We have a 7 and 4 year old and live in PHX area where Summers are pretty impossible without some form of water entertainment. Normally we get the public pool pass for $115 and take the kids daily, we all love it. Also splash pads. Well this year with covid I was afraid they would all be closed, so I splurged and got the above ground pool from Costco. I've calculated it out...(all numbers include tax) $650 pool, $50 fill up plus small fills along the way, $100 equipment, $100 test kit plus some reagents refills, $8 average of 2 gallons of liquid Chlorine a week as the only chemical usage (a few more I'll say maybe $40 max), small pool pump I'm guessing no more than $15/mo. So far less than $1,000, kids have used it daily since late March, will be using it into October then close it up for winter. I will try to use it maybe 3-4 more summers then drain, break apart, and throw away. All said and done, probably a max of $15-1700 over 4 years, and we will go back to regular pools once it's over. If we swim 175 days a year that's like 65 cents a swim. I think it's been a pretty good investment, plus at the end we get out back yard back as if it never happened.
