While we all just love the idea of a summer camp for our children, the cost of sending them away can be challenging for some of us. We don’t want any compromise on the quality of the summer camp but may have to reconsider the best choice for money matters. Worry not, we have some simple and effective ways to save money on summer camp and not miss any important factor too.
Every parent wants the best for their child, exception being the Wormwoods. And when you have a child like Matilda nothing can ever be missed. So for every other child, there has to be something more elaborate in terms of fun based learning, grooming and a few days of being independent. Let us resort this independence day, to some really wonderful ways to save quick bucks on summer camp expenses. Why shelling out more when you have multiple options to save
How to save money on summer camp:
While being proactive is mantra that never fails. But keeping an eye on the other aspects is also very important. Some of the ways to win over the budget constraint for summer camp are:
1- Early bird wins the worm:
And yes, this truly holds here. Be quick in deciding and capture the early bird registration rewards. Almost every camp has these early registration discounts which are truly delightful. Just be sure to read all the details and make up your mind of a summer camp before filling in the form.
2- Bargains:
Never shy from asking or negotiating. You never know how bargains work. Try and be firm when you speak with the camp coordinators and also discuss for your family income too. There are some camps which have been actively bargaining for those who ask for it. So don’t be the one in glass box and do consider asking for probabilities of reducing fee
3- Online registration:
Never has been the option of online payments so cheaper than now. Starting from e-commerce boom to the now mobile devices doing the favors, online payments have been the easiest and cheapest. Infact some camps can be a 20-30% cheaper if paid online. Be sure to check both online and at desk prices before registering.
4- Scholarships and loans:
There are ample scholarships for the deserving being rolled out every season. Just be careful and find out the wonderful options before they are gone. Even the easy loan facilities can be availed. Summer camps may have some banks helping finance their low-income family of campers, be sure to find them out and check details there in
5- Volunteer:
Summer camps need more adult hands always, and by giving a few hours o weekdays or weekends you can get a discount for your little camper. Even by donating or sponsoring their set up, by helping them clean and construct or help in keeping their surrounding maintained you can earn even more than what your kid would need to attend the summer camp. For parents who are looking for seasonal jobs or gigs, being a summer camp counselor or staff member is an awesome experience too in addition to the ample perks involved.
Summer camp alternatives:
For those parents who can not get along with the reduced pay due to low income situation, there are multiple free options which are not only thrilling but also enriching for children. Some of these include:
- Free or low-cost camps run by churches or athletic clubs
- Summer enrichment schools
- Activities which are daylong, at public libraries
- Home based summer camp organized by yourself or community
- Activities at your child’s public school during summers, which are mostly free
Mistakes parents make which cause the summer camp expenses to rise:
Some of the mistakes are just ignorance and poor planning on the part of parents which causes the steep rise in summer camp costs. All of us know that summer camp is important and we will be sending kids away in summer, then why waiting until last. Some of these mistakes are:
- Failure to capture early bird registration discounts, despite being sure abut a summer camp we miss the discounts offered by registering early by sheer negligence
- Opting for a summer camp thats too expensive just because its a trend. Not even checking the details whether it is right for your child’s needs ad fits in your schedule, you opt a summer camp too expensive because its a popular name
- Following your friend of colleague and without enquiring about it just putting the child at the summer camp. Just because one child finds it right does not mean its suitable for your child too. Be smart and choose your own summer camp by analyzing rather than following others
- Not checking the options like weekday and weekend camp rates. Some weekend camp rates are higher for the same set of activities. So be wise and pick which ever is lower and fits in rather than just ignoring the details
- A day camp or overnight: Overnight camps are expensive and when we just send our kids to overnight camps without checking the cost difference it gets really expensive. Maybe the kid is also not ready yet. So pick a day camp to begin with and the slowly within a few years send to an overnight camp when they are ready.
The above compilation on 5 Ways to save money on summer camp expenses is to help all parents save some good money. Be careful of the ignorance and mistakes as they may cost just the double.
Check campnavigator resources for all the details you wish for, in a summer camp. We have compiled the most elaborate content to help your plan your child’s summer camp effectively and efficiently. Give your child an enriching and thrilling summer camp experience.
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