To answer the OP's question, I think you can allow yourself to be "milked" or "nickel and dimed" very easily if your children attend public elementary school. My oldest is in 3rd grade, so I've only had to deal with this for about 4 years, but I've learned some lessons about what to buy/to participate in/not participate in. I think the key (at least for our family) is to be consistent. The kids not the "policy" on school pictures (they either get the one in the fall or the one done in the spring), and we always get the class picture at the end of the year. We simply do not participate in school fundraisers (cookie, wrapping paper, magazines, whatever), with the exception of the book fair. For the annual book fair, each child gets a set amount of money ($8 or whatever) and when it's gone it's gone! They understand (or are beginning to understand) the meaning of "It's not in the budget" and do not argue. Of course, my two oldest are only 8 and 6, so we'll see how it goes when they're teenagers. :-)

Although I do get tired of the fundraisers, I do see the need for them. If as a parent you can't afford them then simply say no. I don't feel pressure from my children to buy things.
One of the big fundraisers was for the library (which I believe is very important). The school's funding was cut by thousands of dollars to buy new books and new computer equipment. She was given $300 dollars last year, and I thought that was pathetic. Our school made lots of money with the book fair this last month, and it was needed.

We only pay $24 dollars for school fees per child. So would we rather do these fundraisers (which you have the option to say no to) or would we rather have fees raised?

Our school went to dvd yearbooks that only cost $12.00. Cheaper than the bulky books that just end up in a box somewhere.

I do not!! The school pics are not a money making thing its only the Pictures!!
I get the smallest package and then get them taken elswhere!!

I dont mind the fundraisers as the school outlines what the earned money is!! and what it is going to!!
We have started a new one it is a Walkahthon and the money the school gets is 100% and no things added to the house!! I volunteer a lot and am sort of on the board for PTA as I am the head of hte reading program thing!!
anyhow We had extra fundraisers this year since our Playground got vandalized and to order the part that is needed to make it safe it was actually cheaper to get a new playground!! Since they do not make this old one anymore!!

the other fundraisers as the silent auction and the Carnival have been there for soo many years (actually we had them when I began at the school 30 years ago!! and the things are the same for my children now attending!!

anyhow I do like the yearbooks as my kids can reflect before the new year who the students are etc!!

the only thing that the teachers ask for beyond the initial things to buy is maybe replacemts like if crayons are used up or glue or pencils just to replace the ones that are no longer so that is not an issue for me!!! as pencils do gt low and glue is used up!!!

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Kelly mom to 3 great girls A Peanut, a monkey and a little burrito.

We seem to always have to pay for something too. My oldest's field trip fee for the year was $60!! Another $30 for the one in K. Then there are pictures 2x per year and three major fund raisers. Year books were about $18 (we chose to only order one). Plus there is a huge list of school supplies (very brand specific) and extra "classroom fees". I let my kids ask family and friends if they want to order from fund raisers, but I've quit purchasing from them for the most part. I don't need that stuff around my house or to spend the extra $. (and the toy prizes are ridiculous...they get the kids totally hyped up at the assembly and they want, want, want all those "big prizes." Ugh. They fall apart w/in the first week). I do understand that the fund raisers are necessary, but I still don't like them. (you can opt out and just hand over the cash...I just don't have the cash to hand over, lol)

This is me too, I don't feel pressured to do anything. When I want to, I do and when I don't...I simply don't.

When I was a kid, (a looong time ago) fundraisers were spaghetti suppers and tag sales. The school got all of the proceeds. Now, most of what you spend is profit for some company with peanuts (relatively) going to the school.

I object and refuse to buy something that I don't want or need. If I can afford it, I write a check to the organization in the same amount that I would have to buy the junk. They raise much more that way.


Children shouldn't be used this way.

Cathleen

I agree but I also disagree with this. I am the fundraising coordinator for our school's PTA. I don't buy everything that we sell. I tell my kids to pick their fundraiser and it will only be one. I volunteer to do lots of things at school so they get more in time from me (which they also need) than money. I do know that the budgets have been cut again!! That makes it hard for the schools to buy the things our children need to get the best education possible. I have voted for being able to have an opt out on the fundraisers by being able to send in a check for ???? (even a dollar would help). The school district said we couldn't do that so everyone gets the forms and if they choose to participate great if not it is ok too.

I also know that the school gets no money for the school pictures. The only thing that they get is a picture of the kids for badges, files, etc and a class picture for the teacher. I only buy one very small set of them and take them where it is much cheaper for the rest.

I also don't buy the yearbook. I take lots of pictures for it but I don't purchase it. I don't really feel that elementary students need it. I made each of the kids a school scrapbook and I give them each a piece of paper to get signed at the end of the year and we put it in the scrapbook. I do buy the group picture for them to put in the book.

If you support projects like Tyson A+ and Box Tops for Education you can do so and make money for the school without having to spend any extra of your money. If your school doesn't do it you should suggest it to them. Also Boxtops4education.com has coupons on it for GM products.

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I have 5 kids in 4 different schools and one daycare right now and I just don't see it. They usually have one or two things a year and I can definitely see the need for that. I also have fundraisers for Wrestling, soccer, volleyball, German club, etc. But that is just the way it goes. Kids are expensive and if you want your kids to do anything at all, it will cost money.

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~Happiness is a large family~

I know I already posted but I thought I might add that I am not against fundraisers. While at the Christian school they picked I think three a year. One being a silent auction on baskets. Like we had a gardening basket that had all gardening items in it, an entertainment basket that had like movie passes, dinner gift cards, board games and such. All of these items the parents got donated then we auctioned the baskets off. So not much was spent and we got huge profits from it. They also had a candle fundraiser that was not like party lite or home interiors, they were good quailty candles but cheap. I am really okay with fundraisers as long as they don't over do it. Three or four a year is good. More than that is exhausting. And as a parents I rarely bought something as I didn't have the money to do so. What I mentioned in my post from the public school wasn't fundraisers. But they just wanted money. We ran out of this please send x amount of dollars. I LOVE getting school pictures!! But at the public school they did three a year!!! Regular school photo, winter photo and a spring photo. And I always planned on just one (of course I didn't have to buy but you take a photo of my child and show it to me and I fall in love with it and give in!) but that one was like $20. It adds up. And school parties, the public schools here provide nothing! Parents have to do treats (NOT homemade either) paper goods, games, prizes, crafts, everything. And since we had very little parental involvment, the financial part weighed on only a couple of us. And like I said no one showed up to these parties except me and my mom. When I was in school the PTA provided paper goods, drinks and cupcakes. Anything extra the parents got, and we always had parents there. I just seems sad to me how things change for the bad and not good.

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Jenifer
Proud wife to one amazing man
Proud mom to four awesome kids

Fall is my favorite season!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

I agree. I don't either .... however I've never been in a situation like the OP described where they sent home a cute something that was already made and told you to send in the money after the kids got all pumped about it at an assembly. That would make me because it makes me out to be the bad guy if I say 'no' if the company has already made the product and sent it home with the kid.

We don't have cafeterias in our schools here so one of our most effective fund raisers is pizza day where we can buy slices at $1.50 each for the kid's lunches once a week. The school makes $600 a week with this. Some kids don't participate but they aren't made to feel left out like in some of the other situations described.

I don't get the photos either. I get the same package at Walmart for $8 where I get to choose the pose I like where at the school for the same number of photos is $65. Times two kids, that's way too much. (We don't do year books here until high school).

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