How did the recession affect your skating?

[waltz_jump]

Just wondering if anyone has had to cut back on any skating expenses, or if you cut back on other areas of the household budget to keep skating routine the same.

I am thankful that hubby and I are both employed but I do find myself scrutinizing the freestyle and public skate prices on different rinks and comparison shopping. Like Rink A across my house has $5 public skate but it is very old and the ice is not as smooth (still has bumps and stuff) even after zambonied. The overall facility also needs a super major makeover. Rink B around the corner (one of Evan Lysacek's former training facilities actually when he was still in Illinois) is a beautiful facility but charges a full $5 more just for public skate admission. I also do away with snacks and just bring my own water, power bar etc.

I still go to the same guy that sharpens my skates for $15 even though some rinks offer to do it cheaper.

I did cut back on buying new skating pants and skirts and I used to love to shop for them. Coaching costs have increased due to more lessons to prepare for my tests.

Anyone wanna share their experiences?

[southernskater]

Actually, I recently up my skating expenses by a lot (I pay more per week than I let many people know) My school and work schedules are incrediably flexible and my new rink is right down the road from both.

This hasn't been the case for the whole time the recession was going on. My last job was hit very hard by the recession and I didn't skate as much because I was busy trying to get hours. I really regret being a worker drone at my job, that eventually kind of screwed me over, when I could have been looking for a healthier enviroment all along. Now I have a great job and I spend all my extra $$ on skating and I couldn't be happier! I have no life outside the rink, but I'm loving every minute of it! I know this situation will not last forever so I'm taking advantage of it while I can!

[Aussie Willy]

It depends. Over the years I have cut back on the number of sessions and lessons I do for financial reasons generally, not just the reccession. Unless you lose your job or take a pay cut, then it shouldn't affect you. But as skating has gotten more expensive over the years, I have to be very careful about how I spend my money on it.

I find skating probably has more affected my lifestyle more than anything else. I don't go spending lots of money on clothes or going out to movies, dinner, the theatre, holidays, etc. So skating is what I choose to spend my money on.

I assume that when the house I brought off the plan is built later in the year and I have to start paying a mortgage, then I am really going to have to watch what I spend. That may mean skating only once or twice a week.

[zaphyre14]

The recession hasn't hurt the amount I have available to spend on skating but it has affected the rinks. With fewer people skating, the rinks have cut both the number of sessions they offer and the length of the sessions. So I'm spending the same as I was a few years ago but getting less for it.

[sk8lady]

The cost of ice has increased substantially over the last two years, which means that any ice I use through a skating club is substantially more expensive than it used to be. I try to use public skating or rink-run sessions as much as I can. I also changed coaches and my lessons got more expensive, both in coaching fees and in gas driving the 300 miles to and from my ice dance lessons, so I have been taking fewer lessons. We could probably afford it but I just feel so guilty spending so much money on myself!

[waltz_jump]

I did notice that the LTS classes are definitely less full than it used to be. Before they had to divide 1 level into 2 sections because it is too many students to 1 instructor. Now it is more like 5 kids to 1 coach. Some levels even only have 3 kids or less. I remember when I was in LTS (my adult class was the same time as the kids classes), and it was complete chaos in the rinkside with all the parents and all the kids waiting to get on the ice, or putting on their skates and whatnot. Now it is pretty calm.

I also opted out of our yearly ice show because I cannot afford the entry fee for that in addition to my expenses related to testing.

[leafygreens]

It hasn't affected me - yet. Skating is the last thing in my life that gets "cut." But I'm getting very close to the breaking point and I don't even skate that much - 2-3 hrs a week and 1 lesson.

Speaking of expensive ice time, I recently checked Chelsea Piers prices and a 50 minute Saturday freestyle is 29.50. So glad I fled New York years ago...