football and cheerleading has begun

[confusedinVA]

Good grief, the expense is unreal. 240 just to register, then another 80 for my daughter accessories, and atleast another 100 for everything my son needs. This is all due immediately. Plus school will be starting soon which means school clothes and supplies. My son will be in middle school this year and his school fees are going to be outrageous because he has to have an ibook. I really wish I could take on another child to help pay for all of this expense. I just dont want to risk being pushed into a chapter 13 at the 341 meeting in September.

[edwards2]

confused...I know exactly how you feel. Our youngest son is a senior this year - in a private school. I wont bore you with all the whys but he is where he is and excelling. Unfortunately, it is very pricey and we have turned down yet again for financial aid. Apparently, the salary guidelines are low...it would be difficult for one person to live off of it, much less 2 or 3. We still have medical bills but we are both working extra jobs to defray the cost. We are blessed our son is very smart and should easily get a scholarship...so it is worth it but still hard.

[confusedinVA]

So glad you son is doing so well. My son will be starting middle school and 1 daughter will be in 5th. They are both honor roll students and both in gifted classes. (I have no idea where they get it from.) Both have opportunities to take online classes through a university. However they wont start counting towards actual college credits until they are in 8th grade. So I am waiting until then to have them start. Those courses are expensive. I am hoping that with their great grades and extra curricular activities that they will be able to get full scholarships because at this point there is no way I would be able to finance college.

[SinkingFast]

I hear ya, Confused. We're right there with ya.

Because of everything they've gone thru the last couple years, both our daughters are very put out with their school. They had to move and change schools between Sophomore and Junior years. Add on top of that all of our financial woes and our kids are paying big time.

Last school year, they gave it the old college try to adapt and fit in and go along with their "normal" activities. But this isn't Home and it wasn't fun for them. Social circles have been set since kindergarten. The kids in this public school are insanely well off. Drive new cars. Wear Prada, Gucci, LV, <<insert designer name here>>, and it's a public school!! So, their Senior year isn't gonna be the normal fun filled, carefree, last fling of youth.

One daughter signed up for the "Early College" program. She could choose 12 hours at THE nationally known University or 30 hours at the local Community College. They can only take General Education classes, so daughter signed up for 30 hours at the Community College. She goes there full time and won't even spend a day in the High School. Tuition is paid by some special program, but we have to pay fees and buy books. Kah Ching!! Over $500 there.

The other daughter was supposed to do a half day, Health Careers overview class at the Community College with a half day at High School. There was some sort of glitch in her paperwork or with the computer at the Comm College. She got booted out of her program, AND the program was full. So, daughter said "Screw It!" and decided to graduate early. She only needs 2 English Credits and a Social Studies class. We went to the Counselor, got a new schedule, and now daughter will graduate mid term in December.

Thankfully, we have a box of school supplies. Extras I've bought over the years when stuff is on sale at Back to School time. So far, we aren't gonna need to buy much. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Fingers also crossed that Son doesn't need anything too much for school either. His car has been costing us a minor fortune the last couple of months. And, we still need to put new tires on it before winter sets in.

It's always something.

[lrprn]

Ironically it was the expensive high school and college years for both our kids that contributed to us finally having to file Ch 13. We skated too close to the financial edge for a long time with daughter playing competitive fast-pitch softball on a traveling team for three years then in certified massage therapy school for three years which costs as much as regular college. Son was in college at the same time and ended up on the '5 year plan'. At the end of his 5th year and a year before daughter finished massage therapy school, daughter and I had two unexpected hospitalizations with surgery for me (broken ankle with plate and screws) - we became financial toast in no time flat. We are now paying the price for our poor decisions and worse luck for 54 more months.

[Kam]

Well, we found out if you file BK it pretty much excludes you from qualifying for a PLUS loan. So, our daughter is having to finance another $4000 of her education by herself! A textbook, a lab manual and 4-cd set for her human anatomy class came to over $350.00! She is ready for classes to begin on Monday.

[SinkingFast]

Well, we found out if you file BK it pretty much excludes you from qualifying for a PLUS loan. So, our daughter is having to finance another $4000 of her education by herself! A textbook, a lab manual and 4-cd set for her human anatomy class came to over $350.00! She is ready for classes to begin on Monday.

I kinda guessed that was the case when I saw the Parent Plus program, Kam. That it was based on our Credit. Which would mean there'd be no money from that for our kids. This year, Son only qualified for the Stafford Loan. Which, with him working, was enough money.

Next academic year, 07-08, should be different. When we fill out the FAFSA next spring, we'll have regular income AND 3 kids in college. They should get the State and Pell Grants, and a whole bunch of other aid Son didn't qualify for this year. We cashed out Hubby's retirement IRA in 05 to pay off the 2nd on the house, getting it ready to sell. So it looked like our income was HUGE when it wasn't really.

Ironically it was the expensive high school and college years for both our kids that contributed to us finally having to file Ch 13. We skated too close to the financial edge for a long time with daughter playing competitive fast-pitch softball on a traveling team for three years then in certified massage therapy school for three years which costs as much as regular college. Son was in college at the same time and ended up on the '5 year plan'. At the end of his 5th year and a year before daughter finished massage therapy school, daughter and I had two unexpected hospitalizations with surgery for me (broken ankle with plate and screws) - we became financial toast in no time flat. We are now paying the price for our poor decisions and worse luck for 54 more months.

Ouch! Lrprn!!

And I hear ya about supporting the kids' activities. We were doing Football and Swimming in High School. I have to say, I believe Swimming was THE most expensive sport we ever had. Pool time costs. Competitive suits cost. It's like when you watch the Olympics and they talk about the Figure Skaters and how much it costs for ice time and skates.

[Jman30]

My son just started soccer for his school. Mind you, he is only in Kindergarten. But it cost $50 to sign up. He needed shin guards, cleats, soccer socks, soccer ball. There was another $60.

$110 bucks to watch a bunch of 5 year olds run around a field like a bunch of crazy people kicking the ball into the wrong goal. LOL

[confusedinVA]

rofl, my son and daughter both played soccer in kindergarten. My daughter still loves it and plays. I remember both of them running around that field when they were that age, so adorable. We at that time were able to go through YMCA, so it was a little less expensive.

On top of cheering, football and soccer I have just found out that my sons schools fees will be 150 for this year. This is his first year in middle school and did not realize that fees were that stinkin much. He will be getting an Ibook through school and that is why fees are so much. That is just unbelievable to me. Our fee night is August 30 and they have to be paid on that day. We, the parents, also have to be trained on them. (This should be fun)

[Kam]

Well my youngest DD inherited her older sister's I-book, and I purchased a new I-book for the oldest through our University's payment plan. It's kinda funny to watch both girls 'nettin at the dining room table while I'm on the PC in the livingroom!! DH wants a lap top of his own and I'm checking into whether a network card can be installed in an old Dell lap top I picked up a few years ago!

DH inherited youngest DD's Ipod. Both DD's received new Ipods this past summer, so I think I am done outfitting everyone...well there's the new WIE system we are looking into....but that's another topic.

Youngest DD will need $51.00 to start classes next Wednesday (ASB card, locker fee + key, year book). Then as the season progresses towards bball, she will need a physical and $35.00 in order to play. Of course, there's new shoes and all that as well.