Good Parenting

Let’s face it – sending your kids to summer camp can cost a fortune. But here’s a secret: you can save up to 25% or more off camp tuition if you know the right people and use the right strategies.

Sending your child to camp can be like buying a car – you donÂ’t want to pay full price Â… and you donÂ’t need to! Let’s look at 5 things you can do right now to save money at camp:

1. Early Bird Discounts

Camp directors want to fill their camps as soon as possible. And they want to get paid as soon as possible, perhaps more so than in other industries because camp directors only get a few months per to make as much money as they can. So youÂ’ve got some leverage here. Most likely, a camp will offer discounted tuition in exchange for your early registration. So make sure you ask the camp director about early bird discounts because you might be pleasantly surprised how much you can save.

2. Sibling Discounts and Group Rates

You might not see a sibling discount advertised, but donÂ’t let this stop you from asking. Most camps will generally provide at least 5% off your second childÂ’s tuition — a pretty nice savings, especially in this terrible economy.
But if 5% isn’t enough, group discounts may also be available for a larger savings.

How much of a savings are we talking about? The amount will vary from camp to camp and the size of your group. At a minimum, your group should save at least 10% (although we’ve seen some groups save as much as 25%). ItÂ’s a camp directorÂ’s dream-come-true to register a bunch of kids at once, rather than one kid at a time because they expend much less time and money this way. Since youÂ’re making things easier on the camp, your group should be rewarded with a really nice discount.

3. Lock-in your Tuition Rate the Year Before

Here’s a little-known secret that can save you lots of money. Camps generally raise their prices every year, but you can freeze your tuition at this yearÂ’s prices by prepaying for the following summer in advance. (In exchange for your prepayment, the camp will not raise your rates next year, even though everyone else’s tuition will go up.) If you have the financial capacity to take advantage of this, your savings can be tremendous.

4. Camp Coupons

Everyone uses coupons at the grocery store, but did you know you can save money with coupons at camp? ThereÂ’s a website called Camp Coupons.com where you can print free discount coupons and offers from camps around the country.

5. Tax Breaks

Did you know you might qualify for a tax deduction (credit) on your income taxes? In our experience, those whoÂ’ve qualified are parents sending their kid to day camps, not overnight camps. You will need to consult your tax advisor for specific details because we are not qualified to give tax advice and you should not construe this information as such. HereÂ’s a link for more information from Bank Rate.com: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/CutYourTaxes/TakeATaxBreakForSummerCamp.aspx

There you have it. Five tips to help you save up to 25% or more at summer camp. Remember, even if you donÂ’t see any discounts offered or actively promoted by the camp, it doesnÂ’t mean they arenÂ’t available. Sometimes all you have to do is ask!

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 at 4:02 am and is filed under Good Parenting.