Tap shoes were about mid range in terms of shoe expenses at that point in my life, but it is relevant that at that point I think all three kids were skating, and that was significantly more expensive. But at least I wasn't having to buy a pair of pointe shoes every six months! I don't think Youngest ever made it to pointe, and for complicated reasons Middlest was in their late teens/early 20s before they were (and I'm still annoyed about the reasons).