School formals cost

Old Oct 11th 2013, 12:48 am
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Default School formals cost

I was just wondering if anyone else is needing to take out a second mortgage to fund their year 12's formal?

I don't mean to sound mean because I understand it's a big deal to finish 12 years of school... but honestly, the cost seems ridiculous, and I'm not sure how far I should allow myself to be pushed. It seems parents just go with it...

Expenses apparently include pre-party, photographer, car hire, new clothes, new shoes, new accessories, suit hire, fake tan, fake nails, hairdresser trial, hairdresser actual, new make up, make-up artist trial, make up artist actual, corsages, formal tickets, photo's from the formal, after party, after party clothes etc.

Then there's schoolies, another grand or so... then, I'm told, "some parents" buy a graduation gift.
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 12:55 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Originally Posted by brissybee
I was just wondering if anyone else is needing to take out a second mortgage to fund their year 12's formal?

I don't mean to sound mean because I understand it's a big deal to finish 12 years of school... but honestly, the cost seems ridiculous, and I'm not sure how far I should allow myself to be pushed. It seems parents just go with it...

Expenses apparently include pre-party, photographer, car hire, new clothes, new shoes, new accessories, suit hire, fake tan, fake nails, hairdresser trial, hairdresser actual, new make up, make-up artist trial, make up artist actual, corsages, formal tickets, photo's from the formal, after party, after party clothes etc.

Then there's schoolies, another grand or so... then, I'm told, "some parents" buy a graduation gift.
My daughter had her formal last year. It cost us $100 for the dress (on sale), she borrowed a pair of my heels, I did her makeup, I paid for her hair to be done for another $100 or so, she and 7 others chipped in for the stretch Hummer (not sure how much because I told her she could pay it herself), she didn't bother with nails or fake tan or corsage. Photos were taken by a bunch of the parents before and I think she didn't bother with any of the ones from the professional photographer. We did however pay about $20 to get prints of the digital photos she and her friends took at the formal and after party. Oh, and we paid for a taxi home from the after party (about $50).
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 12:58 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Originally Posted by brissybee
I was just wondering if anyone else is needing to take out a second mortgage to fund their year 12's formal?

I don't mean to sound mean because I understand it's a big deal to finish 12 years of school... but honestly, the cost seems ridiculous, and I'm not sure how far I should allow myself to be pushed. It seems parents just go with it...
None of my three could be arsed even going. I thank god for boys who are anti-social hermits like their mother.

(Although how I'm going to get them married off, I have no idea)
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 1:02 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Originally Posted by Dorothy
My daughter had her formal last year. It cost us $100 for the dress (on sale), she borrowed a pair of my heels, I did her makeup, I paid for her hair to be done for another $100 or so, she and 7 others chipped in for the stretch Hummer (not sure how much because I told her she could pay it herself), she didn't bother with nails or fake tan or corsage. Photos were taken by a bunch of the parents before and I think she didn't bother with any of the ones from the professional photographer. We did however pay about $20 to get prints of the digital photos she and her friends took at the formal and after party. Oh, and we paid for a taxi home from the after party (about $50).
Thanks for that Dorothy... very helpful. Did your daughter have a good night? I'm sure she did and I'm trying to convince my grade twelver that you don't have to pay a fortune to have fun.
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 2:30 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Originally Posted by brissybee
Thanks for that Dorothy... very helpful. Did your daughter have a good night? I'm sure she did and I'm trying to convince my grade twelver that you don't have to pay a fortune to have fun.
She sure did. There were 7 girls and their gay male friend. He had the time of his life

My daughter is pretty easy to please, though She wasn't dating anyone so took a friend from Albany who was here visiting her dad as her +1.
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 2:49 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Thank god we only have a boy, if he does want to go won't cost half as much.

Same goes for any future wedding

<so says a very tight Yorkshireman>
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 4:05 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

I have just been told there is also a yearbook to pay for and a contribution towards a year "gift".
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 5:46 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Good heavens! Boys (antisocial but dragged to the formal anyway) were a whole lot cheaper in a borrowed dinner suit with gifted cummerbund! I'd be giving her $50 and telling her to get on with it but, then, I am a miserable old b*tch. Seriously, I hope she and your credit card have a nice but unstressed time!
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 7:49 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Originally Posted by quoll
Good heavens! Boys (antisocial but dragged to the formal anyway) were a whole lot cheaper in a borrowed dinner suit with gifted cummerbund! I'd be giving her $50 and telling her to get on with it but, then, I am a miserable old b*tch. Seriously, I hope she and your credit card have a nice but unstressed time!
Rest assured, there are several "needs" on that list that won't be met. I told a pushy salesperson the other day that I thought the expense was obscene.
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 9:20 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Weddings used by $10k now they are $100k

Formals/end of year schoolies used to be $1k now they are $10k+
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 9:50 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Originally Posted by brissybee
I don't mean to sound mean because I understand it's a big deal to finish 12 years of school... but honestly, the cost seems ridiculous, and I'm not sure how far I should allow myself to be pushed. It seems parents just go with it...
Tell her you will introduce her to the mystic and secret world of being an adult.

Then tell her she has to pay for anything she wants.

F**king americanisms.
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 10:37 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Originally Posted by GarryP
Tell her you will introduce her to the mystic and secret world of being an adult.

Then tell her she has to pay for anything she wants.

F**king americanisms.
What Americanism? My son never even had a formal at his high school in Georgia. Come to think of it, neither did my high school in Canada.
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 10:43 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

No such thing existed when I left school, we all just went down the pub!
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 10:46 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Y12 formal costs as follows:Cost of event $150, Dress, $125 (on sale) shoes $60 (on sale), hair $85, accessories about $70 for bag and hair jewels, the rest she borrowed from me. We drove her there and back, and she did her own make up and nails. No pre parties, or after parties, no fake tan. Copies of photos $78.

Valedictory Dinner though was hugely expensive- $365 for our 3 tickets, plus $100 for photos. Luckily she used a gown of mine and wore the jewels from the formal (which was in May for some reason), and I did her hair. Contributions to gifts for the head girls (3 of them) came out of her pocket money. OH had to have a new suit as his old one was 10 years too tight(!) and new shoes- $500 for him. I got nothing new, but had my hair cut and coloured a few days before $225. Never spent so much on my hair in my life!!

NO schoolies as she is doing the IB and doesn't finish until 22nd Nov, then we are going to the UK and Tokyo after speech day. Not going to say how much that cost us.
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Old Oct 11th 2013, 10:54 am
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Default Re: School formals cost

Originally Posted by Dorothy
What Americanism? My son never even had a formal at his high school in Georgia. Come to think of it, neither did my high school in Canada.
Ahhh well, Georgia - that explains a lot......

I've always considered the idea of a 'formal' being an american invention. I know for certain the only thing I got for 'graduating' school was an 'O' level certificate under my arm and a pint in my hand (bought by me).

If you are going to commemorate the transition from child to adult, it ought to be as realistic as possible - the world is indifferent to your desires, and if you want anything you are going to have to fight for it yourself, off your own efforts.

I've seen too many 'entitled' school & college leavers, expecting to be given things on a plate. The sooner they learn that's not how the world works, the better off they are.
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