Although the quinceañera of ancient Aztec and Maya cultures probably didn’t involve lavish spending, today’s quinceañeras can easily cost $30,000. Some families try to be a little more practical about their spending for their daughters and offer them a choice: the quince, the car, or the trip. Which one should you choose? This is a very personal decision that I cannot make for you. Given the choice, you should make this decision for yourself. You will only be fifteen once. If you have always dreamed about your quinceañera, perhaps you should take the party. If you really don’t feel strongly about it, you may want to investigate the other options.I also have another possibility for girls who have been given the choice. Investigate how much funding is available for the quince / car / trip. You may want to work with your parents to split the money into funds for the quince and the car if you pitch in more and / or scale back your quince. You can still have a gorgeous and memorable quince without breaking the bank.  This is an excerpt from her book….