Kids cost a lot of money...

I'm planning out this year's activities and am realizing how much these boys are going to cost us! haha
First there is swimming lessons - $20 a child to start with if we do the family YMCA membership (which is another $60/month).
Then there is piano lessons for Brayden which haven't started yet and I'm not sure how much those will cost.
Next is the instrument rental that Alex wants to do for middle school on the fall - $30/month on average.
Don't forget soccer either! $60 a child (just the oldest two) for the season.
OH and Alex's orthodontic work which will start very very soon. That will start incurring a monthly bill as well, probably another couple hundred a month. *sigh*
I feel like I'm forgetting something...

To help off-set these costs requires some more sacrifices on our end. For example, we're canceling our monthly rental membership at Hollywood Video (like Netflix) - that saves $26/month.
Then comes our satellite cable. Right now we have the $56/month package but we don't even watch half of those channels. The next package down is $30/month but doesn't include some of our favorite channels like Animal Planet, ESPN (for Billy), and the TNT/USA/TBS channels. However...you gotta cut where you can cut! We don't need all those channels. I would actually be happy with just the basic local channels,but they don't make a package for that..and I would miss my DVR too much to cut satellite totally. haha
Additionally-I talked Billy into selling all of his rated R movies that we don't watch anymore anyway! Ebay is a great way to make some extra money.

However, in the end it all works out...
Braces $200/month...
Piano $50/month....
Trombone $30/month...
Swimming lessons $60...
YMCA $60/month...
Soccer $120...

Healthy, happy kids with nice smiles....priceless.