If you haven't come up with a plan for summer camp yet, you may be in trouble.

Sleep-away and day camps are filling up fast, and many already have wait lists, experts say.

The American Camp Association, New York & New Jersey tells News 12 they've seen a flurry of parents registering their children for camp earlier than normal.

Camp owners tell us spring is typically when parents start enrollment, but if you don't act fast your child's favorite camp might be full.

And figuring out how to pay the tab for hefty rates is also stressful.

Costs for day camp programs vary widely from a couple of hundred dollars to a $1,000 a week. And sleep-away camps are even more expensive. So before you ship your kids away, and if your finances are tight, News 12's consumer reporter Janice Lieberman has some advice:

1. Reach out to the camps and ask about scholarships.

2. Ask for an early bird special.

3. See if you can work for the camp for a steep discount.

4. Ask for a sibling discount.

5. Look for a camp that offers a sliding scale depending on need.

6. See if referring other campers gets you a deal.

7. Look for job-related discounts.

8. Consider having your kids chip in.

9. If you can't afford to send your child away for the whole summer, look for camps that administer a weekly program.

10. Many towns also offer affordable or free day camps for residents.