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Costs of summer childcare
Kari Thomas is a South Tampa mom. She wants to give her child everything but said the cost makes that impossible. FOX 13's Danielle Zulkosky reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Kari Thomas is a South Tampa mom. She wants to give her child everything but said the cost makes that impossible.
What they're saying:
"I have 'mom guilt' every summer," Thomas said. "Because here we are with one week left of school, and I haven't found a camp for him to go to."
Still, Thomas said she's a mom, so she finds a way to create summer magic.
"There's nothing I wouldn't do for my kid," Thomas said.
The backstory:
It is getting harder and harder to get that budget to stretch each month. Add summer childcare on top of that, and it can feel impossible to make it work.
"As you have a plan and come up with some strategies, you can definitely still create a memorable season for your kids," Andrea Woroch, a consumer savings expert, said.
Woroch recommends looking for low-or no-cost activities in the summer to save money.
Try the library or a recreation center to start.
"Movie theaters like Regal Cinemas, they host family-friendly movie programs during the summer where you could go to a movie for as little as a dollar per showing," Woroch said.
As for childcare, there are cheaper alternatives. The YMCA offers low-cost summer day camps and even offers discounts to families.
Affordable summer camp option
Matt Lewis is the vice president of membership and programs at the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA.
"We don't turn anyone away for the inability to pay," Lewis said. "There's always an opportunity to get your child a safe, fun, engaging summer camp experience."
The Tampa Metropolitan YMCA still has spots open for camp, and there are a variety of camps available.
The camp even provides two meals a day for the kids for most of the summer.
"If you close your eyes and imagine camp -- minus the cabins, that's what we do, from nature education, to games, to sports too," Lewis said. "We have our elite camps where kids get to ride horses out at YMCA Camp Christina. You can climb the Alpine Tower."
Thomas said there are still fun things to do that are in her budget, like spending time outside at the beach or pool.
Courtesy: Tampa YMCA
"All of the free things we take advantage of, we have a membership at the YMCA, our parents go to the JCC, so we do that," Thomas said. "We got him an electric scooter. We live right next to an ice cream shop, so we walk up there."
Budget-friendly activities
Woroch provided some tips for finding affordable summer activities.
- Go camping in your backyard.
- Get a day pass at a hotel to use the pool and facilities.
- Take a staycation.
- Look for cheap activities like low-cost matinee shows.
- Find other free activities at your local public spaces, such as the library, park or recreation centers.
- Use resale marketplaces to get lightly used toys and equipment.
- Look for sales to get additional summer gear.
The Source: Information in this story comes from interviews with a consumer savings expert, the vice president of membership and programs at the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA, and a South Tampa mother.