Prom = Big Bucks
My son’s prom was this weekend, which led me to the discovery that prom is just plain expensive all around.
I always knew it was expensive for girls — after all, if you go all out, there’s the dress, the shoes, the accessories, the makeup, the hair, and the nails. That can add up to some big bucks.
But I had no idea that prom was expensive for the guys too. Tux rentals are pretty pricey, especially considering you have to return the tux the next day. They started at $100 and went up from there. My son’s was closer to $175, and it was NOT one of the most expensive ones. Then there’s dinner out, a corsage, etc.
Of course, it’s not necessary to spend that much money in order to go. Our community sponsors an event each year where girls can get donated dresses for free. That’s an option that may be available in other areas too. And just like weddings, there are many things that can be cut out.
Overall it’s a fun event, and I’m glad my son was able to go. (And that he & his group of friends tolerated hundreds of photos from all the snap-happy parents.)
Let’s see… My dresses each ran about $100 the two years I went — though my mom was kind enough to pay. Dinner was about $30-40 and the tickets were about $30. So yeah that’s about right.
Of course, my junior year, I was driving so I wrote “Compact Limo” on a piece of cardboard and stuck it in the side window of the car. So we didn’t take it as a huge, serious deal.
Doh I forgot about tickets. Those were $70 in advance.
That’s funny about your compact limo :)
My dress cost $125 and my boyfriend covered the tickets ($20 each) and the meal ($15). A little-town prom apparently is a little cheaper than a big-town prom…
$15 bucks for a meal for 2? That’s a good deal :)