OT Sweet 16 Average Budget

[Cheeranswers]

this thread just baffles me. wow I did not realize sweet 16s were this crazy

 

[megsmom]

CP decided 2 years ago that she wanted to take a friend and go to Disneyland/ Southern California for a week when she turns 16. Since that is still 5 years away, she may change her mind, but dad and I are already saving. Since that will also be the summer before her senior year, we may make it her big 'last fun summer' thing.

 

[mamabear]

I dreamt about the super sweet sixteen party that I would love to throw for my kid someday. It was held during during a fourth of July celebration on a boat during the NYC firework display. Sad to say that we will never be able to afford it, because it looked like a heck of a party in my dream

Right now, Cp usually goes for "the experience" over a gift, but I think she will probably want the party when she turns 16. We still have seven years until it happens and I am hoping that the big party thing will die down by then

 

[MaineStar234]

The sweet 16 culture is so weird to me because I never went to one and only have heard of like 1 or 2 people I actually know of having anything kind of like that. Maybe they just aren't a thing in Maine...


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[Deleted member 41136]

Thank you all for answering my question. My new question is if your daughter asked for something expensive for her sweet 16, if she offered to pay for it would you comsider it? I see that my parents will have to take off of work and that it is expensive but I am paying for everything but $500 of it

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

Thank you all for answering my question. My new question is if your daughter asked for something expensive for her sweet 16, if she offered to pay for it would you comsider it? I see that my parents will have to take off of work and that it is expensive but I am paying for everything but $500 of it

I think this is a question you should be talking over with your parents as every person will have a different answer.

If I were you, I would do a lot of research on what this will actually cost. Then figure out how much I could feasibly save and contribute to it. Then I would ask to talk to them about it and show them everything I have figured out/researched. Then I'd ask them what they think about everything you've presented them with and I'd be ready to negotiate if they say no. Are there details I'd be willing to budge on? Instead of a whole week, what about a few days or a long weekend? Instead of staying at one of the expensive hotels, what about a cheaper one? Instead of doing every park, what about just my top 2 or 3 favorites? Instead of buying all our meals there, what about bringing breakfast, lunch, and snack foods, and only buying dinners there? All these things would cut down on cost if that is your parents main objection to this. Have these alternative plans researched and priced out too so that you can present your parents with all this info as well.

I think if they see that you've really thought about this and have discussed it with them in a mature matter, I think they would see 1. How much this means to you an 2. That you are mature enough to take on some of the responsibility to get this plan into motion. It's easy for parents (and everyone really) to automatically say "No" when things seem ridiculous or excessive or anything like that. It think of you try this approach you could open up a conversation and see why they're saying no and see what you could do and help out with to change their mind if this is something you really want.

ETA: it sounds like you're already doing a version of this judging by the questions you're asking us but I don't think the opinions of others is going to help you, I think the facts and budget of this shindig will help more. I don't mean to come off harshly, I really hope you can come up with a plan with your parents and celebrate your birthday in Disney. I think they'd really be impressed if you did this.

 

[Deleted member 41136]

ETA: it sounds like you're already doing a version of this judging by the questions you're asking us but I don't think the opinions of others is going to help you, I think the facts and budget of this shindig will help more. I don't mean to come off harshly, I really hope you can come up with a plan with your parents and celebrate your birthday in Disney. I think they'd really be impressed if you did this.

Thank you. I dont want to seem arguementative and I feel really bad about all of this. I might not even do anything but its ok.

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

Thank you. I dont want to seem arguementative and I feel really bad about all of this. I might not even do anything but its ok.

You shouldn't feel bad about anything you've posted, don't worry. You come off mature for your age, you're doing fine

I think you have the right idea (asking questions to gather information), but maybe the wrong approach (asking opinion based questions from random people). It's always ok to ask what other parents think, but just realize that everyone financial, family, life situations are different and can't give you information you could apply to your situation.

For instance, Disney is a place I've only been to once in my life because my family could only afford it through their Disney Rewards credit cards. There are other people who go every year and it's not a big deal to them. When you said Disney, I thought "OMG I'd never ask my parents for that, that's so expensive", but there are other kids who would and their parents could afford to do so. Everyone is different. I would kind of take what other people say with a grain of salt since their situations are probably different.

 

[Pebbles49]

@Eyes On The Prize, I agree with everything you said and it does come down on a family financial situation. Tbh, @cheergirl2000, the Sweet 16 celebration thing might be a fad and I wonder an AS cheer thing. Why I say? None of my daughter's friends outside of cheerleading are having Sweet 16 parties or even talking about them, but she first heard about these parties while doing cheer. So, I am preparing for this celebration, in case she still wants one. Which honestly, I will have many discussions and gently push her to do something fun, memorable and within a reasonable budget.... But I really believe in 3 years, my daughter will probably move on to something else! Jmo

 

[catlady]

As far as a gift, it is a tradition in my family to pass down family jewelry at the ages of 12, 16, HS graduation and 21. Most of our family jewelry came from a Great Aunt that no one seems to know anything about other than her sister said she was a "drunk" so, we make up stories as to how the piece was acquired (usually by train or coach robbery). The cost to us is nothing and it is pretty cool to see your kids wear the same pieces I saw my grandma in pictures wear, my mom wear and I got to wear.

Definitely talk to your parents about a budget but, I will be honest, the Sweet Sixteen budget question would kind of throw me off just because the elaborate parties were not a thing in the dark ages when I grew up. You seem to be very mature and reasonable, I get the feeling no matter what the budget, you will make it great.

 

[CheerBank]

@cheergirl2000 while I truly appreciate your willingness to pay for almost all of the trip, if I was your mom I would not want you spending all the $ you have worked hard for on a Sweet 16 trip. I would prefer you saved that money for college or a downpayment for something down the road.

 

[oncecoolcoachnowmom]

Expensive is all relative.

For example, my very best friend from college had a destination wedding in Europe.

She got a lot of "Jeez, I could never spend that amount of money for a wedding."

And

"Omg that's so dumb! We would rather spend our money on a house."

Well, they actually did end up buying a house around the same time as well.

It is really interesting to me that the world tends to think that if you're spending for your wedding that you are:

*Going broke
*Going into debt
*Not going to be able to buy a house.

Same with kids parties.

Going to Disney for a Sweet Sixteen doesn't mean:

*Less money for college
*Parents going into debt
*Child won't have money later for a car or something else.

That's just something people like to assume. It is entirely possble for a family to do these trips and have money for other things.

 

[Official OWECheer]

god i loved that show, lol. i just remember the episode of the girl who went all the way to paris for a dress and everything was closed for the season or some kind of holiday, and she freaked out.

I think Audrey was the worst.

Threw a temper tantrum on national TV because her mom gave her her car on the final day of her quince court's practice instead of on the day of the party. Plus, it was the wrong Lexus model (she had wanted a different one). LOL. Everyone hated her for it.

I loved Margaret Ann's party, though.

Thank you all for answering my question. My new question is if your daughter asked for something expensive for her sweet 16, if she offered to pay for it would you comsider it? I see that my parents will have to take off of work and that it is expensive but I am paying for everything but $500 of it

If I were your mom I'd want you to save your money, but lots of kids ask for expensive stuff without even offering to help pay. I'm impressed.

 

[Cheer Dad]

@Pebbles49 the sweet 16 around here is not limited to the cheer world. Fairly common but typically low key.


**Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free-yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man! I feel like a woman!**

 

[njallday]

i thought only rich people throw these kinds of parties for kids... i mean does everyone not remember the mtv my super sweet sixteen, one of mtvs many classic entertaining shows to watch back then.

I was (un)lucky enough to turn 16 right after that show really started in 05-06, and if you add up the amount my mom probably paid for gifts for each sweet 16 I probably could have paid for my own. From the girls on the cheerleading team alone, I had at least 2 a month to go to - that not only required a gift for the birthday girl, but for me to wear a semi-formal dress. the costs are nuts.

I also don't think I went to one that wasn't pre-gamed by a majority of the people there OR even better, the parents providing alcohol at said sweet 16. because what's more fun than a bunch of sloppy drunk 16 year olds?