How to Pay for Summer Camp Without Draining Your Savings

The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.

The year has barely started, and my kindergarten parents group chat is already buzzing with summer camp anxiety. Registrations are opening and spots fill fast.

I’ve been doing research and here’s what I’ve learned: Camps aren’t cheap. But there are creative ways to work camp into your spending plan, this year and next.

For many families with school-aged kids like mine, summer camps are a necessity. Schools are out and many parents work full-time. Summer camps fill an important child care gap.

Summer camp prices can differ widely. Costs are often driven by how long a camp runs, whether it’s a day or overnight program, and the activities offered. Specialty camps — such as those focused on horseback riding, boating or STEM — tend to cost more because they require additional staff, equipment or materials.

It’s also hard to pin down an average camp price because there are so many options.

“There are at least 20,000 camps out there,” DeHart says.

I found a half-day dance camp at a local high school for $225 a week and a full-day KPop Demon Hunters camp for $555 a week. The vacation Bible school at the church up the street only charges $10 for the week for a half-day, which is also on my radar.

Costs start to add up quickly.

Even if you feel like you are late to the game, there are still early registration discounts available and time to start setting aside money before summer begins.

Waiting until closer to summer to look for camps can be costly. You may miss discounts, find top-choice camps are full and end up paying more for options that don’t meet your needs — such as limited programming, inconvenient locations or camps without safety certifications.

“Saving money automatically before it hits your checking account is a good strategy,” says Carolyn McClanahan, a certified financial planner in Jacksonville, Florida. “Small amounts add up, and having money saved is much less expensive than high credit card payments.”

Look for costs that naturally go away or shrink during the summer. Can you redirect your aftercare costs into camp savings? Do you scale back or pause extracurricular activities that only run during the school year, such as sports, music lessons or clubs? Use that money to help cover camp costs.

“Think about spending that isn’t bringing you or your child much value, such as unused subscriptions or easy ‘click’ spending on Amazon,” McClanahan says.

Even small shifts can help. Our son’s half day preschool isn’t open during the summer, so we can redirect his tuition to help us cover any camp costs for my daughter.

But some tradeoffs matter more than others, especially when it comes to long-term savings.

If you need to cobble together multiple camps to get through the summer, consider splurging on your top pick and supplementing with cheaper options, perhaps through local churches, YMCAs, or city or county programs.

For example, if you contribute $2,000 into a dependent care FSA and use it to reimburse summer camp costs, you could save roughly $400-$600 in taxes, depending on your tax bracket. Overnight camps will probably not apply, so check the eligibility.

Getting your child to and from camp can add to the total cost. This may include daily driving expenses or airfare if the camp is in another state.

Some camps also offer extended hours — such as drop-off before camp starts or pickup after it ends — for an additional fee. On top of that, supplies, field trips and lunches or snacks can increase your costs.

“Coordinating with other parents attending the same camp makes it easy to set up carpools and even share afternoon care, so you can skip some of the costly add-ons,” says Kimberly Palmer, a personal finance expert at NerdWallet.

There are traditional ways to get help with camp costs, like scholarships and grants offered directly by the camps themselves or through foundations and community organizations, like churches.

Camp directors are also getting more creative with financial assistance.

“There are all sorts of programs built in to help camps be affordable,” DeHart says. “There’s early registration discounts and sibling discounts.”

Referral fees are also popular. Some camps offer discounts if you can get one or two friends or family members to sign up for camp, too.

Some camps offer community service discounts for families working in public service, teachers, nurses, first responders, clergy and members of the military, DeHart says.

Not all forms of financial aid and discounts are advertised, Palmer says, so reach out to the camp’s director.

“If you have a preteen, consider asking if they can serve as a counselor in training for a discount,” Palmer says. “They might be able to earn volunteer hours as well as valuable experience, while saving you money.”

Adding camp as a line item in your monthly budget can feel overwhelming. It’s another expense competing with emergency funds, retirement investing and college savings. But a quality program can offer experiences that are hard to replicate at home, DeHart says.

Your money isn’t just paying for adult supervision. It’s paying for enrichment. Many camps are no- or low-tech, giving kids a chance to unplug.

“It’s time away from social media. It’s time doing face-to-face relationships. It’s time outdoors, being active,” DeHart says. “You know, all these things that parents want.”

My daughter is still young, but going through summer camp sign-ups has made me think about the experiences I want her to have — and how to plan for them.

I ended up picking a few lower-cost camps. Still, I did jot down a few highly recommended camps and feel more confident about asking for creative payment solutions.

Better start preparing for next year.