average cost of prom now $1,139

[cattledogkisses]

How to Tame the Rising Cost of Prom Season
Read more: business.time.com/2013/04/24/how-to-tame-the-rising-cost-of-prom-season/#ixzz2RNzF0WLO


The cost of prom night rose 5% this year to an average $1,139 per
attendee—a staggering sum that should spark frank spending discussions
in every household with a teenager.


Only three years ago, the recession
was fresh and families were vowing to tighten their belts for good. In
that environment, prom spending on everything from dresses and tuxedos
to limos and flowers totaled an average $807. That’s a lot. But as the
economy improved spending shot passed $1,000 last year before jumping
again this spring, according to an annual Visa survey.


Prom spending has been called the new social arms race, as both
parents and their teens seek to stand out and choose to spend
extravagantly for one evening. “Prom has devolved into a competition to
crown the victor of high school society,” Nat Sillin Visa’s head of U.S.
Financial Education, said in a release.


The most troubling aspect of this spending free-for-all is the
recurring finding that those who can least afford it are spending the
most. In households with less than $50,000 of annual income, spending
plans this year average $1,245; parents who make more than $50,000 will
spend an average of $1,129. Two years ago, Visa found that the top prom
spenders had household income under $30,000.

 (MORE: Communication Breakdown: If You Think You’re Talking About Money, Your Kids Don’t Hear It)


Prom night is also an opportunity for single parents to spend
lavishly on their teens—forking over an average $1,563, which is almost
double the $770 that married parents will spend.


What’s going on here? People have not forgotten the lessons of the Great Recession.
In a recent Fidelity survey nearly half said that even now they are
saving more, reducing debt and building an emergency fund, and 78% of
those taking such steps said the measures were part of permanent
personal financial strategy.


Yet prom night appears untouchable. Okay, splurging
has its place. But keeping up appearances and one-upping the cool kids
probably isn’t the wisest choice. Sticking to a budget almost always
makes more sense.


Recognizing that prom has become a major expense for teen-bearing households, Visa recently introduced a smartphone Plan it Prom app that lets users make a detailed budget and track spending as they shop. See it on iTunes or at practicalmoneyskills.com.


(MORE: Is Paying Allowance to Your Kids Cruelty?)


To save on the cost of the prom, here are a few tips:


Shop for formal wear at consignment stores or online. Many outlets rent tuxedos and formal dresses and accessories.Have make-up done at a department store’s cosmetics department or enlist a friend to help.Split the cost of a limo with other couples, or simply drive.Take pre-prom photos yourself and have the kids use cell phones for candid shots at the events.Work out a prom budget in advance and set a limit for how much you
will contribute. If teens want to spend more, encourage them to earn the
money first.


Finally, when peers are overspending it’s a perfect time to do your
part to make fiscal responsibility cool. Talk about how much you saved
with little real sacrifice—not about how much you spent. Then set the
difference aside for something you’ll need in the first semester of
college, like books or a new computer. It will only hurt for a day.


Read more: business.time.com/2013/04/24/how-to-tame-the-rising-cost-of-prom-season/#ixzz2RNzL5U00

[doxies]

Apr 24, 2013 8:12:22 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

Take pre-prom photos yourself and have the kids use cell phones for candid shots at the events.

Is the implication here that someone is hiring a photographer to take the pre-prom photos?  Because that is crazy!  And then are they sending someone to prom to take photos?  

[Deleted]

I had fun at prom but there was no limo. I probably spent a max of $225.

[Deleted]

Yeah, eff that shit. I aim to spend less than that on my next wedding. I'm sure not spending that on a high school dance.

[cattledogkisses]

Apr 24, 2013 8:20:17 GMT -5 doxies said:

Apr 24, 2013 8:12:22 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

Take pre-prom photos yourself and have the kids use cell phones for candid shots at the events.

Is the implication here that someone is hiring a photographer to take the pre-prom photos?  Because that is crazy!  And then are they sending someone to prom to take photos?  

I caught that too and was like, "wha?"  Pre-prom photos in my day consisted of parents taking a few posed pics in our front yard. 

[blindyswife]

Apr 24, 2013 8:20:17 GMT -5 doxies said:

Apr 24, 2013 8:12:22 GMT -5 cattledogkisses said:

Take pre-prom photos yourself and have the kids use cell phones for candid shots at the events.

Is the implication here that someone is hiring a photographer to take the pre-prom photos?  Because that is crazy!  And then are they sending someone to prom to take photos?  

I've never heard of anyone hiring a photog for pre-prom photos. But during prom, our school hired a professional company to take the photos of each couple, and take candid photos through the night. Neither of these cost the students money unles we wanted to buy prints. Maybe this is what they mean?

As for the article: DAYUM. 

[heyjude]

Is anyone shocked that the biggest prom spenders are lower income households? Is there a correlation between this fact and college attendance? Because if you come from a family where high school is the "big thing" and college isn't part of the equation it makes sense your family would go all out for prom.

[pugz]

I think I spent about $500 back in 2002 for hair, dress, shoes, accessories, flowers, dinner, post-prom hotel room. No limo. My parents paid for my dress and hair but I think I paid for everything else.

[pugz]

Apr 24, 2013 8:30:19 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Is anyone shocked that the biggest prom spenders are lower income households? Is there a correlation between this fact and college attendance? Because if you come from a family where high school is the "big thing" and college isn't part of the equation it makes sense your family would go all out for prom.

yeah I can see this.

last year a local radio station was interviewing parents about how much they are spending on their kid's proms, and one mom broke down and said her daughter wasn't going to be able to go anymore because they just had their car break down or something like that and could no longer afford it.  Businesses called in pretty much right away to offer free services/dress/limo/etc.  It was sweet, and although I'm sure the family could have used money/help in other ways, I think giving that girl the prom experience was important.  

[heyjude]

And I'm guessing that the average amount poorer parents spend on prom is peanuts compared to the average amount poorer Hispanic families spend on quinceaneras.

[IIOY]

Apr 24, 2013 8:30:19 GMT -5 heyjude said:

Is anyone shocked that the biggest prom spenders are lower income households? Is there a correlation between this fact and college attendance? Because if you come from a family where high school is the "big thing" and college isn't part of the equation it makes sense your family would go all out for prom.

The biggest spenders in my school were the richie riches and those not going to college. Those of us in the large group between those two did things on the cheap and were mostly there because we felt as though we were supposed to be, not because we were excited about it. I found prom to be the most awkward thing ever and really could have done without.

[iammalcolmx]

We didn't get a Limo but we did make a serious trip to Neiman Marcus to find me a dress.

[lys]

If teens had to pay for their own prom expenses, they might make wiser choices as to how that money gets spent. Summer jobs.

[EllieArroway]

Prom was a huge deal in the tiny working class Texas town I grew up in. My prom dress was more expensive than my wedding dress.

[SusanBAnthony]

I was in a working class town and it was mostly dresses from JCP for 100$, about 25% had limos, about 75% got hair done, there were no professional photos at all. The only splurge was that most people went to a fancy dinner, which in a small town was still only 30-40$ a person, max.

There were definitely a few girls who got expensive dresses from wedding dress shops, in the 300$ range, but they were the exception by far.

This blows my mind.

[debatethis]

Apr 24, 2013 8:40:15 GMT -5 heyjude said:

And I'm guessing that the average amount poorer parents spend on prom is peanuts compared to the average amount poorer Hispanic families spend on quinceaneras.

No kidding. I was in three of these in high school and they generally cost as much as an average wedding. The cake alone at the "smallest" quince was 6 tiers and about $700, 250 guests. Freaking nuts.

[ringstrue]

I made my junior prom dress but it was Donna Karan fabric.

I bought my senior prom dress for $125.

[heyjude]

I borrowed my prom dress from my friends mom. Lol. In my defense my friends mom had great taste and it was from Neimans.

[josieposy]

I don't think I ever spent more than $500 on prom. My mom made my dress for my senior prom. I think I actually spent more on my hair than anything else (and looking back, I looked horrendous). I actually spent less on my wedding look. My wedding dress was a new, designer knock-off I found on ebay.

Yeah the girls and I will be having a discussion if they think I'm gonna spend over 3k total on prom for them. Fortunately I have 15 years to prepare them for it.

[ttt]

Apr 24, 2013 8:43:07 GMT -5 lys said:

If teens had to pay for their own prom expenses, they might make wiser choices as to how that money gets spent. Summer jobs.

Ill even go a step farther and say why are parents letting their teens make these choices to begin with?? Why are parents agreeing to pay this much??

I remember feeling like my dress was a huge splurge for my mon at $100. There were flowers and dinner and prom tickets but we drove ourselves and we couldn't have spent more than maybe $100 for the night. This seriously boggles my mind - where does this money go???

[moreace01]

I just did a volunteer event this past weekend that was a prom dress boutique to give free dresses (and shoes, a bag, and makeup) to girls. Lots of bridal salons donated dresses (and as I looked through the racks - I saw Nicole Miller, Amsale and others. Mixed in of course with some cheapy items). Anyway - it was a fun event. And I guess, while it seems frivolous, - considering the obscene cost outlined in the article above - I am happy to have helped girls attend the event who might otherwise not have been able to - especially in light of the obscene cost outlined in the article above.

[PinkSquirrel]

I don't even understand how that is possible. I went to 8 proms in high school and I think combined about $1200 was spent. I can't even comprehend spending that damn much on prom

[pixy0stix]

The kid across the street drove his dad's old beat up truck to prom. I wandered over to the dad and had a talk with him, mostly about how grown up his boys are now. It came up that the kid wanted to take the truck instead of getting a limo. His mom (parents are divorced) said she'd pay for the limo, but he turned it down because he knew his mom couldn't afford it. Smart kid, right there.

[AJL]

Holy crazy spending Batman! That's ridiculous. I think it cost about $150 for me to go to prom and that was pretty much just for the fabric of my dress. My mom sewed my sewed it. We had dinner at a friend's family's restaurant (free to us), and we didn't rent a limo. My date picked me up in his Jeep Cherokee.

[Deleted]

Apr 24, 2013 8:14:09 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

And all for what? A rather shitty experience?

I asked my regular sitter if she was going to prom back in Feb so I knew what nights I couldn't have her in April.

She said she wasn't going this year because it was the biggest waste of $600 going last year. 

[IIOY]

Apr 24, 2013 9:13:47 GMT -5 ttt said:

Apr 24, 2013 8:43:07 GMT -5 lys said:

If teens had to pay for their own prom expenses, they might make wiser choices as to how that money gets spent. Summer jobs.

Ill even go a step farther and say why are parents letting their teens make these choices to begin with?? Why are parents agreeing to pay this much??

I wouldn't be surprised if many of these parents not only support this blow-out, but encourage it. I remember many a parent who, recalling their prom to be the highlight of their own senior year, pushed their kids to go crazy. It was the parents signing the leases for the shore rentals afterward and I know a bunch of parents who dressed up and went to the shore to party with their kids afterward.

[terpsfan]

Apr 24, 2013 9:25:25 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

how do you go to 8 proms in 4 years?

Dates from other schools and start being invited freshman year

[eclaires]

My senior year we went to Arni's (pizza place), lol.

My dress/hair/accessories were always fun and kind of a big deal to me and my mom, but I think all of it combined was usually under $300. We never did limos or pro pics or anything like that.

One of the big things in my hometown recently has been a parent hosting a pre-prom dinner/party for their kids and their friends instead of the kids going out to eat. The parents usually go too. On the one hand, it's usually pretty fun because it's a group of people who all know each other and the parents have fun hanging out. On the other hand, I find it kind of overbearing of the parents or something to be so involved in the whole prom and basically hosting a mini-wedding.

[debatethis]

Apr 24, 2013 9:13:47 GMT -5 ttt said:

Apr 24, 2013 8:43:07 GMT -5 lys said:

If teens had to pay for their own prom expenses, they might make wiser choices as to how that money gets spent. Summer jobs.

Ill even go a step farther and say why are parents letting their teens make these choices to begin with?? Why are parents agreeing to pay this much??

I remember feeling like my dress was a huge splurge for my mon at $100. There were flowers and dinner and prom tickets but we drove ourselves and we couldn't have spent more than maybe $100 for the night. This seriously boggles my mind - where does this money go???

I went to a SMALL high school in rural AZ, graduated in 2002. Even then our tickets were $100 each. Boutonniere was about $20, corsage somewhere between $20-$40. Hair was $75, nails were I think $25-$30, and then tips for hair/nail people. My mom made my dress for jr prom but I bought one for Sr Prom that was probably around $200, I think. Throw in an appropriate bra, shoes/accessories to match and you're at another $100+.

[alexithymia]

This absolutely blows my mind. That amount of money for a high school dance seems so over the top.

Then again, I'm the person who bought my dress for senior prom for $25. And, I drove my mom's minivan with 7 of my friends shoved in it. I think we had more fun than people who spent an extravagant amount of money.