teenagers Archives — Beating Broke

Why We’re Spending More on Our Kids Now

June 5, 2023 By MelissaB 2 Comments

My husband and I have been on a tight budget throughout our marriage. Every year when summer rolled around, we tried to find free activities for the kids. That was easier because they were young and didn’t care as much. They liked going out to do things, free or not. However, our perspective has changed since the pandemic and living through social isolation. We’re spending more on our kids now, especially during the summer.

How This Summer Looks Different than Other Summers

This is the first summer that’s felt like “normal” since the pandemic, so we want to go out and do more.

In addition, our oldest son has moved out and is in college, and our younger two are now teenagers. We realize how quickly time goes and that we only have a few more years to make memories with our younger two while they still live with us.

We moved late last summer, and over the past nine months, our kids have made solid friendships and want to hang out with their friends. Luckily, we parents get along, too.

Finally, my husband and I are in a more comfortable financial position than ever, so we have a little wiggle room in the budget to do some fun activities that cost more than we usually spend.

What Activities Are We Doing This Summer?

We’re still searching for and enjoying free activities. We already went to the beach with friends and plan to do it again. We also plan to see a free Shakespeare play in a local park and attend some free concerts in the area. In addition, we got Kids Bowl Free passes and are bowling once or twice a week. (We did spend $16 for a season bowling shoe rental pass for each girl plus me and $30 for a pass for my husband and me to bowl, so this activity isn’t completely free.)

However, we’re also spending more and in ways that we haven’t before. These activities are new to us:

Ballroom Dancing

The girls are joining a group of friends and taking ballroom dance lessons. This will cost us $40 per girl per month, so $80 a month.

Attending a Concert

Their friend group is also going to see Fall Out Boy in concert. The girls are so excited to go to their first concert! Tickets were $66 a piece, which we said no to. However, when there was a flash sale and tickets were $25 a piece, we said yes. So the concert cost us $100.

Rock Climbing

A local rock-climbing business has monthly passes for $75 per person, so the girls will get those one month this summer. It will cost us $150, but they will have unlimited access to the rock-climbing studio and all classes, so we plan to go there several times a week.

Final Thoughts

We aren’t being extravagant, but we are spending more this summer on activities with and for our kids. However, we’re still enjoying free activities to balance out the expenses. After the pandemic and our son moving out, we realize time is precious, and sometimes we must spend money to make memories.

Do your expenses go up in the summer? If so, what do you splurge on?

How We’re Saving on Entertainment Costs

How to Live Without Money

MelissaB

Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in New York, where she loves the natural beauty of the area.

www.momsplans.com/

Should You Only Get Your Teens Braces If They Want Them?

April 18, 2022 By MelissaB 1 Comment

Do your kids have braces? If so, they join the nearly 70% of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 who have or have had braces (Kennell Orthodontics). Most orthodontic treatments cost between $3,000 and $7,000, representing a serious investment for parents. Unfortunately, many teens don’t appreciate this financial investment, which begs the question, should you only get your teens braces if they want them?

My Braces Story

When I was a teen, I didn’t need braces, but I did need a retainer. I found the retainer uncomfortable, and I had a lisp when I talked with it. I had to tell my teacher I was missing page 66 in a textbook, and with the retainer, what I sounded like was, “I’m mithin’ page thixty thix.” He couldn’t understand me and had to ask another student to translate.

I took the retainer out every day to eat lunch and wrapped it in a napkin. However, one day I accidentally threw it away. To this day, my mom thinks I did it on purpose, but I didn’t. She didn’t buy me a replacement retainer, and my brief stint in the orthodontics world was over.

My Children’s Braces Stories

I have three kids. The older two needed braces; the younger one did not.

My son disliked his braces. When the treatment was over, he never wore his retainer. My husband and I spent over $3,500 for his orthodontic treatment. We feel that we wasted money because, without a retainer, his teeth continue to shift. I wouldn’t be surprised if someday they’re back where they were before we started treatment.

Our daughter doesn’t like braces, but she fastidiously maintains them. Even though she’s in treatment, I do not doubt that she will religiously wear her retainer and maintain her new smile.

Should You Only Get Your Teen Braces If They Want Them?

That’s a tough question because I feel that I wasted my money on one child but not the other. Ultimately, I would say the decision comes down to how much will the child be impacted in the future if he does not get braces?

If the child has overcrowding or an under or overbite that may cause damage to her teeth in adulthood, then you should get them braces. However, if the teeth are simply overlapping or have gaps in them, perhaps you could gauge whether or not you should get him braces based on his interest.

Final Thoughts

I’m not a doctor, so I am only giving my opinion as a parent with two kids who had braces and had vastly different behavior towards those braces. As a parent, I’m frustrated by paying thousands of dollars for a child who won’t maintain that dental work. I’m sure my mom was just as frustrated by me.

Unfortunately, the optimal time for orthodontic work is during the teen years, when most kids aren’t particularly responsible. As for me, I sought orthodontic treatment in adulthood to fix my teeth, and I was much more responsible than I was as a teen, especially since I was the one paying for it.

The Importance of Fixing Things Sooner Rather Than Later

Why You Should Get Braces for Your Child When Needed

MelissaB

www.momsplans.com/

Teen Employment: 4 Questions to Ask Before Your Teenager Takes a Part-Time Job

May 25, 2017 By MelissaB 2 Comments

Working part-time is a rite of passage for many teens. Teen employment can lead to increased independence—new friends at work, extra spending money, money to save, etc. However, teens should think carefully before applying for and taking a job. Ideally, they won’t just by default apply to the local restaurant or fast food restaurant. Instead, they should choose a job that matches their goals and aspirations, if possible.

Before the job search begins, you and your teen should consider these questions:

Teen Jobs Employment — Orig. img. credit: Innovate Impact Media on Flickr

What is your teen’s interest? What is your child interested in and good at? What kind of job could he do that he would enjoy and that wouldn’t feel like a grind after a few months? If he loves animals, maybe he could consider working at a pet store or a dog groomers.

What career is your teen considering? If your child is a junior or senior in high school, she likely has a career choice in mind. If she’s choosing between several, now is the time to learn more and help her narrow down her choices.

When I was a senior, I worked at a vet clinic. I had the opportunity to work with the animals and even observe surgeries. I had been toying with the idea of being a veterinarian, but after a summer at the job, I decided I didn’t want to invest all of the time and money it took to become a vet. The job just wasn’t one I’d enjoy that much.

Ideally, your child’s job can help them discern if this is the right career path for them. If it’s not, you and your child have saved thousands on an education they might not have used in the future.

What is your teen’s temperament? How does your child do under pressure? Is he introverted or extroverted? Jobs available to teens can vary widely. Some jobs will have them interacting with the public regularly while others will not. Choose the job that best fits his temperament.

However, sometimes a good job that doesn’t perfectly fit your child’s temperament can provide learning opportunities, so also consider that a stretch in comfort level isn’t all bad.

Will this job help your child get into college or get a job in his career field? Ultimately, a job should not just give your teen some spending money but also help her get into college or into her career field. The jobs that teens take should be stepping stones into the life that they see for themselves.

Also, don’t be afraid to end the job if it is distracting your child from his ultimate goals. Too often, teens take what looks to be a good job only to be given more work hours than they can handle, which causes their schoolwork to suffer. Getting experience in their chosen field IS important and can help them get a better job later in life, but they also must focus on their studies.

Did you have a job as a teen that helped open doors for you or helped you choose your career field, or did you simply work whatever job was available?

MelissaB