It's absolutely crazy how expensive things get. Bats especially. Softball bats can run upwards of $500 sometimes. Over here in the US we have resale shops that specialize in sporting equipment, but that isn't always an option. My brother and sister in law have three kids and I think each of them is involved in at least two or three different sports all at the same time. Like right now my nephews are playing baseball and on two different basketball leagues. My niece is playing soccer, softball, and they are all playing flag football as well. It's nuts!