If you’ve been trying to fit your child’s sports programs into a tight budget, you’re probably frustrated with the current costs of equipment, program fees, travel, and everything else your young athlete needs.
These days, youth sports cost U.S. families $30 to $40 billion each year, and that total may be on the rise. Fall 2022 travel costs for youth sports were up 19% compared to pre-pandemic spending, and parents report inflation as the top driver of higher overall costs.
In good news, many communities are investing more in athletic programs, and innovative fundraising and savings approaches can help more families participate. To that end, take a look at our round-up below highlighting how to afford youth sports on a budget.
While bake sales and door-to-door sales are popular fundraising options, neither approach really puts a dent in youth sports costs.
Rather, effective fundraising means evaluating the time, talents, and opportunities available and determining what course will yield the best results. To do this:
Instead of a one-time fundraiser that requires a lot of prep and promotion, consider organizing a gift card fundraising program with RaiseRight to help families earn funds throughout the year without spending extra money. The concept works like this:
With RaiseRight, families can choose gift cards from hundreds of brands (including Amazon, Walmart, and Target) and use them to pay for everything from gas to groceries or streaming services. They can even use the RaiseRight app as a digital wallet and refill gift card accounts for on-the-go convenience.
Many families are able to raise $1,000 or more per year toward uniforms, program fees, and travel to games through gift card fundraising.
A major factor in the high cost of youth sports is travel to away games, training, and tournaments. Look for savings and perks through:
Pro-tip: If you’re able to fully pay off credit card charges every month to avoid interest, stream your RaiseRight gift card purchases through a credit card that earns travel points to double down on rewards and benefits.
Uniforms, practice gear, and sports equipment costs can add up. Check on safety needs around used or repaired equipment, and look for ways to save when it’s safe to do so:
Pro-tip: According to Adobe’s analysis of e-commerce trends, the first week of December is when you’ll find the best pricing on sporting goods for holiday gifting.
As they say: time is money. Investing more time can help you avoid higher costs when you:
You’re not alone in struggling to pay for the high cost of youth sports. Check with other team families and look into saving by:
The best way to save on the high cost of youth sports? Blend all of the approaches that work for your family and your team. Saving money in smaller amounts can add up big for your annual budget and allow you to participate more in the programs that benefit your kids.
If your team already has a RaiseRight program, all you need is the enrollment code to join your organization and get started with gift card fundraising.
If not, help get the ball rolling for your sports team:
It’s free and simple to get started, and your efforts can help reduce program costs or even distribute funds directly back to your family for travel, equipment, and other youth sports costs.