How much do you pay for karate?

[Lupin1]

I train at a Boys and Girls Club. They don't advertise the adult program and so the only way people even know it exists is if they're invited by someone in the program, have a child in the kids program (which is advertised by the club), or have been doing it since they were a child in the kids program (like me). When I was little they used to charge a dollar a class for the kids and I don't know if they charged the adults at all. Now it's free for adults and part of the membership fee for the club for kids. We don't charge testing fees or anything since we don't have formal tests-- they just promote you when you show you're ready. The kids buy their gis and belts at cost from the club, but adults have to get our own gis and belts, although they've been letting me borrow used belts the past few times I've been promoted, so right now I've got a faded, well-worn green belt that's starting to fray even though I haven't worn it to a single class yet (got it a year and a half ago-- just haven't been to class since then since I've been living in the desert...). Can't beat free...

[sensei8]

Free wins every time, and I'm pretty sure that schools for profit cringe at the existence of free schools. I don't cringe over free schools because not everyone can afford many tuition's, and in that, the free schools allow those less fortunate financially to experience and enjoy and learn the MA.

[DoctorQui]

I just found a non advertised Wado Ryu club, run by a 77 year old 4th dan with very few members in the adult class. the guy is strictly not for profit and has been running the club for 30 years and does it simply out of love for the art. I do this now along with my SHotokan so I can finish my Wado journey to Shodan! He charges £5 every 28 days for 3 sessions per week 2 x 1hr and 1 x 2hr sessions. I attend only one because it clashes with Shotokan but it works out, if I attended all lessons, at 41p per session!

I also just took over the secretary function of my Shotokan club and as a reward now only pay £7 per week to attend all 6 sessions rather than £5 per session. BONUS!

[Lupin1]

Free wins every time, and I'm pretty sure that schools for profit cringe at the existence of free schools. I don't cringe over free schools because not everyone can afford many tuition's, and in that, the free schools allow those less fortunate financially to experience and enjoy and learn the MA.

Oh yeah-- growing up my parents would never have been able to afford the expensive schools around here. I really wanted to do Karate and if it weren't for the program at the club, I never would have gotten to. And even now as an adult I don't have the best paying job in the world. I mean, I could afford to go to a "real" school now and I've looked into it so I could train more days a week, but I'd have to make serious sacrifices to afford it, so I probably won't be doing that too soon, but maybe. The club has amazing instructors, though, with lots of experience and very good lineage for the head instructor. With karate clubs, especially, I've noticed "you get what you pay for" doesn't always ring true.

[jaypo]

A customer of mine has her kids enrolled at a BJJ academy here. She pays $125.00 per child per month! To me, that's ridiculous. However, I've known the instructor since junior high, and he is the only black belt BJJ instructor in the area. But $125.00 a month? My wife and I make 6 figures a year, and we still couldn't afford that!

[jaypo]

To answer the question, though, thru my gym, I can train for free if I just take 2 classes per week. However, I train at least 3, sometimes as many as 5 times. So I pay $22.00. I know the accounting, and all fees go back to the club for gear. Sensei doesn't take any money himself. He just loves to teach his system!

[Alpha One Four]

A customer of mine has her kids enrolled at a BJJ academy here. She pays $125.00 per child per month! To me, that's ridiculous. However, I've known the instructor since junior high, and he is the only black belt BJJ instructor in the area. But $125.00 a month? My wife and I make 6 figures a year, and we still couldn't afford that!

Forget that. You could join a reputable MMA gym that is open 12 hours a day for that kind of cash.

I pay $60/month for Goju Ryu. 2 Classes @ 2+ hours each per week. We also do Kempo and Boxing there. It is equipped for MMA as well, so in our down time before and after class we can train on our own.