OT Sweet 16 Average Budget

[Mndl]

I'm rather birthday party phobic. My 2 older boys had a friend party at 5 and 7, my third son has never wanted anything but a family party(God bless him) and CP had a friend party when she turned 5, she was supposed to have a 7yr old one, but I kinda never planned it. She's turning 8 soon and there's no escaping a party this year-sigh. I really prefer just family birthday parties, so much less stress.

 

[SL&AM]

Ummmmmm if you adopt me I'll pick Germany for you.


**Don't mind me, just one of the girls here**

If I adopted you, I'd need to become really old, really fast.

 

[njallday]

oh... well if we're writing a novel based on this thread or I was a research subject or something and I am quoted or have a character based off of me I'd like my royalties direct deposited, please.

 

[Cheer Dad]

If I adopted you, I'd need to become really old, really fast.

No you wouldn't but if you're worried about that you can try cheer son. Im sure he'd like Germany as well.


**Don't mind me, just one of the girls here**

 

[Cheermom1969]

No you wouldn't but if you're worried about that you can try cheer son. Im sure he'd like Germany as well.


**Don't mind me, just one of the girls here**

Um excuse me?!?

 

[icame2WERQ]

Sweet 16 and these big parties are never for the kids. It's all about the parents! Durrrrhh

 

[cheertired]

Save the money for college...some of these numbers you guys are pulling would pay for at least a semester of my schooling, maybe even a year.

While having a big party may seem grand and unforgettable, the only person who will remember (and even care still!) 5 years later is the child. I took some friends to the beach and hung out the day. Totally fun and totally free.

In my opinion, save the money for school, for an apartment later on, for a wedding. Coming from a 21 year old, If my parents would've even considered spending 8k on a sweet sixteen, and instead chose to give that money to me later to use for college (or rent, or groceries, or a car...) I easily would've appreciated the latter. Eventually little cp is going to be on her own in the real world, and having that fallback money would certainly have helped me more than a sweet 16!

 

[Cheer Dad]

Um excuse me?!?

Well she's offering Germany


**Don't mind me, just one of the girls here**

 

[SL&AM]

oh... well if we're writing a novel based on this thread or I was a research subject or something and I am quoted or have a character based off of me I'd like my royalties direct deposited, please.

Bwahahaha!

I'm rather birthday party phobic. My 2 older boys had a friend party at 5 and 7, my third son has never wanted anything but a family party(God bless him) and CP had a friend party when she turned 5, she was supposed to have a 7yr old one, but I kinda never planned it. She's turning 8 soon and there's no escaping a party this year-sigh. I really prefer just family birthday parties, so much less stress.

That is my legit fear for next year. I heard more about a party going into 7 than ever before, but I still really want to avoid them. For 8, I may have to offer up a dinner out instead of a night away. Did I mention how much I hate parties? I don't even like family parties because then I have to deal with family.

No you wouldn't but if you're worried about that you can try cheer son. Im sure he'd like Germany as well.


**Don't mind me, just one of the girls here**

I don't think you considered how this was worded; but if I could get him past the military security, I'd bring him. CP and I flew $100 roundtrip when we lived in Germany for 2 seats in and out of Baltimore. It was awesome.

Um excuse me?!?

Thank you!

Well she's offering Germany


**Don't mind me, just one of the girls here**

That is true, I am. Germany is an amazing country and I legit can not wait to go back. My goal is to spend 2 weeks there the next time we go.

 

[quitthedrama]

Oldest CP spent her sweet 16 at a cheering comp. Pretty sure youngest CP will be doing the same thing. Given the timing of both of their birthdays, there is not enough time or money in the budget for much more than that.

 

[SL&AM]

I have never heard of laws limiting hours of teens. I have always been paid cash

I don't see the point of beating a dead horse, but 2 things:

1. If you're paid cash than you don't pay taxes. Yet claimed you make $10K after taxes; or $9.5K you rounded up.

2. Be very careful what you post on the internet; if someone figured out who you were and linked you back to this place, the Child Labor Law violation could put them out of business not to mention the tax fraud case the IRS could make.

3...I know I said 2, but 3. I live in the same state as you and can tell you we have some the strictest child labor laws in the entire country---thank tourism for that one---so please don't insult our intelligence that a teenager is smart enough to save that amount of money, but isn't smart enough to know your legal rights. I'm sorry, they don't compute.

I'm not trying to be mean or pick on you, but honesty goes a very long way in my book and most of this reads like a smoke screen.

 

[catlady]

And I found this show while looking for that episode:

BEST. JOB. EVER.

I couldn't help but crack up when she said, "My husband is just feeling all this pressure from being the sole provider so, I just want to do something nice for him." Lol, then by all means, throw him an expensive party!

@Just-a-Mom DH's parents were extremely frugal and practical with money. No material gifts, no parties, just a yearly check of $5,000 that went into his, and later on, our girls accounts for college. They would send them the investment statement every quarter with a note asking us to show them how their money was growing and to tell them how proud they were of them. Fast forward, when youngest was about 7 or 8 a friend came over and said she had made $20 from her lemonade stand, mine responded, "I've made about $45,000 from doing chores." Say what???!!! We always made a huge deal about the college account being a gift from her grandparents but, in her mind, it was the $5 of chore money we made her put in her savings from making her bed and emptying trash cans.

 

[SL&AM]

@catlady My 5 year old likes to tell people she 'has money' but fails to remember it's in a trust she can't touch until adulthood.

 

[Tosh]

Im just commenting here because i see the sweet 16 thing. My daughter (CP) turned 16 last year and have attended several over the years. So naturally she wanted to do one. We talked and decided to do something that she loves and that is different from all the other parties she's been to and something mommy can afford. Right away she said "camping". So I took her and quite a few of her friends camping, 99% of them have never gone camping before and by far it was the nicest sweet 16 any of them have ever gone to. Since then I have taken her and her friends on two additional camp trips and we are planning another one at the end of this month for her entire squad (Laud Help Me!) anyway the trip cost me about $500.00 for food, firewood, etc. All the girls brought $50 each for water tubing and white water rafting.
Now to the OP and the inconsistencies in your story.....are not necessary; however here goes.
1. You made $10,000 AFTER taxes
2. You get paid in cash! after taxes?
3. Are you a server/waitress or Hostess?
If you are a waitress, your actuar salary is way less than minimun wage. A waitress make about $3-5 tops. Their real wages comes from tips.
If you are a Hostess, then yes, your salary is minimum wage +.
If you are being paid in cash, it is under the table and illegal......
All of this other have already pointed out.....not picking on you, just trying to add it all together.
The part of your story that is bothering me, is the fact that you work. Usually kids at your age that work are not usually from wealthy families. I can understand that none-the-less, the money you work for is yours to do with as you please....but I will never let my child spend that much of your savings on a party. Someone pointed out earlier that you would have had to make $20K+ in order to have $8K+ saved to spend on a party. Regardless if this is a saving of 3 years or just one, you are spending 40% of your annual income on a party......At 16 you should be learning life lessons and one of the most improtant ones is how money works 40% of your income spent on one party will be considered leving way above your means.
As a mother, I will not say your idea is a crazy one but think about it some more.
Maybe invite your friends who would like to take this trip and ask them to contribute towards it. If my daughter was invited to a trip like this, my first question would be "how much does it cost". I can understand covering the cost for one or maybe even two of your closest friends who you know can not afford it and you do this as a gift to them. Anything more than that is too much. You are only turning 16, 18, 20 and 21 are coming, save your money to do something you really want to do like travel to a different country.
In some areas Sweet 16's are huge and very expensive, but you don't have to follow what everyone else is doing/spending, be true to yourself and your true friends will enjoy it and remember it not matter what you do.
I do wish you the best of luck and continue to save your money.....who know's what tomorrow will bring.

 

[KPep]

This thread is sooo... american.

Is it the only country doing the sweet 16 party thing? I looked it up on Wikipedia and they say it's quite popular in Canada too... probably everywhere but here!

I might sound stupid but... why 16?