Skip to content
  • Home
  • Essentials
        • ESSENTIALS
        • Goals and Budgeting
          • Overview
          • Organizing Your Financial Life
          • Budgeting
          • Your Personal Net Worth
          • Setting Goals
          • Financial Planning
          • Planning Your Charitable Giving
        • Credit and Debit
          • Overview
          • Good Debt versus Bad Debt
          • How Credit Can Help—and Hurt
          • Understanding Your Credit Score
          • Preventing Identity Theft
          • Paying Off Student Debt
        • Estate Planning
          • Overview
          • Estate Plan Basics
          • Creating an Estate Plan
        • Types of Accounts
          • Overview
          • Choosing the Right Accounts
          • Individual Retirement Accounts
          • Employer Sponsored Retirement Accounts
          • Small Business Retirement Accounts
          • College Savings Accounts
          • Custodial Accounts
          • Understanding FDIC and SIPC Insurance
        • Saving
          • Overview
          • Why You Should Save and How Much
          • Making the Most of Your Paycheck
          • Saving for an Emergency
          • Eight Savings Fundamentals
        • Investing
          • Overview
          • Getting Started with Investing
          • Stocks, Bonds, and Cash
          • Fractional Shares
          • Socially Responsible Investing
          • Understanding Mutual Funds and ETFs
          • Creating an Investment Plan
          • Finding the Right Asset Allocation
          • The Advantages of Diversification
          • Benefits of Compound Growth
          • Tax-Smart Investing
          • The Importance of Monitoring and Rebalancing
        • Taxes
          • Overview
          • Income Taxes
          • Income Taxes for Children
          • Calculate Taxes
          • Payroll Taxes
        • Insurance
          • Overview
          • Insurance You Need
          • Individual Health Insurance
          • Group Health Insurance
          • Understanding Medicare
          • Disability Insurance
          • Life Insurance
          • Long-Term Care Insurance
          • Auto Insurance
  • My Life
        • MY LIFE
        • STARTING OUT
        • BUYING A CAR
        • MILITARY COMMUNITY
        • Buying a Home
          • Overview
          • Buy or Rent?
          • How Much House Can You Afford?
          • Mortgage Basics
          • Beyond Mortgage Costs
        • Jobs
          • Overview
          • Changing Jobs
          • What to Do If You Lose Your Job
          • Managing Your Finances as You Change Jobs
          • Protecting Your 401(k)
        • Getting Married
          • Overview
          • Planning and Paying for a Wedding
          • Marrying Your Finances
          • Prenups: Do You Need One?
        • Starting a Family
          • Overview
          • Budgeting for a Child
          • Insurance and Estate Planning Needs
          • Planning for a Child's Education
        • Divorce
          • Overview
          • Preparing Your Finances for Divorce
          • Protecting Yourself During a Divorce
          • Managing Money After a Divorce
        • Helping Aging Parents
          • Overview
          • Talking Money with Aging Parents
          • Insurance Needs
          • Managing Income and Investments
          • Knowing Their Wishes
          • Social Services
        • Losing a Loved One
          • Overview
          • Handling Finances After Loss
          • Special Guidelines for Loss of a Spouse
        • Retirement
          • Overview
          • Starting Retirement
          • Nearing Retirement
          • Enjoying Retirement
  • Money Talk
        • MONEY TALK
        • Planning & Goals
        • Investing Basics
        • Insurance
        • Education Savings
        • Couples & Families
        • Kids & Teens
        • Estate
        • Retirement
        • Major Purchases
        • Banking, Credit & Debt
        • Budgeting & Saving
        • Taxes
        • About Money Talk
  • Teaching Kids
        • TEACHING KIDS
        • Basics
          • Overview
          • Rules of the Road at Every Age
          • Budgeting
        • Saving
          • Overview
          • Starting the Savings Habit
          • Motivating Your Kids to Save
          • Tips for Parents with Kids and Teens
        • Investing
          • Overview
          • Introducing Kids to Investing
          • Important Investing Concepts
          • Benefits of Early Investing
          • Investment Accounts for Kids
        • Giving Back
        • Life Lessons
          • Overview
          • Tips for Financial Success
          • Managing an Allowance
          • Help Teens use Credit Wisely
        • Buying a Car
          • Overview
          • Your Teen's First Car
          • Assessing Your Teens Needs and Budget
          • Cash or Financing?
          • Auto Insurance
        • First Job
          • Overview
          • Your Teen's First Job
          • Income Tax Basics
          • Payroll Tax Basics
          • Getting Serious About Saving
        • Going to College
          • Overview
          • Costs Beyond Tuition
          • Life Away from Home
        • Leaving the Nest
          • Overview
          • A Checklist for Leaving Home
        • Activities and Resources
          • Overview
          • Overview
        • Categories
          • Overview
          • Classroom Curriculum
        • Age Groups
          • Overview
          • Elementary School
          • Middle School
          • High School
  • Teen Academy
        • GOALS AND BUDGETING
          • Overview
          • Dream Big, Save Smart: How to Set Money Goals
          • Who Needs a Budget? Well, Everyone—Even You!
          • Spending Reality Check: Do You Need It or Just Want It?
        • JOBS
          • Overview
          • Got Your First Job? Understand Your Paycheck
        • CREDIT AND DEBT
          • Overview
          • Spend Smart: How to Use a Credit Card the Right Way
        • COLLEGE
          • Overview
          • Financial Aid 101: How to Pay for College
        • INVESTING
          • Overview
          • This Cool Investing Feature Is the Key to Reaching Your Goals
          • How to Invest Like a Boss—As a Teen
  • Tools & Resources
        • TOOLS AND RESOURCES
        • Worksheets
        • Calculators
        • Spending Tracker
        • Monthly Budget Planner
        • Financial Fitness Quiz
        • Documents and Forms
          • Overview
          • Form W-4
          • Form W-2
          • Form 1099
        • Financial Glossary
  • Foundation
      • FOUNDATION
      • Moneywise America
Search

Are Kids' Sports Costs Straining Your Budget?

April 30, 2025 Patrick Means
If the high cost of today's youth sports is putting a strain on your budget, here are some economical ways to keep your kids playing—and you cheering them on.

If you're a parent with an athletic kid or two, you may already be very aware of a line item in your budget that may be costing you much more than expected—your kids' sports costs. From ice hockey to girls' softball to baseball and gymnastics, today's sports teams and competitions are a far cry from even a generation ago. The biggest difference? Youth sports has turned into a big business. In fact, it's estimated to be a $30-40 billion dollar business according to the Aspen Institute1.

As the father of an athletic 7-year-old boy who's trying out multiple sports, I'm already planning ahead. Here's why. The average U.S. sports family spent $1,016 on their child's primary sport in 2024, and nearly $1,500 for all of that child's sports experiences, according to the Aspen Institute2. This can be hard for some families. Forty-nine percent of parents said they struggled to cover the cost of their kids' sports participation, according to a 2023 survey on how Americans view sports from Survey USA3.

American parents estimated their kids' sports costs ranged from nothing to almost $25,000, in the same Aspen Institute survey. Parents aren't just paying for equipment and uniforms, there's team registration fees, travel and lodging, lessons and instruction, and camps or athlete schools. What's notable are the big jumps seen over the past five years.

I'm a big believer in the benefits of sports for kids. It's fun, it keeps them active, and it teaches them teamwork and leadership skills. Plus, there's nothing like seeing your child put on that little uniform and taking pictures to send to your family and friends. It's an intimate connection to your kids' lives, especially if, like me, you played sports yourself.

At the same time, you could find yourself in a situation where you look at your bank statement at the end of the season and say, "What did I do?" If you have a couple of kids, it could be even more of a financial strain. As parents we need to manage the high costs of kids' sports wisely from the start—because the financial pressure only grows as they do. So, before you get in too deep or if you're already feeling stretched, here are some ways to keep costs under control.

First, get your own financial playbook in order

You want the best for your kids, but you don't want to jeopardize your own financial situation. Before you funnel potentially thousands of dollars into youth sports fees, make certain you:

  • Maximize retirement savings. Contribute to your employer-sponsored retirement plan to at least get the full company match. Save in an IRA if you can, and consider contributing to a Health Savings Account if you're eligible.
  • Pay down debt. Focus especially on non-deductible, high-interest debt like credit cards and personal loans—anything with an interest rate over 8%. Prioritize paying off high-interest debt with an interest rate in the high teens or above.
  • Save for emergencies. Build an emergency fund to cover three-to-six months' worth of essential living expenses. Make a list of how much you need to cover basic necessities. Then decide to keep that amount somewhere relatively liquid and safe, like a savings or money market account.

Also strategize on how to save for multiple financial goals. Chances are, funding your kids' sports is only one of many goals. What about saving for college or saving for your retirement? To help make sure paying for today's sports doesn't derail your future goals, make a list of all the things you're saving for and how much you'll need for each. Then prioritize your list in terms of what's most important to you and your family.

Create a game plan for handling the extra costs

After establishing your overall financial strategy, you can include kids' sports as a line item in your spending plan. Be realistic about how much you'll need. Just like when you make any major purchase, do your homework. Talk to other parents, ask coaches, and go to club sports' websites so you know what you're getting into. Decide what you can comfortably handle and what trade-offs you may have to make so your kids can participate.

Then look for ways to streamline expenses. Here are some ideas:

  • Look for local leagues. These are generally less costly than traveling teams. Especially when your kids are younger, local leagues and school-sponsored teams are a great way to expose them to a variety of sports.
  • Buy used equipment. Be on the lookout for sport swaps in your community. Or explore stores that sell used sports equipment. As you know, kids outgrow things fast!
  • Volunteer to coach. If you have the skills and the desire, coaching is a great way to offset coaching fees while providing opportunities for your own budding athlete as well as other kids in your community.
  • Organize small group coaching sessions. Want to give your kids some specialized help but can't afford private lessons? Pair up with other parents for small group coaching sessions, maybe once a week. Splitting the cost will make it more doable, and your kids may even get more out of a group lesson.

Team up with your kids

There's no harm in including your child in the conversation. Kids need to understand that sports cost money. Give them options. Based on what we can manage financially, would you rather do this or that? I had plans for my son to go to two different sports camps this summer, each focusing on a separate sport. Another, less-costly choice, was a day camp that offered multiple sports. I asked him what he'd rather do, and guess which one he chose? The multiple sports camp! It will end up costing me less, and he's happier being part of the decision.

Sports are a great way for you to engage with your children and support their activities. But if it's too much of a financial burden, that can take away from what you all want out of it. Kids can sense if it's a financial strain. There's an undercurrent. Then nobody's having fun. But with some creative strategizing and honest conversations, both you and your kids can benefit from everything playing sports has to offer.

1Aspen Institute, "Youth Sports Facts," Project Play, https://projectplay.org/youth-sports/facts/challenges

2Aspen Institute Project Play, Youth Sports Parent Survey, 2024, https://projectplay.org/news/2025/2/24/project-play-survey-family-spending-on-youth-sports-rises-46-over-five-years

3Survey USA, "Results of SurveyUSA Mkt Research Study #26829," Poll Report, 2023, https://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=9d7dba7b-8808-4516-a06e-0536098a8937

4Aspen Institute Project Play, Youth Sports Parent Survey, 2024, https://projectplay.org/news/2025/2/24/project-play-survey-family-spending-on-youth-sports-rises-46-over-five-years

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered an individualized recommendation or personalized investment advice. The investment strategies mentioned here may not be suitable for everyone. Each investor needs to review an investment strategy for his or her own particular situation before making any investment decision.

All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice in reaction to shifting market conditions. Data contained herein from third-party providers is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed.

Examples provided are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to be reflective of results you can expect to achieve.

0425-L6F0
  • About the Foundation
    • Foundation
    • Moneywise America
  • Money Talk
    • Money Talk
    • Planning & Goals
    • Investing Basics
    • Insurance
    • Education Savings
    • Couples and Families
    • Kids and Teens
    • Estate
    • Retirement
    • Major Purchases
    • Banking, Credit & Debt
    • Budgeting & Saving
    • Taxes
    • About Money Talk
  • Essentials
  • My Life
  • Teaching Kids
  • Tools and Resources

This information on this website is for educational purposes only, and is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax, legal, or investment planning advice. Where specific advice is necessary or appropriate, you should consult with a qualified tax advisor, CPA, Financial Planner, or Investment Manager.

Charles Schwab Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, private foundation funded by The Charles Schwab Corporation. It is not part of Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. or its parent company, The Charles Schwab Corporation.

© 2025 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. ("Schwab"). All rights reserved. Member SIPC.

(0624-1EZE)