In the spring, J will be eligible to test for his black belt!
The cost of this particular test is $430.
Hold the phone. What?!
Cost of Karate
J has been training for about four years now. There are lots of costs associated with karate including:
- Tuition ($95 per month)
- Testing fees ($60-$75 each time; initially four times per year, then later two times per year)
- Tournaments ($50+ each; around twice per year)
- Uniforms ($40+ when he needs a new one, about every two years)
- Other incidentals like patches, bags, fundraisers, parties, etc.
I split the costs with J’s dad and so far we’ve footed the entire bill.
Benefits of karate
There’s no denying that karate is a great activity. J learns responsibility, leadership, personal protection, coordination, focus, how to get along with others, commitment, personal development — the list is endless.
Because karate is important to us and because J gets a lot out of it, we’re fine with the cost.
Pitching in towards the test
But because he’s getting older and I want to engage him, I told him that he was responsible for 10% of the testing fee.
Based on when he needs the money, he calculated how much he’d have to save each month. $43 / 5 months = about $8.60 per month.
He adjusted his allowance split in FamZoo, adding karate to the mix that already included savings, spending and Christmas (next year).
![](https://nationalbankofmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/allowance-split.png)
He can also add additional money to the pot at any time, which he’s already done.
Why I’m having him pitch in
There are a lot of reasons why I’ve asked him to contribute to the cost of the test.
- It gives us a chance to talk! If we pay for the entire test, it’s less of a conversation and more of a lecture.
- I want to give him a realistic view of what activities cost. It’s hard to grasp that stuff when you’re a kid, and it can be startling to find out when you become an adult.
- It may help him realize how fortunate he is to be able to participate in this activity.
- Often we show what is important to us by what we spend money on. By him pitching in, it’s showing us (and himself) that karate is important to him.
- He’ll have some skin in the game. What we pay for, we take more seriously.
- It will give him additional practice saving up; kids (and adults) can get creative when there’s a goal in mind.
- As he gets older, I’d like to give him opportunities for increased responsibility.
Do your kids participate in big budget items? Share in the comments below!