Family Spending Choices Versus Family Wants

Lately, I’m having a internal battle with myself on controlling my spending habits on my kids!

It’s hard not to following the Jones, Smiths and Nextdooreans as they all get new cars, swing sets and sign up their kids for practically every activity in the city.  All the while, I’m sitting on the porch while my kids are either inside watching TV, or playing pretend in the basement play area.

I want the best for my kids, but it seems like most of the stuff that the neighbors are buying today is fad oriented and a huge waste of money.  Take Heely’s for example…  Never heard of Heelys?  Well, that makes my point, it was a cool shoe/roller-skate-like combination.  I don’t see anyone using them these days though, do you?

On the other hand, perhaps it’s better that my kids aren’t in every activity in the city!  We have a lot of fun at home: game night, movie night and going swimming at the grandparent’s house.  In many ways, I’m closer to my kids that the neighbors are to their kids (or so I surmise).  I’m lucky though because I only work part time, and my employer is extremely flexible with my work times!  I’m not a SAHM, but pretty close to it, considering I only work 8 to 20 hours a week, and typically on the lower hours range.

It’s hard to make smart financial decisions when raising kids, because it would be easy to follow the herd and sign them up for every city activity, and buy them everything under the sun (although it would hurt our family finances).

I guess what I’m really looking for is most family value for the money spent.  I know that it shouldn’t be this hard, but your kids are only kids once.

Thinking about though choices,

Renaye