September Budget... Kid Activities

I don't know about you, but September always feels like the start of a new year.  Kids off to school and the beginning of new routines.
Which leads me to the kid activities!  We have two kids that are now 7 and 9 and boy are they busy!  I always say that we are cutting down the activities that they sign up for but something always sneaks in.
Today it was gymnastics.  Now there is an activity for the girls Monday to Thursday which lead to some hefty up front fees. OUCH!
We have an envelope in our cash budget system labelled Kid Activities.  Original eh? Each month we put a set amount of money in the envelope for the kids. Let's face it, they always want to do something.  Gymnastics and dance is paid for based on term, no more fees until the real new year.  Guides and Brownies is paid for in June for the year. But wait, there is a weekly dues. I always write a cheque and pay them for the year to keep it in the budget while also not relying on my bad memory as we are rushing out the door.
Even though all activities are allotted their money for the fall activities, the key is to keep saving. Keep adding to the envelope to build up the fund for the next round.
September also means back to school and after school child care for some.  Count these items in your budget. You may even start an envelope system too!
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