Cost of Scouting
Compared to the cost of sports and other youth activities, we believe that Scouting delivers great value to its members and returns a lifetime of dividends.
Pack Budget
Much of Pack’ 421s core operating expenses are covered by our annual popcorn fundraiser. This includes upkeep of pack-owned equipment (such as our camp kitchen, trailer, and sheds), as well as the cost of consumable materials used at pack and den meetings, awards and badges presented to Scouts, Pinewood Derby trophies, and more.
Individual Costs
Individual costs paid by the family broadly fall into three categories:
Annual costs - paid each year, typically at the start of the year (e.g., member dues)
Outfitting costs - incurred the first year but not necessarily every year (e.g., uniform shirt)
Activity fees - paid at various times during the year to participate in certain fee-based activities (e.g., meal fee for campout)
A breakdown of estimated costs in each category is provided below. If your family needs financial help in order to participate, see the Financial Assistance section at the end of this page.
Pack 421 “Scout Closet”
Every year we collect outgrown uniform items and handbooks from older scouts and set them out during the first few pack meetings, so that families that can use them can save the cost of buying new. Availability is limited and offered on a first-come basis.
NOTE for Fall 2024: There are no hand-me-down handbooks this year because all ranks have new editions, and the changes from previous years are too great for the older editions to be useful. If you have an older edition, please put it in the waste recycling.
Estimated Individual Costs
Updated for the 2024-25 program year
All prices subject to change
Annual Costs
National dues: $85 per scout
Entitles the scout to membership in the national Scouting organization (BSA) for 12 months; covers insurance, program development, and support
For new scouts, this fee is paid directly to the BSA when submitting your membership application online
Returning scouts pay national dues to Pack 421 via our online store or in person at one of the first pack meetings
Non-refundable
Pack dues: $30 per scout
Entitles the scout to membership in Pack 421 for the current school year; these dues go to the pack’s operating budget for equipment and program delivery
Pay this fee in person at one of the first pack meetings or via our online store
Non-refundable
Scout Life magazine: $15 per subscription (optional)
This glossy print magazine is published monthly by the BSA and is sent to the scout’s home via U.S. mail; it covers topics of interest to scouts of all ages
Subscription to this magazine is optional; some scouts love it (especially for the jokes and comic strips), while others hardly ever look at it because it isn’t a screen
To subscribe to Scout Life, select to at it to your shopping cart when you pay your national dues each year (either as part of your initial online application process or when paying the annual dues as a renewing member)
Non-refundable
Annual update to Class A uniform components: $21-$44 per scout
Several components of the Cub Scout ‘Class A’ uniform are differentiated to indicate rank and den membership and therefore need to be replaced annually:
Cap: $23
Neckerchief + slide: $13 + $8
Pack 421 asks scouts to wear either the official cap or official neckerchief; many scouts like to wear both but you can economize by getting whichever your scout likes to wear most (and are therefore is less likely to loose)
Uniform components can be purchased at the local Scout Shop; see our Uniforms information page for details
Scout handbook: $13-24 (recommended)
Every rank (or grade level) has a printed book, called the Scout Handbook, that explains all the adventures, skills, and concepts necessary to earn the rank
Lions (grade K) and Tigers (1st grade) need their own copy of the handbook because it is used as a workbook during den meetings; all other ranks (2nd-5the grade) can get away with sharing a handbook with a friend or looking up rank requirements at online, but it is better for each scout to have their own copy whenever possible
This year (2024) all Cub Scout ranks have a new edition of their respective handbook; the changes are so great that all previous editions will not be useful; if you find a previous edition, recycle it
Handbooks can be purchased at the local Scout Shop
Outfitting Costs
Pack t-shirt: $20
Also known as the “Class B” uniform; every scout should have one
Can be purchased through the Pack’s online store and then picked up at one of the next pack meetings; please contact our treasurer with questions about t-shirt orders
Official Cub Scout belt, $15 (K-3rd grade required, 4th-5th grade recommended)
Every scout in grades k-3rd needs the official blue Cub Scout web belt because it is used to show off the metal belt loops awarded whenever the scout complete adventures
Purchase at the local Scout Shop; see our Uniforms information page for more details
Class A uniform shirt: $64-$83
Every scout needs a Class A uniform shirt with required patches
Official uniform shirt, $56 blue (K-4th grade)*, $67 tan (5th grade)
Required patches, $8 (K-3rd grade), $16 (4th-5th grade)
It is recommended to buy new Class A uniform shirts slightly large so that your scout can continue to wear it for several years
*Note: Fourth grade is a transition year from the blue uniform shirt to the tan one; if your 4th grader has a blue shirt that still fits, he/she should continue to wear it; if you are buying a new uniform shirt for a 4th grader, buy the tan one so that he/she can continue to wear it into 5th grade and beyond
Purchase the uniform at the local Scout Shop; see our Uniforms information page for more details about the Class A uniform and required patches
Camping & outdoors gear: varies
Gear requirements for Cub Scouts are relatively basic (see our Packing List page for details)
On Cub Scout campouts, each scout tents with his/her family; if there are important items (like sleeping bags or a tent) that your family does not already own, these items will need to be purchased or borrowed
Talk to your den leader for gear tips or help tracking down gear to borrow
Activity COSTS
Activity costs are paid whenever a reservation is made in the Pack’s online store to participate in a fee-based pack event. We encourage scouts to participate in every activity.
Total activity costs for 1 scout and 1 parent/guardian to participate in all fee-based activities offered by Pack 421 this year is expected to be $260, as follows:
San Antonio Zoo Sleepover (Sept): $75 per person, minimum age 5 years
Fall Campout (Oct): $20 tent site fee per family + $10 meal fee per person, age 4 and under free
Blue & Gold Banquet (Feb): $10 per person, age 4 and under free
Spring Campout (Mar): $20 tent site fee per family + $10 meal fee per person, age 4 and under free
Year-end Pack Cookout (May): $5 per person, age 4 & under free
A refund policy for each event is stated in the online store when reserving. Most reservations are not refundable after 2 weeks before the event.
District & Council Events
Our parent BSA district and council regularly host events that are attended by Cub Scouts and Scouting families from all over Central Texas. Such events include day outings and family camping weekends, often at BSA-owned properties in the region. In the summer, weeklong day camps and resident camps are offered. Cub Scout shooting sports activities (BB gun, archery, and slingshot) are only offered at district or council events.
Pack 421 rarely puts district and council events on our official Pack calendar, but the district and council publicized them via a monthly email newsletter sent to all Cub Scout families in the area. We encourage you to sign up to participate as a family or with an informal group of several Cub Scout families. These events are usually lots of fun!
District and council events generally have a modest participation fee.
Financial Assistance
If your child (or children) want to participate in Cub Scouts but costs are a problem, there are several ways we can help:
Loaner gear such as sleeping bags or tents
Payment plans for fees that are paid to the pack
Hand-me-down uniforms and handbooks (limited supply)
Scholarships from our parent BSA council (how to apply)
Scouts who receive assistance are encouraged to be active in our fundraising efforts.
To request assistance, please speak in person to the Cubmaster or our pack’s Committee Chair, or send an email to pack leaders via info@pack421austin.org