Current:Home > MyInflation has caused summer camp costs to soar. Here are tips for parents on how to save-LoTradeCoin
Inflation has caused summer camp costs to soar. Here are tips for parents on how to save
View Date:2024-12-23 16:13:59
As the countdown to summer begins, some are feeling the burn in their wallets as inflation continues to affect everything from gas prices to food. The latest casualty: parents experiencing the sticker shock of summer camp.
Jamie Aderski, a New Jersey mom of two, made a popular video on TikTok that highlighted concerns for parents trying to get their children enrolled in camps and fund them. Aderski said costs have even become too pricey at her neighborhood recreational centers, jumping at least 10% each summer over the past few years. Spots are sometimes taken as early as January.
"It's something that's kept me up at night thinking about, 'Well, what am I gonna do with my kids for the summer?' And I've kind of cobbled together a plan, but it's still not enough."
Some experts say the summer camp price hike stems from the pandemic.
"Families that were not engaged in camp before the pandemic are now interested in camp for their children. Every parent realizes now how important it is that kids have a summer learning program," said Tom Rosenberg, who heads the American Camp Association, a nonprofit that represents about 15,000 camps in the United States.
The American Camp Association says the average day camp costs around $87 per day, a figure that can vary across the nation. Rosenberg said costs are set for camp a year ahead of time.
"Many industries are impacted by inflation, and camp is no exception," he said. "Every cost of business that camps have across the board really have gone up substantially.
What can parents do to offset summer camp costs?
Rosenberg offered some tips for parents seeking to enroll their kids in camps.
Those included:
- Asking about financial aid, which many camps provide, along with payment plans
- Seeking a scholarship through a civic organization
- Looking into the child and dependent care tax credit, which could offset up to $3,000 of summer camp costs per child
Meanwhile, Aderski said she plans to enroll her son in a science camp, keeping it to half days spread throughout the summer.
"Seeing him come home and being excited about something and learning something new, that is of course the ultimate goal for any parent," she said. "And camp can be a huge part of that experience. I just wish that there were more options available that were for everybody."
- In:
- Money
Nancy Chen is a CBS News correspondent, reporting across all broadcasts and platforms.
Twitter InstagramveryGood! (78)
Related
- 'Joker 2' actor pans DC sequel as the 'worst film' ever: 'It has no plot'
- Zombie deer disease is a 'slow moving disaster'. Why scientists say humans should 'be prepared'.
- She died weeks after fleeing the Maui wildfire. Her family fought to have her listed as a victim.
- Beer battered fillets stocked at Whole Foods recalled nationwide over soy allergen
- Deion Sanders addresses trash thrown at team during Colorado's big win at Texas Tech
- Horoscopes Today, December 26, 2023
- Hey, that gift was mine! Toddler opens entire family's Christmas gifts at 3 am
- Is this the perfect diet to add to your New Year's resolution? It saves cash, not calories
- FBI raids New York City apartment of Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan, reports say
- Alabama agency completes review of fatal police shooting in man’s front yard
Ranking
- Vogue Model Dynus Saxon Charged With Murder After Stabbing Attack
- Feds want to hunt one kind of owl to save another kind of owl. Here's why.
- A Greek air force training jet crashes outside a southern base and search is underway for the pilot
- Taylor Swift called Travis Kelce's 'wife' by Tony Romo; singer comforts Brittany Mahomes
- Multi-State Offshore Wind Pact Weakened After Connecticut Sits Out First Selection
- Taylor Swift spends Christmas Day cheering for Travis Kelce at Chiefs game
- Almcoin Trading Center: The Development Prospects of the North American Cryptocurrency Market
- Mariah Carey and Bryan Tanaka Break Up After 7 Years of Dating
Recommendation
-
Mike Tyson concedes the role of villain to young foe in 58-year-old’s fight with Jake Paul
-
Tamar Braxton and Jeremy JR Robinson Engaged Again 2 Months After Break Up: See Her Ring
-
A US delegation to meet with Mexican government for talks on the surge of migrants at border
-
Is there any recourse for a poor job review with no prior feedback? Ask HR
-
Sister Wives’ Madison Brush Details Why She Went “No Contact” With Dad Kody Brown
-
Over $1 million in beauty products seized during California raid, woman arrested: Reports
-
Ice storms and blizzards pummel the central US on the day after Christmas
-
Ukraine snubs Russia, celebrates Christmas on Dec. 25 for first time