Kid's hobby/sport getting pricey now!

elisebutt65

Ds2 has just joined a fencing club. He's been doing it at primary for a couple of years and has just got his grade 3:)

They don't so it at big school so he's joined the local club where his coach is based. £10 membership paid + £5 per week for a 2 hour session.

I've told him I'll get him the proper gear in October as we'll review how he's doing, as it's 8-10 on a school night and I dont want him too tired for school the next day.

Looked up prices for a basic starter kit of vest, shirt, gloves, helmet & sabre. BLIMEY!!! nearly £200!!! That's not including the trews, socks, bag, lame and electric conversion for competitions!

His coach supplies most of the gear for now, but I can see that he'll soon need his own as he's pretty serious about it- having stuck through 2 years of short lunches at school & giving up weekends to do his grades. I have said no to the residential this year as he's the only kid in the club AND it's £300!!!!

Poor lad cried when I couldn't get tickets to the fencing for 2012 as well

Anyone know if there are any grants for sporting equipment for kids or do I have to wait until he's older?

flea72

£5 for 2hrs tuition is cheap - most sports clubs around here charge £5/hr, but expect you to attend at least 2 sessions a week as well

F

Icey77

Have you tried eBay?

I just did a quick search on eBay - limited the search to "Sporting Goods" and in amongst the fencing post/wires (???) there is some fencing kit

Perhaps you could collect the kit as and when you saw things on offer?

Also, perhaps it's worth putting a wanted add on your local freecycle?

Good luck!

delain

Why not ask the coach if any former/older students are wanting to sell on outgrown items? My girls go to a club with a uniform, and the older girls tend to pass the uniform back and the club sells it on to buy equipment etc.

elisebutt65

Yup, looking on EBay, but he's a leftie so the stuff is harder to get

I'll be getting some of the stuff off the coach anyway. They have to have club tees for competitions anyway. It's just so annoying when you hear about govt initiatives for getting kids fit but they dont invest real money!

Zoetoes

Have a look at this.......

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/grants_search.aspx

I know what you mean, both my sons play cricket and it's not cheap for the equipment. The eldest played for Cheshire County one year on tour so needed all the Cheshire kit (trackie, top, whites, jumper, shorts, cap ..........) plus the cost of the tour, so it was a few hundred in the end.

On top of that me and the littleun going to stay for a night £50 to stay in a b&b plus food etc & petrol.

It was worth every penny though and I'm so glad we pulled together and put the money up as he won't forget the opportunity and the experience.

marywooyeah

I'd start putting a bit aside each week, say a tenner, so you don't notice it too much then you can have a bit of a nest egg in case you do decide to buy the equipment - by october he might be bored of fencing and moved onto something else. my younger brother wanted to play the clarinet and my mum shelled out for it all then within 2 weeks it just sat there gathering dust!

faithcecilia

Unfortunately most hobbies/sports are expensive if you take it seriously - I used to figureskate and my skates cost £500 a pair plus blades, and I'd spend over £100 a week on sessions and lessons! I suppose you are at the stage where, between you, you need to decide whether to carry on or not. I agree with putting money away between now and October for the things he will need, and then discuss with him how much it is and that he needs to take it very seriously (which it sounds like he does) and , if you consider it appropriate, let him know that there are other things he will need to stop or do less often.

Pee

Can the kit be a birthday or christmas present?

relic

Pretty cheap hobby compared to some to be honest!

elisebutt65

Pee wrote: »

Can the kit be a birthday or christmas present?

Good idea - I'll let the GrandP's know what to get and in what size - saves having the never ending stream of lego flowing into the house and under the bed, the carpet, down the stairs etc!:D

TBH, he doesn't really do anything else that costs money but as I'm on a low salary and his Dad doesn't really pay much maintenance, it's a very tight budget here., plus I've just had an increase in hours which is great but my payrise has effectively cut off the housing benefit so I'm now working 25 hours more for £40/week:( Bloody stupid benefit system! I'll just have to try and fit in some extra teaching just so I can pay for the gear.

I'll give some of those charities a shout as there a couple on there that give disadvantaged kids money towards kit which would be absolutely brilliant, plus his coach might have some hints.

I really want him to do so well though as his older brother's main achievements have been on the XBox:rotfl:and a prize in sleeping:cool:

Plus I want him to have the chances that I didn't have. My mum effectively stopped me carrying on with the County Athletics as she refused to be my taxi and then the same with the county youth orchestra!:(