The price of school prom is extortionate, says teen

An 18-year-old has said the price of attending school prom was "extortionate" after she decided not to attend her own.

Giselle Bartram grew up in Newmarket, Suffolk, and decided she did not want to go to her end of school prom, which she said she did not regret.

She added her sister had gone to her own prom last summer and spent £600 to make sure she could attend in style.

Research shared exclusively with the BBC by the debt advice charity Money Wellness, showed one in four parents would spend between £250 and £500 on prom.

"I understand why people spend that much money, but nowadays it's a lot," Bartram explained to BBC Radio Suffolk's Wayne Bavin.

"My sister went to prom and we spent £600 on her. I find it extortionate in my opinion."

Prom is a tradition that has been popular in the United States for decades, but we are seeing more and more schools in the UK holding their own leavers' prom.

The British Council estimates that about 85% of secondary schools have proms now in the UK.

But with the increasing cost of living, Bartram felt proms were putting pressure on families and added she had seen taxi companies, hair salons and other industries ramp up prices around prom season.

"A big aspect of prom is how big can you go," she said.

"With my sister's prom, we had a whole motorbike show up, a fire engine.

"It is more showing off than the experience - who can do the coolest thing, who can wear the nicest dress, things like that.

"For people who can't afford it, it really does drive people apart."

She added: "I don't think people realise exactly how much money it can actually be because £600 was a lot for my sister, but I've had mates who spend over a grand on their prom because they hired fancy cars, hired a really lovely suit, they got their hard done."

Mel Collins, 35, is a parent from Lowestoft, Suffolk, and her 16-year-old daughter's prom is upcoming.

While she does not think her daughter will attend, Collins has still saved between £300 and £400 in case she does.

She described proms as an "added expense".

"We already have uniforms to pay for, school trips to pay for and now at the end of the school year for our 16-year-olds we're having to pay even more money.

"My child doesn't want to go to prom but I have allocated funds just in case they change their mind.

"It's difficult because I'm having to put money aside that I could prioritise in other areas of my bills, it could go to a day out.

"I feel the pressures of prom and having to spend the money is because the schools put it on the parents.

"There's competition between the kids so the pressure goes further because they want to show off, they want the posh sports car, they want the big dress and the new suit, or the great entrance and it puts so much pressure on the parents to out do each other."

Collins added that she did not feel proms were a good thing and instead were a bad influence on children.

Sharan Sammi, 44, is a money mindset mentor with 19 years' experience from Wolverhampton and said there are a few ways parents can save money when it comes to prom.

The first she said was taking a dress you already have and adding accessories such as nice jewellery, a tiara or a handbag.

She suggests also borrowing from female relatives if possible.

"The thought behind this is because it's a one-off prom, it's cost efficient instead of buying it all new," she added.

Another tip Sammi suggested was looking at websites such as Shein and Temu or outfits were there are "some great bargains as well as for the accessories".

In terms of getting ready for the prom, Sammi suggested painting your own nails and even making use of training nail and hair salons who might be looking for people to practise styles on.

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