“How to Save Money at Memorial Day Weekend Soccer Tournaments on Long Island and Away”

            We are the proud and few- the parents of Long Island Soccer players who have graciously declined the invites to barbecues and family parties this Memorial Day weekend so that we can travel out of state or locally to support our kids and their soccer teams at the Soccer Tournament.  Whether we will be leaving work early tomorrow to try to beat the traffic off Long Island to attend an out of state tournament such as FC Delco or the MAPS Pocono Cup, or we will be waking early Saturday morning to travel a few miles to Commack or Massapequa Memorial Day Tournament, our planning and goals are the same- easy and safe travel that does not leave us broke, and of course the Win.

My main goal is to help my fellow Long Island parents save money this weekend and at the many tournaments to come while we cheer our soccer playing youth to soccer tournament success! As I am tardy in posting my advice, I am including all tips in one post.  After this weekend, they will be split into a series and future posts will be shorter in length.

 In the last year alone, between the team I coach and the Long Island soccer teams my sons play with, I estimate we have traveled as a family to over 30 tournaments in the last 5 years with 15 being in the last year.  With a schedule like this, we have learned quickly how to get the most for our buck and each tournament and trip we learn a bit more.  I plan to save you the hassle and extra expense of trial and error and share a few tips for saving money for the parents out there.  I will also be posting a separate article for our coaches and how they can help save money for their team.

·         Let BJ’s, Target, Wal-Mart (insert discount shop of choice) be your friend:  Every LI soccer family should have a cooler and beach bag.  For tournament weekend, you want to have previously attacked your local super shop and bought in bulk:

o    small water bottles: I rarely see kids finish large water bottles before they open a new one- save money and waste and buy small.

o   Gatorade (or PowerAde) bottles: See above

o   Snacks: One always hopes to be assigned to fields at a Soccer Tournament location that has concessions, but be prepared- not all field locations will have vendors and food or drink.  Also, it is easier and cheaper to have purchased bags of chips, cookies, and fresh fruit in bulk at discount and hand it over the toddler, teen or dad who is begging for food than to give them $5 to get a snack at an overpriced vendor who is set up 5 fields to the left and up a hill

o    Bread and cold cuts: We usually budget for one special meal at a Fast Food place, but we never leave the house for a tournament or day of soccer without having set up the family assembly line the night before.  We create sandwiches in bulk and store them right back in the bread bag to save space and storage costs.  These sandwiches can also be made in a hotel room and are also easy snacks for car rides.  In order to save even more money- I suggest buying the pre-packaged meats- although not as yummy or nutritious as deli meats, they will travel well and can be stored in a hotel refrigerator or cooler for a night or two.  Even if we are staying locally on Long Island, I still make sandwiches.

o   Pack of individual cereal boxes: This is not necessary if staying local or if your hotel offers free breakfast.  If you are travelling and your team was not fortunate enough to be placed in a hotel with free breakfast or if you have picky eaters- a package of individual cereal boxes is easy to transport and to serve the family breakfast in the hotel room.  They also double as great snacks!

·         Research the area around your hotel and soccer tournament fields- Remember you are not always lucky enough to have a hotel near your soccer fields and should take some time a few days before you travel to Google the address of your hotel and the kid’s soccer fields.  You want to know the distance you will travel and location of nearby restaurants, gas stations, convenience stores and Super Store.  You never know when you will realize you forgot toothpaste, a set of shin guards, or when you get a rainy 60 degree day when the weather forecast said 85 and sunny and everyone left their sweaters at home.  You can also plan a stop at the local convenience store to pick up some of the above items for a cheaper price or at a lower tax rate and save some packing space. 

·         Research gas prices in the states you will pass through between Long Island and the Soccer Tournament- When we must travel through NJ to get to any tournament I will never put more than $10 in my gas tank before leaving Long Island.  I will fill up as I drive through NJ to the soccer tournament and on the way home to Long Island.  This will save you a decent amount of money.  Also if you have a BJ’s membership, there is a BJ’s with discount gas not far from the LIE, Southern State, and Northern State Pkwy in Melville on Rt 110 and off of I95 in CT there is at least one BJ’s gas station directly off the highway and next to a Cracker Barrel (double bonus!!)

·         Utilize the ice machine in your house and at the hotel- Instead of spending money on ice- fill a few gallon size bags with water and freeze them in your home freezer to use in your cooler or fill your cooler with the free ice provided at your hotel.

·         Network with your fellow Soccer Parents- If you are unable to afford to bring the entire family, ask if any other parent is looking to split a hotel room or if the team wants to plan a pizza night.  Very often you can reach out to a local pizza place for a group discount rate- mention the Tournament you are attending- some places will advertise specials in the Tournament book.  BULK EQUALS LESS COST!!

·         Budget for one treat- For many of us, our Youth Soccer Tournaments have become our family vacation time so use some of the money you save to treat the family to an overpriced vendor snack at the tournament.  Not only does the family enjoy a treat, but we get to be the parent who said “yes” for once, and we support the Tournament that has graciously hosted us for the weekend.  Also, out of New York you will find more Denny’s and Cracker Barrel- just 2 great inexpensive spots to treat the family to a sit down meal.

As you travel off Long Island or stay local this weekend, keep my suggestions in mind for some money saving, use them in the future, and please PASS THEM ALONG!  Most importantly- Coach Mommy LI wishes you have a safe and fun weekend! I wish great fun, hard play, and good sportsmanship to all this Memorial Day Soccer Tournament Weekend and remember to thank a Serviceman for their dedication to our nation!