Are belly dancing classes an unjustifiable extravagance?

[Caligula]

After mortgage, insurance, bills, childcare, etc., my weekly food, clothes, transport, cleaning stuff, ents and everything else budget is £46. So very tight.

I do a belly dancing class which works out at £5 per lesson, but pay a babysitter (next door neighbour) £7.50 so I can do it. If you work it out over the year, it works out at about £40 a month. I had decided to give it up as a no-brainer - it's an unjustifiable luxury.

But I went this evening and really enjoyed it, and it's the only hobby/ ents thing I do for me which I spend money on. Everything else is spent on kids and household. It is a lot of money though, as a percentage of my household income. Now I'm having a moral dilemma about whether I should give it up or if there is some reason why I'm justified in spending so much money on something which I'm a bit crap at and won't have any long term benefit, but which I just enjoy.

What do you think?

dont dare give up
i too used to go to bellydancing classes but when i got pg the morning sickness etc soon put an end to it..lol but it could end up being something u resent if u give it up..the fun of it and getting out is what justifies the expense

Oh, Caligula, I was going to suggest what www did. Any chance of them having a sleep-over that night? Or arranging swaps for other times?

We have a neighbour who'll happily sit, particularly when our kids are asleep, and we don't pay her at all. We do feed her sometimes, though. So other sorts of swaps are doable, if you can find someone you trust.

definitely work on reducing the babysitting outlay - though really difficult, as I can see.

This nieghbour of yours who already babysits for you - could you do them a return favour - anything at all (housesitting, pet walking, typing, driving, gardening) - rather than giving them the money? even if you end up paying themm alternate times and the other times, do something for them instead.

The other no money possibilty is to join a LETS scheme. It might or might not work, but is worth investigating. Don't know if you are familiar with the scheme - check with your town hall to see if one is run near you. Basically you trade your skills for other skills. You can also hire out equipment you have, like electric drills. The LETS organisers keep a skills register and you swap LETS tokens with other people, so you might end up helping someone fill in an application form, get some LETS tokens which you then give to someone who offers to do some childminding. You can ask to see the skills register before you join the scheme, to see if anyone is offering childcare, contact them and if you feel ok about them, join the scheme, offer some other skills and build up LETS tokens to 'pay' for the babysitting.

I joined our local scheme and my LETS tokens go towards occasional cleaning help.

The success of the scheme varies from area to area. Apparently you can make good local friends if you are lucky. I have never been to any of the our groups' meetings but friends of mine who have say they have met lots of interesting people.

It doesn't matter if you are crap at it that's not the point. And it does have long term benefit - it makes you feel good and you need some time yourself, don't give it up! I used to do a yoga class (OK dh baby sat so no added expense) and that 1.5 hours of me time was just essential! - unfortuantley the teacher just died so no more yoga class!!!

Caligula - if it lifts your spirits, gives you a bit of a social life, and won't land you in deepe debt, I'd stick with it. As a lone parent, you deserve some tlc yourself.

Hmm, this LETS thing sounds good. I might investigate that, thanks.

Off to practice my shimmys!

or could you do saturday bellydancing workshops (obviously less frequently) but that might work out cheaper in the long run???