America's skewed priorities: Spending on Prom up to $1,139

[Exterous]

And the less you make the more you are likely to spend on prom:

Families earning less than $50,000 a year plan to spend $1,245, while parents who make over $50,000 will spend a little less -- $1,129. Single parents plan to spend $1,563, almost double the $770 that married parents plan to spend.

While figures vary this is more than 27% of Americans have saved for retirement, 40-66% of the total amount saved per year by an average american and half of Americans responded to a survey saying they couldn't come up with $2,000 in 30 days

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505144_162-57581177/prom-time-get-ready-for-the-$1100-bill/

 

[nickbits]

I never even went to prom.

 

[fskimospy]

And the less you make the more you are likely to spend on prom:

While figures vary this is more than 27% of Americans have saved for retirement, 40-66% of the total amount saved per year by an average american and half of Americans responded to a survey saying they couldn't come up with $2,000 in 30 days

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505144_162-57581177/prom-time-get-ready-for-the-$1100-bill/

There is more to the picture than this. I dated a girl who was a special ed teacher in one of the poorest areas of NYC and her elementary school and middle school would both have elaborate graduation ceremonies/proms/etc for which these desperately poor families would shell out a lot of money. My first thought was 'that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard'.

She mentioned something that stuck with me though, and I wouldn't be surprised if this is at least some element of the poorer families spending more. A lot of those kids were never going to graduate high school, much less college. They weren't going to have fancy celebrations going forward and they certainly couldn't afford a big nice wedding or something like that. So for them, this was the closest they were going to get to something really nice, so they splurged.

After hearing that it all made a lot more sense.

 

[SheHateMe]

My friend spent $900 on a custom dress for prom (I graduated in '08). She got into a car accident on the way there and never made it to prom. She texted us about 2 hours into the prom saying that she was okay and in the hospital getting stitches...in her new dress.

Some asshole ran a read light and totaled the car she was in.

 

[EagleKeeper]

There is more to the picture than this. I dated a girl who was a special ed teacher in one of the poorest areas of NYC and her elementary school and middle school would both have elaborate graduation ceremonies/proms/etc for which these desperately poor families would shell out a lot of money. My first thought was 'that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard'.

She mentioned something that stuck with me though, and I wouldn't be surprised if this is at least some element of the poorer families spending more. A lot of those kids were never going to graduate high school, much less college. They weren't going to have fancy celebrations going forward and they certainly couldn't afford a big nice wedding or something like that. So for them, this was the closest they were going to get to something really nice, so they splurged.

After hearing that it all made a lot more sense.

^^^

For many girls; this is the event of their life.

First chance to strut and show off. For many (realizing or not) it will be the last.

Many will save for a year of two for this event.

Proms do not exist (to my recollection) for college; so the girl will either get asked to another prom or wedding unless they move up in society.

Many from the rural poor or inner city regretfully will not move up.

 

[Matt1970]

I think I paid $30 for my tux rental. My girlfriend at the time had her mom make her dress. We drove my truck.

 

[PrinceofWands]

I rented a tux, bought chick a corsage, rented a limo, and went to dinner....~$350. However, $165 of that was limo and shared with 2 other couples. Somebodies doing it wrong.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

I rented a tux, bought chick a corsage, rented a limo, and went to dinner....~$350. However, $165 of that was limo and shared with 2 other couples. Somebodies doing it wrong.

Fancy dresses cost a lot more.

 

[actuarial]

People are going to spend money on stupid shit. Over time, I'm more in favor of spending money on 'events' than spending money on 'things'.

 

[nickbits]

People are going to spend money on stupid shit. Over time, I'm more in favor of spending money on 'events' than spending money on 'things'.

I am 100% the opposite. Events last a few hours or a day at most. Things can last years. Maybe the memories are worth it for some people but my memory for events is not so good.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I never even went to prom.

I didn't go to either of mine. At the time, my mom told me that I'd regret it, but 24 years later, I don't. I personally think proms are really stupid.

 

[Nintendesert]

There is more to the picture than this. I dated a girl who was a special ed teacher in one of the poorest areas of NYC and her elementary school and middle school would both have elaborate graduation ceremonies/proms/etc for which these desperately poor families would shell out a lot of money. My first thought was 'that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard'.

She mentioned something that stuck with me though, and I wouldn't be surprised if this is at least some element of the poorer families spending more. A lot of those kids were never going to graduate high school, much less college. They weren't going to have fancy celebrations going forward and they certainly couldn't afford a big nice wedding or something like that. So for them, this was the closest they were going to get to something really nice, so they splurged.

After hearing that it all made a lot more sense.

It does make sense, and it also makes sense why poor people are poor.

 

[woolfe9998]

My prom cost me about $150 back in the mid 80's so I guess that's about $250 today? Numbers quoted in the OP seem rather high to me.

True story, the event was held at a venue up in San Francisco. When my gf and I went back out to my car at the end of the dance, I apparently had forgotten to lock it and there was a homeless man sleeping the back seat. Needless to say, it made the evening quite a bit more memorable than it otherwise would have been.

 

[Londo_Jowo]

I didn't go to either of mine. At the time, my mom told me that I'd regret it, but 24 years later, I don't. I personally think proms are really stupid.

Nor did I, the after prom parties were fun to attend.

 

[SheHateMe]

I didn't go to either of mine. At the time, my mom told me that I'd regret it, but 24 years later, I don't. I personally think proms are really stupid.

I did not want to go to my prom and I didn't want to go to homecoming either. Mostly because I hate wearing dresses and didn't want to go if I had to wear one. My friends convinced me to go to prom, atleast. They took me dress shopping and I felt like shit the whole time.

However, prom night was tons of fun. My friends picked out a great dress for me and everyone gave me compliments and took pictures with me. After prom, we snuck alcohol into an iHop and made tequila sunrises with our orange juice and ate pancakes.


It was cool........

 

[Doppel]

It does make sense, and it also makes sense why poor people are poor.

This.

You want full retard check out the average amount of money spent on a wedding now.

 

[momeNt]

Well you figure families only spend this amount times the number of kids they have. So in comparison to everything else that people decide is arbitrarily "better spent elsewhere", it's minute in comparison.

I'm sure a family making $50,000 probably wastes $1200 per year in thrown out food, overspending on clothes, utility bills, unearned interest/401k growth from having too high of tax deductions, etc. So why point to prom? Because it's easily quantified?

Prom is one month of retirement savings? If that?

 

[Doppel]

Well you figure families only spend this amount times the number of kids they have. So in comparison to everything else that people decide is arbitrarily "better spent elsewhere", it's minute in comparison.

I'm sure a family making $50,000 probably wastes $1200 per year in thrown out food, overspending on clothes, utility bills, unearned interest/401k growth from having too high of tax deductions, etc. So why point to prom? Because it's easily quantified?

Prom is one month of retirement savings? If that?

in terms of SURPLUS money left over at the end of each month 1200 could easily be several months worth for a lot of families making 50k.

 

[Mursilis]

And the less you make the more you are likely to spend on prom:

While figures vary this is more than 27% of Americans have saved for retirement, 40-66% of the total amount saved per year by an average american and half of Americans responded to a survey saying they couldn't come up with $2,000 in 30 days

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505144_162-57581177/prom-time-get-ready-for-the-$1100-bill/

Welcome to DUHmerica, idiocracy in action.

 

[actuarial]

I am 100% the opposite. Events last a few hours or a day at most. Things can last years. Maybe the memories are worth it for some people but my memory for events is not so good.

It might be because I have kids now. Toys catch their attention for two minutes, but my 22 month old nearly lost her shit when we went on a horse and buggy ride. Hell, she lost her shit watching the horses leave and come back.

'Oh, bye Neigh, see ya soon'...'Oh, MORE NEIGH!'...'Oh, bye Neigh, see ya soon'...'Oh, MORE NEIGH!'...'Oh, bye Neigh, see ya soon'...'Oh, MORE NEIGH!'...

 

[Vdubchaos]

I never even went to prom.

Same here

and if my daughter even asks for $100 I will tell her to beat it.

I never really understood the entire American prom thing. It didn't exist in my country......

If the kids want to go, go nuts.....just better save up for it if you want to wear something really nice etc.

It's in THEIR hands. :biggrin:


$1000 proms?
$10000 sweet sixteen parties
$30000 Weddings and $10000 rings

FUCK YOU AMERICA

 

[PrinceofWands]

Fancy dresses cost a lot more.

No, they don't.

http://www.tidebuy.com/product/Hot-...0191839.html?gclid=CK7zqpfb6LYCFelxQgodujEASQ

The only way things cost what they're quoting is if the people paying that much are too stupid to even matter, shopping expensive brands, etc. I don't know a single person who has EVER spent more than $500 on an event like this, and most spend less than half that much.

 

[Via]

I went to four (last three years of HS, and one as a freshman in college).

Tux rental - $100.
Dinner tab - $40.
misc - maybe $20 (including chipping in for booze for the after party)

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I did not want to go to my prom and I didn't want to go to homecoming either. Mostly because I hate wearing dresses and didn't want to go if I had to wear one. My friends convinced me to go to prom, atleast. They took me dress shopping and I felt like shit the whole time.

However, prom night was tons of fun. My friends picked out a great dress for me and everyone gave me compliments and took pictures with me. After prom, we snuck alcohol into an iHop and made tequila sunrises with our orange juice and ate pancakes.


It was cool........

I still don't regret not going. I don't think I really would've gotten anything out of it. My parents offered to pay for everything to try to get me to go and I refused. I wasn't close to anyone in my class so it was no big deal that I didn't go. I also haven't gone to any of my HS reunions and I won't go to my 25th anniversary next year either.

 

[Exterous]

I'm sure a family making $50,000 probably wastes $1200 per year in thrown out food, overspending on clothes, utility bills, unearned interest/401k growth from having too high of tax deductions, etc. So why point to prom? Because it's easily quantified?

Prom is one month of retirement savings? If that?

Prom is hardly one month of retirement savings for the average american. Figures vary but it is closer to 6 month - 1 year of retirement savings these Americans

In terms of spare income when half of Americans can't come up with $2,000 in a short time frame and 40% live paycheck to paycheck spending $1,136 on Prom is a big deal