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The cost of family fun......TOO DAMN MUCH!!!!
- Feb 5, 2007 at 1:01 PM
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- Comments (15) Total Views (284) Everyone can see this journal post.
Ok, so as promised I'm going to vent about just how much it costs to have a good time with your kids! I'm soooo disgusted!
We went to see Monsters on Ice and this was the financial experience:
Tickets 14$ each (oh, there was a $3 per ticket svc charge) so $17 ea. x 6 tickets = $102
Just to get inside!!!! Seriously????
Oh, before we could get inside there was parking.... $5 per car x 2 cars = $10
Really? Next time, we will pile up and live dangerously! No we won't, that would be stupid, and Im poor not stupid!
So we do get inside and we are immediatley assaulted by the hoards of vendors and their products, food items and brightly colored light thingy majigs and licensed apparrel.
We tried to quickly find our seats and keep the kids unaware of their presence and of course were useless at this, so on our way to our seats we were nagged and begged and cried at for all of these things, So what was going to be a fun experience was quickly turning into a nightmare and I already wanted to go home.
Of course, I packed pretzels, suckers, and water (which was NOT ALLOWED!!) My only saving grace was that the guy who's job it was to check my bag, was so cold he didn't care! THANK YOU nice man at the door!
We get to our seats and are surrounded by kids whose parents either have millions of dollars or are just very generous with what they have, Because they each have Cotton Candy, Popcorn, Snow cones and those really high tech light thinga majigs, so once again our kids are begging, nagging and crying for these THINGS!
So after intermission, I went to the stand and explained to the guy, I was very upfront... Idid not want to spend too much, that I needed 3 items. Then, with a very straight face he said that I could have 3 bags of cotton candy with hard hat for ONLY $30 dollars! WHAT????? ONLY 30 dollars?
HELL NO!!!!!!!!!! Not even on a not so broke day!
I even tried talking him into a massage in trade for something... He was not local? DaMN!
So I bought 3 very generic straws with some resemblence of Mike on them.... only $6 ($2 each)
Fortunatley the kiddo's were happy with them, and we did enjoy the show!
I'm just sick of trying to entertain my kids without getting another job. The dollar movies cost us $20 because after tickets (which usually are not $1), we have popcorn & soda... I do take my own sometimes... which helps.
The Zoo is $12 for me and $6 for the kids, unless u have a membership which u should just go ahead and get.... but then there's gas to get there and the food is outrageous and usually not even tasty. So once again I pack.
I just don't understand why... WHY can't they cut the cost in half??? They would be twice as busy and make just as much???
MOMS NEED TO UNITE AND FIGHT THE MAN!!!!! I don't know how to give my kids all of the super fun experiences that they want and not go broke. Beleive me, Im super thrifty, I take my own food and clip coupons, and watch for specials and blah blah blah, but wouldn't it be AWESOME, if we did not have to!!! Come on, just be reasonable and we will show our appreciation by frequenting your events and places.
I know you all understand, so I just wanted to share! I know there are inexpensive things to do with your kids, but there are way too many overpriced activities that just don't need to be.
Have a good day and have fun with your family no matter what!
Heidi
Comments:
I understand what myboogiewoogie is saying, and I do stay positive as far as they are concerned, however it really burns me up inside that we are being taken advantage of. Cotton Candy costs cents to make, and popcorn and soda... so I don't feel good about paying the price. I refuse to support the awful overpricing! As long as people pay, they will charge. Im not expecting that I will make any difference or change this, but shame on anyone who charges too much! It's taking advantage.!!!
going to movies takes a bank loan, going to an "event" costs so much I don't even want to think about it. My FIL gets season tickets to the Twins games which is cool cuz we go for free and since i have friends who live near the MetroDome I don't pay for parking, but sadly just the basics (not including souvenirs), like a hot dog, soda and fries costs $12!! times 4......then there peanuts or cracker jacks.....another $4 a piece!! I tell ya by the time it's all said and done we pay almost $70 or more!! Sadly that's cheap!! A trip to the MN Zoo two years ago cost us $200 and we brought snacks!! It's hard to make things memorable and fun for the kids when inside you're totalling things up and deciding what you need to cut out of the monthly budget so that the trip doesn't ruin you.
I am with ya girl, I say lower the prices so families can enjoy a day out together!!
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I have become rather adept at finding fun free things. One or twice a year we go to an "event" with the kids. With just having baby number 5 things are getting a little too pricey.
- mamafessler
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