How to Afford Youth Sports on a Budget | RaiseRight

If you’ve been trying to fit your child’s sports programs into a tight budget, you’re probably frustrated with the current costs of equipment, program fees, travel, and everything else your young athlete needs. 

These days, youth sports cost U.S. families $30 to $40 billion each year, and that total may be on the rise. Fall 2022 travel costs for youth sports were up 19% compared to pre-pandemic spending, and parents report inflation as the top driver of higher overall costs. 

In good news, many communities are investing more in athletic programs, and innovative sports fundraising and savings approaches can help more families participate. Take a look at our round-up below, highlighting how to afford youth sports on a budget.

Promote effective fundraising

While bake sales and door-to-door sales are popular fundraising options, neither approach significantly reduces youth sports costs. 

Rather, effective fundraising means evaluating the time, talents, and opportunities available and determining what course will yield the best results. To do this:

• Utilize the unique skills and resources available in your team’s pool of families
• Draw on local businesses for sponsorships and donations of cash, products, and services
• Research and apply for local, state, and federal government support
• Partner with community organizations.

Launch an ongoing, year-round fundraiser

Instead of a one-time fundraiser that requires a lot of prep and promotion, consider organizing a RaiseRight program to help parents earn funds throughout the year without spending extra money. The concept works like this: 

1. Purchase gift cards or shop online through hundreds of brands available on RaiseRight, including Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Buy and use gift cards for everyday expenses (think gas or groceries) instead of cash or credit.
2. Your sports team earns up to 20% back with every purchase. 
3. The team can use the raised money directly or distribute it among families to pay for travel, fees, equipment, etc.

Families can even use the RaiseRight app as a digital wallet and refill gift card accounts for on-the-go convenience. You'll find that you can easily raise $1,000 or more per family, per year toward uniforms, program fees, travel, celebrations—you name it.

Take advantage of travel perks

A major factor in the high cost of youth sports is travel to away games, training, and tournaments. Look for savings and perks through: 

• Credit cards with travel points and discounts
• Loyalty programs for hotel chains, airlines, and car rental agencies
• Point programs at travel booking websites
• Travel discounts through employers, associations, or other affiliations

Pro-tip: If you can fully pay off credit card charges every month to avoid interest, stream your RaiseRight purchases through a credit card that earns travel points to double down on rewards and benefits. 

Reduce equipment costs

Uniforms, practice gear, and sports equipment costs can add up. Check on safety needs around used or repaired equipment, and look for ways to save when it’s safe to do so: 

• Plan shopping around seasonal and new inventory replacement sales 
• Buy used equipment 
• Look on freebie sites and apps for giveaways
• Borrow or rent equipment
• Compare repair to replacement costs before ditching damaged items.

Pro-tip: According to Adobe’s analysis of e-commerce trends, the first week of December is when you’ll find the best pricing on sporting goods for holiday gifting.

Invest more time and less money

As they say: time is money. Investing more time can help you avoid higher costs when you: 

• Volunteer time instead of donating money
• Shop around for the best deals
• Prepare and bring food and snacks with you to games and events.

Share the burden

You’re not alone in struggling to pay for the high cost of youth sports. Check with other team families and look into saving by: 

• Carpooling locally
• Sharing a van or SUV to drive long distances
• Reserving a short-term rental (i.e., Airbnb) for multiple families during sports travels
• Splitting the cost of hotel rooms or suites for multi-family child groups.