pool ownership – After installing an in-ground saltwater pool to host family and friends, the author says the real expense wasn’t only construction—it was the ongoing costs and the extras that come with being a go-to host. To keep the budget steady, they now invite guests to b
Seven years ago, the author’s family finally got the pool they’d been dreaming about—starting with a cheap, blow-up pool and then moving to an in-ground saltwater pool after they agreed they wouldn’t leave their family home for the foreseeable future.
The plan was simple and joyful: host family and friends, let the kids splash, play water basketball, and give adults a place to float and chat while still watching the kids. And yes, it was supposed to come with snacks—plenty of snacks.
But once the hosting became real, the lesson arrived the way summer often does: slowly at first, then all at once. Pools, the author writes, aren’t a one-time bill.
Pools are expensive, not just to install
They describe the pool as coming with two layers of cost: the pool design and construction, and then ongoing expenses afterward.
On top of the initial installation, there are costs tied to landscaping and to continuous upkeep—specifically naming the pump, chemicals, and yearly opening and closing costs. Then there’s the shopping that never really ends: pool furniture, pool toys, goggles, swim caps, and floats.
The author also lists what each family member needed—multiple swimsuits for everyone—as well as a steady stream of “small” extras: sun hats, sunscreen, pool sandals, and towels.
For a family hoping to host, those expenses pile up fast.
Hosting made the pool even pricier
The author says they try to be price-conscious, including buying outdoor furniture at the end of the summer season on mega-clearance. Even so, they write that there was “no way of getting around pool ownership costs.”
Their hosting dreams—elaborate barbecues, or ordering pizza—ran into a new reality. Hosting costs, they found, made owning a pool even more expensive. So they put guest expectations in place, quickly.
In the author’s telling, that meant reframing who brings the food and when. They note that guests don’t mind the ask, because kids get very hungry after time in the water, and the family already provides the venue and the entertainment.
The pool itself is described as clean, surrounded by lounge chairs, with plenty of towels to share. The food, the author decided, would be the guests’ responsibility.
So when the author sends pool invites, they always ask guests to bring “a snack to share.” They also say they don’t host pool parties during meal times, explaining that no one wants to be cooking or grilling instead of enjoying the pool.
Guests, they write, bring a wide range of contributions—anything guests want, not a strict menu. One friend always brings an elaborate fruit-and-veggie tray. Other friends arrive with a large bag of veggie chips or popcorn.
The author says they were surprised by how easily the new arrangement worked, especially after assuming they needed to provide the total package—an unnecessarily elaborate experience.
Teams understood the idea too
That approach extended beyond family weekends. The author says they’ve hosted pool parties for their kids’ sports teams.
One time, they ordered pizza and asked each guest to bring $8 to cover the cost. They write that no one “batted an eyelash” at contributing cash. Alongside the payment, teammates also showed up with drinks, chips, cupcakes, and fruit to share with the group.
The author describes recognizing a mistake in their mindset: they had been working too hard to make sure guests didn’t have to lift a finger when they came over to swim.
Now, they say they’re not running a five-star, luxury resort. They add that most people don’t care about that level of experience anyway.
Summer swim time, they argue, is about making memories, soaking up the sun, and having fun—so an elaborate meal won’t make or break the experience. “Snacks — the ones you bring — are perfectly satisfying,” the author writes.
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