Money-Saving Tips for Dance Moms

“You spend HOW MUCH on dance?!!  That’s CRAZY!”

You may have heard something like this from a well-meaning (or not) relative, friend, or acquaintance.  People that exist outside of our little world simply do not understand the choice we have made to allow our children to join a competitive dance team.  Aside from the significant commitment of time and effort, we also have to shell out some serious dough to keep our dancers’ dreams alive.

Big Money

Competitive dance is not a cheap activity, by any means.  Even when a child only performs in one competition routine (like new kids or young children), the fees are pretty hefty.  Personally, I know people whose children have had to quit because of financial concerns.  And quite frankly, that may happen to our family one day (being a single-parent clan).  It breaks my heart to know that there are kids out there that cannot pursue their passion because of the astronomical cost.

Over the years, I’ve picked up some tips and tricks to saving money whenever I can.  I’m sharing them in the hope that someone out there can use them to keep their kids’ dancing dreams alive.  By no means did I include EVERY piece of advice out there, so feel free to comment on the post with your suggestions!

Dancewear

Kids grow so fast, so it doesn’t make sense to sink a small fortune into leotards, bra tops, booty shorts, and leggings that they will outgrow by the following year (or even later that same year)!  

Hand-Me-Downs – For conventions and classes (assuming the dancers don’t have a uniform), we take secondhand dancewear from the older dancers on the team.  We’ve been lucky to get some pricey pieces from Jo & Jax, Lululemon, and others.  Reach out to other dance moms in your circle to see if they have plans for the clothes their child has grown out of.  Return the favor by passing your dancer’s pieces along to smaller kids when they’re done! 

Discount Sites – Sites like discountdance.com and dancewearsolutions.com offer pieces at reduced prices, and even have “clearance” or “sale” sections to peruse through.  Both of these sites frequently have offers to get credits if you sign up for the mailing list.  I’m signed up for both because I’ll get the notifications of sales, promotions, and new discount codes.  Sometimes, these sites will display discount codes or offers for free shipping on the home page’s banner.  

Rewards Programs – Keep an eye out for establishments that offer rewards or “points” programs.  Our local mom-and-pop shop, Encore Dancewear, offers a rewards program.  When we recently bought the girls’ pointe shoes, we earned enough points to score free tights.  Many larger retailers also offer similar programs, so poke around their websites until you find the signup information.  

Secondhand Sites/Apps – Poshmark, Mercari, OfferUp, and other sites and apps have a range of dancewear selections if you’re good with buying secondhand from someone you’ve never met.  My advice here would be to use specific search terms like “leotard”; if you type in “dancewear,” you get a huge range of results in some cases (and some eyebrow-raising ones at that because they often include “exotic” selections).  If the site displays a seller’s rating, stick with the ones that have a solid number and multiple reviews.

Gifts – If my dancers want pricey pieces that are outside of our budget, I add them to their birthday and holiday wish lists.  Generous family and friends appreciate the suggestions, and my girls get what they want – that’s a win-win!

The Dancing Dance Mom Facebook Page – Virtually every day, I personally post an Amazon item that dancers could use.  I’m an Amazon Influencer, and get advance notice of deals and promotions.  I often share these deals (and others) when I find them, and they cover a broad spectrum (dancewear, training equipment, etc.). 

I won’t post anything with less than a 4-star rating, and there is usually some sort of discount offered on the item.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I do earn a small commission if you use the link I provide (which helps to finance this website!).  Also, I share retailer promotions (like Kandi Kouture) when they’ve got special offers, and post a discount “link drop” before major holidays to share special sales.  I do NOT make a commission on any of those (just on Amazon right now).  `

Costumes

From what I’ve heard and experienced, most studio owners, directors, and teachers pick the group number costumes (which take the element of choice out of the equation).  That’s the case with our studio; we just write out the check, and the rest is history.  If you have some control over your dancer’s costumes, read on!

Facebook Groups – Some dance moms do help the studios out when they’re trying to cut down on costs by scouring Facebook or other social media pages for group costumes.  The sheer number of costume resale sites on Facebook is pretty overwhelming, so experiment with keywords like “catalog,” “high end,” or “resale” to find what you’re looking for. You can sell your used costumes here to bring in some extra cash, too!

Do It Yourself – Even if you’re not all that crafty (I’m raising my hand here), you can buy pieces from one of the discount websites mentioned earlier and jazz them up with appliques, rhinestones, and other embellishments.  Or take one of your team’s old costumes (maybe a recital piece ordered from a catalog) and add some bling.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained – I’ve saved some dough by repurposing old hairpieces for my girls’ solos.  If I can do it, so can you!

If you’re truly dedicated and gifted with sewing ability, you could offer to make the costumes for the group (you’re a better person than me if you do).  Form a “dance mom squad” to help you with the countless hours of work! 

Solos, Duos, and Trios – The suggestions above are easier to execute for solo and duo/trio dancers because you’re dealing with a smaller number of costumes to obtain.  Plus, you can ask dancers on your team if they’re done with previous years’ costumes!  To keep things fair, you could offer to buy it from them; it should still be less expensive than buying new.

Training Equipment and Tools

Online Groups – You can purchase pricier items like ballet barres, BOSU balls, wall mirrors, and other equipment from Facebook Marketplace and/or Groups if you’re willing to buy used items.  I purchased the girls’ VitaVibe ballet barre from a local Facebook sales group, and it works just as well as it did when it was new (the dancer “retired”).  

Apps and Sites – Comb through sites and apps like OfferUp, eBay, Nextdoor (great for local items), CPlus for Craiglist, my Facebook page, and others to find deals on new and secondhand items.  Just like my suggestion for dancewear, check out the seller’s rating and reviews if they’re available!

Gifts – This is another category that works well for holiday or birthday wish lists!  Gift-givers can chip in for big-ticket items like a ballet barre, or buy a bunch of smaller items for a gift bundle (for example, yoga blocks, a yoga mat, and stretch bands for a fitness bundle).  

Hair, Makeup, and Costuming Supplies

Dollar Stores – Yes, you can find a TON of makeup, hair, and other supplies at the countless dollar store chains around the country.  Rather than go into all of the possibilities here, check out my post Dollar Store Finds for Dancers!

Drug Stores – If I can’t find it at the dollar store (or if it’s an item I definitely need in a higher/-quality version), I head to my local drug store.  When I buy something at Walgreen’s, Rite Aid, or CVS, it helps to generate a coupon or discount for a future purchase.  Plus, I’ve scored with great sales and promotions (buy one, get one half-off) this way as well.

Retail Chains – When I need a fairly high-quality item, I stick to just one retail chain so I can use the coupons and rewards points I accumulate over time.  Find a convenient location (there seems to be an Ulta Beauty store within spitting distance of every place in New Jersey these days) and loyally make your purchases there so you can rack up those points!

Dance Bags

You can find secondhand dance bags from companies like Dream Duffel, Glam’r Gear, Diva Dolly, and others in Facebook resale groups. If a dancer is leaving the team at the end of the year (i.e., a graduating senior), you can simply ask if you can purchase their bag! 

If you want a new bag, your best bet is to follow the email and social media accounts of the big manufacturers to keep on top of specials and discounts they are offering.  Dream Duffel offers a “Factory Seconds” day occasionally, where you can score a refurbished bag for a significant discount. Once in awhile, I’ll post an off-brand garment bag with a rolling rack on my Facebook page; I suggest these when the dancer is in just a few numbers, or isn’t quite ready to make the investment into a name-brand bag.

Hotels and Lodging

Chains and Discount Sites – When your dance event takes you out of town, try to book your lodgings WAY in advance.  Research your options as well – discount sites may offer big savings, but read the fine print.  You don’t want to be stuck in a situation where you have nowhere to go with children in tow!  Personally, I have joined the loyalty programs for a couple of national chains, and will first attempt to book directly through the hotel’s site to get the best rate (and use points when I can).  For families that have one or two people more than a single room can accommodate, consider purchasing an air mattress (you’ll save money by booking just one room instead of two). If another family is game and the logistics work out, you can consider sharing a room.

Commute – Over the past few years, we’ve really decreased the number of times we stay in a hotel.  If it’s just for one night, I usually make the commute.  Yes, it can be exhausting (and makes for some very long days).  However, I find that I’m not usually saving much time by getting a room! 

Between the packing of countless necessities, driving between the hotel and venue, and frantically packing up the morning of checkout, I’ve actually wasted more time than I saved in some situations.  Plus, my nerves take a hit from worrying about what I may have forgotten at home, and making sure we’re out in time for checkout in the morning. 

Luckily, most of our events are fairly local.  For those few that are a bit of a drive, we have friends that are willing to let us hang our hats in their spare bedroom for a night or two.  Consider all the factors before making the decision that works best for your family.

Food

Pack Your Own – Yeah, you know this already.  But you might not realize how much money you will save when you do this consistently!  If bringing meals just isn’t feasible, you can certainly pack snacks, drinks, and water.  To save time as well, I place a pickup order every week with Walmart Grocery so I don’t need to physically go into the store (this reduces impulse buying, too).  I make sure our stand-by drinks and snacks are always on the list, so we’ve always got something to grab and go.

Food Delivery Apps – This might seem counterintuitive, but hear me out.  We actually have a subscription to DoorDash (DashPass) for those times that we just need some hot food, delivered directly to our location.  When you’re scrambling during a convention or competition, it’s just one less thing to worry about!  Of course, I’ve also used it when we’re at home whenever I’ve needed a break from cooking dinner.  While there is a monthly fee, it pays for itself in free deliveries (or discounted fees), and gives you access to more promotions.  

Treats – Five dollars here, eight dollars here – the expense of little snacks and treats can add up quickly!  My girls love Starbucks, and will stop there two or three times a day if there’s a shop in the venue.  The extra expense was breaking our budget, so I told them they needed to start paying for it themselves (beyond the one item I would buy for them). 

They started asking for Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts gift cards for their birthday, and some of their little students (my girls are assistant teachers) gave them more.  If any friends or relatives accompany you to a competition, they could raise their street cred by surprising your dancer with a quick stop for a treat after the performance!

Barter

Talk to other moms in your circle to see if you can trade services.  If you’re able to whip out that complicated hairstyle, maybe your dance mom BFF can do the alterations on your dancer’s costume!  Some dance studios will also let you work off part of your dancer’s bill if you’re willing to do reception work, cleaning, or administrative tasks.

Fundraise

If your studio offers fundraising that can be applied to your individual account, you may want to seriously consider it.  Yes, it’s not always convenient to deliver all those mums, popcorn buckets, or candy, but it can give your balance a little breathing room!  Harness the power of social media to help you spread the word to family and friends.

For fundraisers, my personal opinion is to limit them to three or four per year.  When it’s more than that, your family and friends could begin to feel the effects of “fundraising fatigue.”  Also, research the profit margin for each campaign (is it really worth your time if you’re only earning 20% back?).  Not every fundraiser works for every family, so don’t be afraid to scrutinize each one critically.

“I Don’t Know How You Do It”

I hear that one a whole bunch.  Because we’re a single-parent family, and my twins have about 15 dances between them, people wonder how I’m able to make it work.  Honestly, our budget is so tight, it squeaks.  I do my grocery shopping at Walmart, clothes shopping on Amazon (with discounts only) and Kohl’s (so that my savings exceed my total), and use countless other cost-cutting measures.  In truth, we make a lot of sacrifices so the girls can be competition dancers.  And I truly never know if the current year might be our last.  

But it’s their passion, and I have to try everything I can reasonably do to make it happen.  Using these little money-saving tips and tricks is a means to an end.  When it’s for our kids, isn’t it worth it?

I would LOVE it if you could share this post on your social media channels!  Help other dance families save some dough 😉

Along with other panelists, I discussed budgeting for dance moms on IDA’s Making the Impact podcast!

For more dance necessities, check out Competition Essentials – Hair Supplies and Competition Essentials – Costuming!