Budget Optimization

Overview

Locate research directory: Read .claude/kids-camp-planner.local.md to get the research_dir path (default: camp-research). All user data paths below are relative to this directory. The family profile is at <research_dir>/family-profile.md.

Calculate, compare, and optimize camp costs across children, time periods, and providers. Generate budget summaries as markdown tables (default) or Excel spreadsheets. Apply Ontario-specific cost-saving strategies including tax deductions, subsidies, and discount timing.

Budget Generation Workflow

Step 1: Gather Cost Data

Read the family profile from <research_dir>/family-profile.md for budget constraints. Collect per-provider costs from <research_dir>/providers/*.md files if they exist. For each camp option, ensure the following cost components are captured:

Component	Weekly Rate	Daily Rate
Base camp fee	$300/week	$60/day
Before-care (if needed)	$50/week	$10/day
After-care (if needed)	$50/week	$10/day
Lunch program (if not packing)	$35/week	$7/day
Materials/equipment fee	$25 one-time	$25 one-time
Registration fee	$50 one-time	$50 one-time
Sibling discount	-10% second child	-10% second child
Early-bird discount	-$25/week if registered by deadline	-$25/week equivalent
Multi-week discount	-5% for 4+ weeks	-5% for 20+ days

Step 2: Calculate Using Budget Script

Run the budget calculator script to compute totals:

Weekly rate mode:

python3 ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/budget-optimization/scripts/budget_calculator.py \
  --kids 2 \
  --weeks 8 \
  --base-cost 300 \
  --before-care 50 \
  --after-care 50 \
  --lunch 35 \
  --sibling-discount 10 \
  --format markdown

Daily rate mode:

python3 ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/skills/budget-optimization/scripts/budget_calculator.py \
  --kids 2 \
  --days 40 \
  --daily-rate 60 \
  --before-care-daily 10 \
  --after-care-daily 10 \
  --lunch-daily 7 \
  --sibling-discount 10 \
  --format markdown

The script supports both weekly and daily rate calculations. Use --days and --daily-rate for day-level pricing (takes precedence over --weeks/--base-cost if both provided). Pass --format csv to generate CSV output or --format markdown for a markdown table.

For complex multi-provider budgets, prepare a JSON input file and pass it with --input budget-input.json. The JSON format supports both "weeks" and "days" arrays (days takes precedence). See the script's --help for the JSON schema.

Step 3: Generate Budget Document

Create the budget file at the appropriate location:

• Summer: <research_dir>/summer-YYYY/budget.md
• March break: <research_dir>/march-break-YYYY/budget.md
• PA days: <research_dir>/pa-days-YYYY-YYYY/budget.md

Markdown budget format (default):

# Camp Budget - Summer 2025

## Summary
| | Child 1 | Child 2 | Total |
|---|---------|---------|-------|
| Camp fees | $2,350 | $2,200 | $4,550 |
| Before/after care | $800 | $800 | $1,600 |
| Lunch | $280 | $280 | $560 |
| Registration | $50 | $50 | $100 |
| **Subtotal** | **$3,480** | **$3,330** | **$6,810** |
| Sibling discount | - | -$240 | -$240 |
| Early bird discount | -$200 | -$200 | -$400 |
| **Total** | **$3,280** | **$2,890** | **$6,170** |

## Cost by Camp Provider
| Provider | Child 1 | Child 2 | Total |
|----------|---------|---------|-------|
| YMCA Cedar Glen | $1,800 | $1,800 | $3,600 |
| City of Toronto | $200 | $400 | $600 |
| Science Camp TO | $350 | $0 | $350 |
| **Total Camp Fees** | **$2,350** | **$2,200** | **$4,550** |

## Tax Recovery Estimate
- Child care deduction (Line 21400): ~$X estimated tax savings
- Ontario Child Care Tax Credit: ~$X estimated

## Weekly Breakdown
[Week-by-week table with provider, child, and cost per week]

## Budget vs. Target
- Budget limit: $7,000
- Projected spend: $6,170
- Over/under: $830 under budget
- Recommendations: [suggestions to reduce costs]

Excel format: See ${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/examples/sample-budget.xlsx for the reference Excel budget template. The spreadsheet has four tabs:

• Provider Comparison: Camp rates including both daily and weekly columns with Total/Day and Total/Week formulas. Supports per-period rate columns (Summer, PA Day, Break) — when PA Day or Break columns are empty, summer rates are used as fallback.
• Daily Schedule: Day-by-day assignments (source of truth) with VLOOKUP formulas referencing Provider Comparison. Dynamic column layout supports 1-4 children: 3 prefix cols + 6 cols per child + 1 daily total.
• Weekly Schedule: Derived from Daily Schedule via SUMIF formulas
• Budget Summary: All cost totals derived from Daily Schedule via SUM/SUMIF formulas

When generating Excel output, use openpyxl with formulas rather than hardcoded values. The Daily Schedule tab is the primary input surface — users only fill in the date, week number, and camp name per child per day.

Step 4: Provide Optimization Recommendations

When the budget exceeds constraints, suggest cost reductions in priority order:

1. Switch to municipal programs for some weeks (typically 30-40% cheaper)
2. Apply early-bird discounts if registration deadlines haven't passed
3. Use multi-week discounts by consolidating weeks with one provider
4. Pack lunches instead of buying ($25-50/week savings per child)
5. Reduce before/after care on days when parent schedules allow
6. Mix half-day and full-day programs for younger children
7. Check subsidy eligibility through municipal children's services
8. Stagger specialty camps - alternate with lower-cost general camps

Cost-Saving Strategies

Tax Deductions (Canada)

Camp fees qualify as child care expenses on Line 21400:

• Under 7: up to $8,000/year deductible
• Ages 7-16: up to $5,000/year deductible
• Must be claimed by the lower-income spouse
• Keep all receipts; request tax receipts from providers
• Effective tax savings: typically 20-30% of eligible amount depending on marginal rate

Ontario-Specific Programs

• Municipal fee subsidies: Income-tested, apply through local children's services
• Ontario Child Care Tax Credit: Provincial credit, income-tested
• CWELCC: Some licensed camp programs may qualify for reduced fees

Timing Strategies

• Register in January/February for best early-bird pricing
• Municipal programs often have lowest cost-per-day
• March break programs at community centres are significantly cheaper than private
• PA day drop-in programs exist at many community centres

Additional Resources

Scripts

• scripts/budget_calculator.py - Calculate camp costs across multiple children, providers, and weeks/days with discount application and tax estimates. Supports both --base-cost/--weeks (weekly) and --daily-rate/--days (daily) modes.