Save Money at the Fair
Note from Tawra. This was originally published in 2009
Last weekend, we went to our town’s fall celebration. Usually we don’t go to these things but the kids are older now (11, 10 and 6) and they’ve never been to an amusement park. We weren’t going to go this time but found out there was a $20 special where they could ride all the rides for 4 hours. Since we don’t usually take a vacation we thought they might like to go on some of the rides.
Even then, we couldn’t justify spending $80 for the 4 of them (Mike and the kids) to go so we asked the kids if they wanted to pay for some of it. They said sure. So Mike and I gave them each $6 and they paid for the rest out of their own money.
Just as we got there Mike and David got sick, so they took the baby and went home while I stayed with the other two. It was a small area and I was starting to get really sick (with my CFS) so I sat down at a table to watch while they rode the rides. As I was sitting there, I was so shocked at the waste.
Parents would buy each child his own funnel cake. The kid would eat 1/4 of it and then throw it away. Another kid got a huge 44 oz. drink, drank 1/4 of it and threw it away.
Now first of all, you have to be insane to pay $5 for a funnel cake in the first place but if you do buy something like that split it between everyone. There is no reason a child needs that much food or drink just for himself. Growing up, I never remember having my "own" item of something like that. We always shared. Our kids did decide to use their own money and buy some cotton candy but we came home and made our own funnel cakes, which cost about .50 for 6 of them.
The two older kids had a great time and loved the rides but this definitely won’t be an all the time thing for us. It’s no wonder people are in debt when they spend $100+ at these types of things!
-Tawra
Photo By: omaromar
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