Fastpitch Softball Poor? How $3 Can Help!

This post was supposed to go out the first week in January. But like many things in the lives of parents, it’s a day (week) late and a few dollars short. Such is life, right?

One of the most common questions that we get here at SIFG, is in regard to money. How to fund raise for their daughter, how to keep their daughter playing, how to afford the equipment that they need, how to pay for the expensive passion of softball. This is an expensive sport, and no matter how many working parents you have, or whether or not your well off, or making it week to week (which is likely the majority), a commitment of financing is part of the game.

Over the holidays, we did a small segment that turned huge, where folks just offered up their old and outgrown stuff, to those that needed it. We have heard from many of the people matched up, and it was a huge success for many. . We will continue this on Facebook – and you can find an entire thread dedicated to this right here at this link. If there is something that you NEED or something that you have to GIVE away, please start a thread there, or post on our FB wall, and we will share with the group.

At any rate. Recently we asked our 61K fans how much they pay for a season of ball. Some pay normal recreation dues of less than a $100 for a season – and others were paying upwards of $1800.00. The cost of travel ball is of course, relative to where you live. What most teams do is divide the expenses (tournaments, uniforms, cage/field rentals, equipment, sanction fees, insurance etc.) and divide by the amount of girls on the team. Of course, a few additional dollars are added for those things that come up unexpectedly – or for things such as banners etc. If you don’t understand where your team fees are going then it is important that you ASK! 99.9% of all coaches we know will offer up transparency when it comes to fees, and many more coaches and assistants reach into their own pockets to buy things they want or need for the team.

Being January, the first of the year – we want to offer you a reasonable and easy way to start saving in advance for your fastpitch fetish. Last year, we personally did the 52 week challenge and doubled the amounts of set to be deposited on many weeks – and were able to purchase Christmas for our 4 kids with the proceeds.

But what if we all started doing this NOW, so that next year we wouldn’t have to worry so much about softball expenses. After all, chances are as your child gets older and better, the fees only go up, the bat is going to wear out, the glove laces will fall off, the feet will grow. Or if your washing machine breaks the week before Christmas, or your daughter gets invited to a spur of the moment showcase that you hadn’t planned on, you will have a little fund to work with.

OR….you could use the extra money to take a well deserved vacation during the cold off season when vacation rates are cheaper and see what it feels like to take a regular vacay, without the entire team!

Seriously, this is a pretty painless way to save. Most of us procrastinate, and look back in a year or 6 months (which seems so far away right now but comes really quickly) If you do that, you will regret it. By the time you are 6 months in, you could have a cool $700 saved up!

The BEST PART is even though we a re a few days late getting this out, you can still catch up with a mere $3! That’s about the cost of a concession stand slushy that will melt before your child even eats it all.

The 52 week money challenge definitely adds up. AND…..we at SIFG believe that the GIRLS have some responsibility as well, and that making them part of the plan builds character and keeps them focused. Even if they cant save a $1 for the week number, they CAN start a savings plan. Here is how lesser amounts will add up over the course of a year.

$1 $1,378.00 (Ending deposit is $52.00)
.75 $1,033.5 (Ending deposit is $39.00)
.50 $689.00 (Ending deposit is $26.00)
.25 $344.00 (Ending deposit is $13.00)
.10 $137.00 (Ending deposit is $5.20)
.05 $68.90 (Ending deposit is $2.60)

To help you along, here is a an easy printout you can use to track your savings. Based on today’s date, you will only need $3 to catch up and get up to speed! So, what are you waiting for?