I know some people that spend on average over $2,000 each year so that their kids can play sports. It can be so expensive! Luckily, there are some ways you can save money on youth sports so that your child can have fun and you don’t go into debt.
I had no idea how expensive kid sports and activities were until I started talking to one of my friends who has kids that participate in a sports league.
My daughter is only 3 so we haven’t been hit with those costs yet but I am making sure I know all of the different ways we can cut costs when the time does come.
She is very active, so I know that day is coming!
I wanted to share some things that I learned and that have worked for other parents.
If you have any other tips for how you save money on youth sports or after school activities please share them with us. I love learning more tips and tricks!
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Simple Ways to Save Money on Youth Sports
Buy Secondhand
This is a HUGE way to cut costs! A great place to start looking for used sporting equipment and gear is directly with the league or business that you have signed up with.
A lot of dance studios, sports leagues, and gyms will have a website or Facebook page where parents can resell their child’s outgrown gear, so make sure to see if those are available.
You can also check out sites like Ebay, Craigslist, and Facebook resell sites to find some great bargains. Look in any secondhand sporting good stores, like Play It Again Sports.
You can also sell your child’s old gear to help pay for the cost of any new equipment they need to upgrade to.
Stick to One Sport
It seems like so many kids try to take on too many activities. It’s best to stick to one sport at a time. Not only does this help cut down on costs and registration fees, but it also helps your child focus and not get burnt out.
You can always try something different the next season if the sport just isn’t for your child. Try not to do too many things at once.
It also helps cut down on your travel and gas expenses from going to and from so many practices and games.
Rent Equipment
This is a great idea if you will be needing expensive equipment like skies, kayak, hockey equipment, horseback riding gear, etc.
You can rent the equipment instead of paying for everything at once. This is a great option if your child is just starting out.
You don’t want to spend all of that money on gear and then find out that they just aren’t passionate about the sport.
Invest in buying only if you know that they are going to be sticking to the sport for a long time.
Buy in Bulk
Another way you can save money on kid’s sports gear is to band together with other parents. Get to know the other parents on your child’s team and buy some of the equipment in bulk. You can then split the gear and the costs!
This is great for items like: tennis balls, golf balls, mouthguards, chin guards, knee and elbow pads, etc.
More Ways to Save on Kids’ Sports
Use the School
If your child is in middle or high school, take advantage of their sports teams. Most kids can join the team if they go to that school and this helps cut registration and equipment fees.
Also, check out your local YMCA or churches to see if they have a league your child can join.
The costs with these groups are considerably lower than joining a private league.
Side Hustle
The costs of youth sports can add up very quickly so you may want to look into different ways you can make some extra cash to help pay for the costs.
If your child is old enough, you can actually let them help get involved and contribute. They will actually appreciate getting to play the sport even more when they know how much it costs.
I have a bunch of ideas for awesome ways to make money and different side hustles you can do from home on your own time.
Early Bird
The earlier you sign up for a league or activity, the less you pay. A lot of places will offer an early sign up discount when you join.
Discuss with your child the different sports they may be interested in playing that year so that you can sign up early when the time comes.
Grants & Sponsors
If you are still having trouble covering the costs or the sport your child chose is very expensive, you may want to look into applying for sport grants and sponsorships.
There are so many that are offered but you do have to do your research. Some are only for certain sports, some are only for teams, but they do offer some just for individual athletes.
Check out MomTeam for a list of grants that they have found. You can also do a quick Google search to help narrow down your results.
I hope that some of these tips will help you save money on youth sports. I know how much we as parents want to give our kids the world but sometimes it just isn’t in the budget.
Keep in mind that most kids won’t stick to a sport past the age of 13 so don’t spend a fortune on a sport that they may not play past high school.
Save that money for college tuition!
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