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How much do you spend on clubs?

43 replies

Stewberman · 12/09/2025 18:07

We are a family that is big on hobbies. Four kids, all play instruments and do sport. I also have a PT at the gym which is expensive but the only way I can motivate myself to do exercise.

I totted everything up the other day and realised I spend £640 a month on hobbies. Is this just ridiculous or what I should expect when I have four DC and a personal trainer?

PS. Yes I know I’m lucky to have the money to do this but the pay off is that we never go on holiday.

OP posts:
Stressfordays · 12/09/2025 18:27

Wow, some of these amounts are so high. I have 3 DC, it's £125 a month for all 3. £50 a month for my daughter to do 3 hours a week of dance/gymnastics, £30+£20 for my DS1 to play in 2 football teams and £25 for DS2 to play football.

Obviously all of those have extra costs like kit, boots, tournaments/competitions. But it's not every month.

MyElatedUmberFinch · 12/09/2025 18:26

DC are all grown up

£4500 per annum joint membership at health club/spa

£2500 DH’s golf club plus he has lessons.

Aliflowers · 12/09/2025 18:25

Horse riding €200 a month
Martial arts €105 a month
GAA subs are €20 a year!

So €305 for two children (oldest no longer does any sports/hobbies). It’s the horse riding that’s the killer as gear/competition costs are extortionate but I suck it up as it’s great that my children have activities they love and work at

Gotabadfeelingaboutthis · 12/09/2025 18:24

We are big on clubs too.
Dance, acro, swimming, singing, piano, cricket, science and gymnastics between 2 DC.
I honestly don't even want to tot up the cost as it's probably terrifying 😬

Every child is different but I do think for lots of kids, clubs are great. It gives them exercise, new skills, social skills, a wider friendship group etc. And mine have lots of energy - they need to be kept busy!

MyElatedUmberFinch · 12/09/2025 18:23

How much is the PT?

Girasoli · 12/09/2025 18:23

It's a bit confusing because some things are per half term, some are per term, and some are yearly but...

£400ish (2x DC a term of swimming)
£210 a year of football club membership (DS1)
£71 half term of football training (DS1)
£75 half term of dance (DS2)
£220 all the school clubs both childcare and fun ones (2× DC per half term)

That's possibly still cheaper than the nursery years though.

HairyToity · 12/09/2025 18:23

We spend about £300 pcm, only two children though.

PennySweeet · 12/09/2025 18:23

I read the thread title and thought "Nothing, my clubbing days are long over!" 🤦‍♀️🤣

ResusciAnnie · 12/09/2025 18:23

Not too bad at the mo as my PT stopped working and I haven’t found another 😭 and cricket has stopped, and a couple of DS2’s clubs he’s taking a break from.

Weekly:
1 piano lesson for a child (they alternate so each have 2 weeks between lessons but we go/pay weekly) - £33.50

1 piano lesson for me - £33.50

1 singing lesson for me - £42

Swimming lesson for DD - paid for a term but it’s about £20 a week and we never go as she hates it 😱

Football at school - £11/week for 2 kids - bargain!

Rocksteady (at-school piano) - £44/month so £11/week

Softplay on average once a week for DD, which she lives for so I’d call it a hobby (she’s 3) - maybe £15 a week.

So £166 per week. Feels like pretty good value tbh. I far more resent spending that amount on the weekly food shop 😄

PLUS 4x after school club (2 kids, 2 days a week) and 3 days nursery which I’m sure probably doesn’t count 😂 plus tutoring which is £40 ish a week (1 hr).

Edit - no idea why I thought we were doing weekly. Monthly £664 so comparable to you OP with 1 less kid. That much a week WOULD be mad!

Tiredofwhataboutery · 12/09/2025 18:21

Four kids. I am lucky it’s really cheap just now guides 20 subs per month for two. Scouts £5 per month. Army cadets free. Everyone gets free music lessons as part of a trad band group which has gotten funding. Rugby £20 per dc per year. Youth group £1 a session per child Lots of free / cheap clubs round our way. Netball, Archaeology, basketball, running.

I have funded lots of expensive stuff previously swimming, ski, ballet, musical theatre, ballet, circus skills.

EmeraldShamrock000 · 12/09/2025 18:20

Football practice €380 per year, art class €20 per month, for DC2.
DC1 doesn't do extra activities.

Caspianberg · 12/09/2025 18:17

None

Ds does football twice a week, but it’s completely free.

We obviously pay other activities like if we take him swimming but that’s all ad hoc

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 12/09/2025 18:15

I mean, it's only £100 per person which is nothing, really.

The issue is you have a large family Grin

Ineedanewsofa · 12/09/2025 18:15

As per PP, we’ve got horses so £640 between 5 people seems like a bargain 🤣

LemondrizzleShark · 12/09/2025 18:13

I suspect the issue is 4 kids rather than extravagant hobbies. £640 between six of you isn’t that bad.

Viviennemary · 12/09/2025 18:13

Faints. It's madness.

Sulpmel · 12/09/2025 18:13

We have horses so it’s an open cheque book

NuovaPilbeam · 12/09/2025 18:12

Ha. I have two kids.
Current tot up monthly is:
£340 on music lessons
£250 on sports including swimming

But you know op, 1st world problems and all that.

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