in rebate [young-america.com] (for purchases dated 8/16/09–8/22/09) lowers the net cost of the calculator to $99.99 AR.

Alicia · Senior Member

Corey wrote:

alicia-

do you need a certain one?

Texas Instruments Graphing Calculators ~ TI-83 Plus $65 AR, TI-84 Plus $70 AR, Nspire $100 AR @ OfficeDepot.com OfficeDepot.com offers the Texas Instruments® TI-83 Plus Graphing Calculator [officedepot.com] for $94.99 (regularly $99.99). Save another $15 by applying coupon code "70037464" to drop the cost to $79.99 plus applicable sales tax with free delivery. A $15 mail-in rebate [young-america.com] (for purchases dated 8/16/09–8/29/09) lowers the net cost of the calculator to $64.99 AR.

They also offer the Texas Instruments® TI-84 Plus Graphing Calculator [officedepot.com] for $109.99 (regularly $119.99). Save another $20 by applying coupon code "17923598" to drop the cost to $89.99 plus applicable sales tax with free delivery. A $20 mail-in rebate [young-america.com] (for purchases dated 8/16/09–9/19/09) lowers the net cost of the calculator to $69.99 AR.

Additionally, they sell the Texas Instruments® Nspire™ Graphing Calculator [officedepot.com] for $149.99 (regularly $159.99). Purchase with an inexpensive non-tech filler (such as this 19¢ item [officedepot.com]) and apply coupon code "80932878" to save another $30, dropping the cost to $119.99 plus applicable sales tax with free delivery. A $20 mail-in rebate [young-america.com] (for purchases dated 8/16/09–8/22/09) lowers the net cost of the calculator to $99.99 AR.

Thanks for the info. The offer in red sounds great. He can use a TI-83 or 84. I hope we can purchase it before the offers expire.

LucsMama · Senior Member

I haven't even thought about signing Lucas up for anything... he'll be going to school from 9-3:45 5x a weeek and that seems like a lot already. We did have to buy him uniforms for school. Not sure about what he needs as far as supplies since the school says they won't give out that info until his open house next Friday... which irks me since he starts school 4 days later!!!

Supafly · Guru

I do get overwhelmed, but it is more because we have to get back into the routine of getting up and getting out of the house, and I have really gotten used to doing stuff with them, and now they will be gone again. I dread K next year with all my might. I am going to be an absolute wreck, and I will probably smother Anna once she comes home, lmao.

But I digress. Clothes wise-I buy clothes either in advance, like Corey does (though I haven't this year. Mostly because some of the things I got for Kate got less use than I had anticipated because of a growth spurt. Anna's stuff has all been fine), or I buy things when I need them. By the time the seasons change and we need cooler weather clothes, they are on the clearance racks. And of course, Kate wears a lot of hand me downs too. Shoewise? Again, when they need things, I go out and buy them, but we are pretty good on that front right now.

I want to put Anna in ballet this fall, but I haven't signed her up. I should look into when that starts. I'm sure it will be a pretty penny though! She asked if she could also go back to her yoga class, and I told her she could do one or the other, but not both. She wants to be a ballerina. I might try and find a class for Kate too, but since she isn't 3 yet, most of the classes for her are parent and child, and tbh, I think she and I can find things to do one on one that are a lot cheaper!

Maybe in the spring, I'll try and get Anna into an outdoor sport of some kind. I don't want to overschedule, so I think school plus one activity is plenty at this age.

As for school supplies? They need a folder-that is it. The school provides tote bags, and everything else they need. We will be in charge of snack a few times during the year. So no big prep work on that front. I just have to get back into the mindset of writing the tuition check every month!!!

But we have become lazy over the summer. Getting up and out is going to take a while. We'll probably be late a few times at the beginning of the year, lmao.

OH-and the BIG thing that worries me this year is being room mom!!! The school's director already told me she was putting her son in Anna's class so he could have me as room mom, and she basically TOLD me I will be signing up for that role, and now I am nervous!!!! I did such a good job with gifting and creative ideas last year that I seriously fear that I will not be able to live up to it this year!!!! AHHHHH!!!!!!!

happylib · Guru

I guess we are in the minority here. Much of the things available to E, including preschool, are really pretty reasonable. Right now we are doing swim lessons and ballet for the fall. For ballet she has the shoes and for preschool lessons it doesn't matter what leotard they wear. Since E loves leotards we have three.

As far as swim lessons go, well, she has lots of swim suits too because she also likes those. Our attitude is, if it's not going well we will just pull her out.

Cuppycake · Guru

We've been taking a lot of classes at the YMCA. Here, studio dance classes, ballet, cheerleading, gymnastics, run about $300 for 6-8 weeks, which is insane. But at the Y, we're running about $60 for the same length of time (and we aren't members.)

I am starting to worry a bit, though, about the schedule craziness. Hannah has school MWThF, a 2-hour science class one day a week, and soccer (city, not Y league) in the evenings and weekends. And we're wrapping up an 8 week ballet/jazz class from the Y next week, that we may or may not repeat. In the winter she'll probably play on the Y's rec league again. And I really want her to get some swim lessons in, but since this is my last year with her at home (probably) I just want to enjoy her.

3s_a_crowd · Guru

Right now K is only in ballet. Its only 30 dollars a month for one 30 min class a week. Definitely doable.

It is on base at the community center so its a really good deal, but I dont know how it is compared to actual dance studios as far as what they do during the classes.

When she turns five she can play soccer here and at 6 she can start piano lessons. If were still here Ill sign her up since prices are reasonable.

Clothes we always buy ahead or ebay.

But my kids have WAAAY more clothes than they could ever need.

allvowels · Veteran Member

It's funny that you brought this up because I was just thinking about this.

I just spent over $700 on activities for the girls. Really, that just paid for dance for both girls and gymnastics for both girls. The dance class will go until December, but the gymnastics only goes to the end of October.

Luckily, I don't have to buy any new shoes or leotards because all of the stuff from last year will still fit.

(Oh, and Laura---if Kate is interested, you should check with the ballet teacher. Obviously, Emilia won't be 3 until October as well, but since she'll turn 3 during the session, the teacher said she could sign up now. I looked for activities that both girls can take together, meaning the class ages for both are 3-4.)

Addie really wants to play soccer too, and I might be crazy enough to let her. (Although if I do, I will have to buy shoes, knee pads, etc.) There is also an art class through the park district that both girls could take.

Emilia's not doing preschool this year, so that saves money, but my SIL and I were just talking about this yesterday and saying, "Wow, kids are expensive!" haha

(I am not worried so much about clothes.......I think most everything from last year still fits, Emilia can wear Addie's stuff, and I buy ahead too.)

allvowels · Veteran Member

I forgot to say that the dance class is at a studio, and the gymnastics class is at a gymnastics academy. I think the classes would've been cheaper through the park district.

Erin · Guru

I just signed up Kiera for Ballet and Soccer. We are stopping gymnastics.

(She liked it, but, I dont see us being a long time gymnastics family, and it was a good time, with new activities starting, and her class (3 boys and two girls) splitting up into all boys and higher age groups.)

The prices are reasonable, though they add up quickly. I was concerned about overscehduling. As a dual working family, it doesnt leave us a lot of time to shuttle her around. Evening classes are dangerous, becuase that is a temper tantrum waiting to happen. More than one sat. class seems like a little much and (total pet peeve of mine) no activity offers Sunday anything! I get that people go to church. But a lot of people dont.

It worked out for us that since Kiera is watched by her grandmas on M/F, my mom is going to take her to ballet on Friday mornings. Im so glad she agreed. Kiera is super excited. Im jsut sad I wont get to be the one taking her. I have overcompensated for that by signing up to be her soccer coach. lol. I havent heard whether I "got" it yet. :fingers.

daisy · Guru

allvowels wrote:

I forgot to say that the dance class is at a studio, and the gymnastics class is at a gymnastics academy. I think the classes would've been cheaper through the park district.

i just spent a buttload on activities too.

i called today about yoga at the Y, and it's $195 for 8 wks. steep, but that's the cheapest there is pretty much.

her art class was $295 for 3 mos.

cara's music class is $225.

and i might do a mommy & me yoga with her which is $80 for 6 weeks (very reasonable).

i'm really glad i dont have to buy a lot of clothes. i'm TOTALLY not spending it this year. christmas is right around the corner too. UG!!

LDSMOM · Senior Member

Back to school for me isn't fun, but I homeschool and ask for it (doesn't change that I would rather spend my day reading or even cleaning house). I usually give myself a couple of weeks of just school before all my kids activities start. It's not so much a shock that way.

As for cost, I don't spend much on school stuff, always less than $100 for books, paper, pencils, etc. and usually less than $20 for all that (this year I only spent $2 for glue and a used American history book). The only time I get anywhere near $100 is when I have to buy a new book or two, which is rare.

Activities are the expensive part for me. I just paid $540 for a semester of ballet for my 4 girls ($110 each for 3 girls and $210 for Rebecca's more advanced class) and I pay $45 a month for Kyle's tae kwon do. I can afford for them to do more, but I get too stressed out if they do too much so I'm not sure I'll let them do more.

As for clothes, I spend about $200 total for all 5 of my kids twice a year. I could get it cheaper at a second hand store, but since the girl clothes have to make it through 4 girls, we just go to Walmart. Now that Rebecca and Crystal are bigger, they rarely need new clothes and I only have to replace worn out clothes with Brenna and Brittany, which doesn't add up to much. Kyle is my big expense since he's the only boy. Still, he seems to grow in huge spurts so he'll be in one size for 2-3 years then jump 2-3 sizes. I've decided I like that.