cost of kids

[abmitch01]

just read the USDA estimates the cost of raising a child is over $222,000 NOT including college. I think I just found the holes in my budget, lol

 

[LuLuO]

 

[JamesMom]

Just off the top of my head, I figure for the past 12 months it cost about $20,000 (not including college or vacation) to maintain my 2 kids (age 7 and 5). Here is the breakdown...

Housing 4800 compare old house with new $400 a month more (more bedrooms, space & backyard, better school district)
Utilities 1200 figure 20% of utilities are because of kids
Food 4320 figure 30% of food costs are kids
clothing 500 estimate $250 per child
Transportation 1680 figure 20% of car expenses cause of kids (larger vehicle, drive to lessons, activities, school)
Education 1020 figure school supplies, books, magazines, classes, lessons…
Entertainment 1900 movies, video games, toys, Christmas, b-day parties, pool, zoo &, museum membership, allowance
Scouts 400 Membership fees, camp fees, equipment & uniform, fundraisers
Summer 1000 3 weeks camp, VBS, other
Child care 600 Date night and other needs
Medical 2400 (Son had ER visit with ambulance plus medications)
Total $19,820.00

College Fund $6,000.00

So I guess we are right on schedule to be spending HALF A MILLION raising our children, lol

 

[SCHBR'smom]

Why did I read this thread? We'll have 6 kids in Dec...

 

[Alexander]

Well..considering we spend $3650/year for elementary school, and $8250/year for Jr. High, and $8650 for Sr. High--we are well past that mark. Add in PreSchool tuition and we are looking at over $80,000 just in education per child before college.

 

[secretpantssam]

If I want kids, I'm going to have to get a second job!!

 

[Disneybuckeye]

Yes, they are expensive. I just spent close to $150k in the past 7 years putting 3 kids through private HS and their competitive swim team/AAU Basketball/Club Lacrosse cost me another almost 10k each year for the the past 6-7 years alone. They also did 9 years each of private elementary and junior high. Thank goodness they wore uniforms to school each day so we could cut back on clothing. It actually is costing me less each year now that they are in college with the scholarships they earned.

 

[maggiew]

Plus $700 per quarter ballet, $300 per quarter karate, band ... oh my! I prefer not to think about it.

My oldest is starting college this fall too .

Maggie

 

[rumrunnergirl]

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[esox]

I think it's one of those YMMV things.

It starts when you're preggo, and people/stores tell you that you "need" all this stuff - cribs, changing tables, swings, bathtubs, fancy strollers, new clothes, co-sleepers, playpens, etc. It just escalates from there.

We couldn't rent cheaper than our morgage, my car wouldn't be smaller. My electric and water bill would be a little smaller, and my food bill (but not horribly so). I spend maybe $20 per kid on school supplies, and that much on clothes (my kids wear uniforms). Now shoes can get expensive since my DS has XW feet and my DD is growing like a weed. Scouts cost $5 per month per kid, but they're off for the summer. For uniforms - the troops buy their uniforms with fundraising proceeds. Church youth groups are free. Books and DVDs are free at the library, or I use Blockbuster codes for free rentals. We swap with friends for date nights. Summer camp - we got scholarships and did fundraisers, so for two weeks per kid I spent $200 total (3 of the 4 weeks are sleep-away camps).

Whew. I'm glad my kids are cheap to keep.

I like your way of thinking!! I do a lot of the same things that you do.

 

[abmitch01]

me, too. I try to run our lives as cheaply as possible but still meet everyone's needs.

I'm very lucky, my son says he's going to clown college. I mean really, how much can that possibly be???

 

[Ava]

I'm very lucky, my son says he's going to clown college. I mean really, how much can that possibly be???

We try to live cheaply too - it helps that DD is the first grandchild & niece on both sides so she's spoiled rotten by both of our families.

 

[abmitch01]

my darling brother drove my DD by Harvard when she was little and said, "someday you'll go there." She never forgot that. I don't want to burst her bubble and I believe in aiming high but some things just aren't feasible for people who make normal salaries.

my friend's son is going to Colgate. She told 60% of the kids pay the full bill- $54k a year. 60%! can't even imagine that

 

[disykat]

I like your way of thinking!! I do a lot of the same things that you do.

Me too, however I thought Jamesmom's estimated expenses were pretty on the money. We did move to a house in a better school district and spend more on food, etc. because of our kids. Vacations cost more, eating out costs more. We have two teens so we have higher insurance costs, braces, wisdom teeth to be pulled, driver's ed, etc.

 

[Alexander]

I think it's one of those YMMV things.

It starts when you're preggo, and people/stores tell you that you "need" all this stuff - cribs, changing tables, swings, bathtubs, fancy strollers, new clothes, co-sleepers, playpens, etc. It just escalates from there.

We couldn't rent cheaper than our morgage, my car wouldn't be smaller. My electric and water bill would be a little smaller, and my food bill (but not horribly so). I spend maybe $20 per kid on school supplies, and that much on clothes (my kids wear uniforms). Now shoes can get expensive since my DS has XW feet and my DD is growing like a weed. Scouts cost $5 per month per kid, but they're off for the summer. For uniforms - the troops buy their uniforms with fundraising proceeds. Church youth groups are free. Books and DVDs are free at the library, or I use Blockbuster codes for free rentals. We swap with friends for date nights. Summer camp - we got scholarships and did fundraisers, so for two weeks per kid I spent $200 total (3 of the 4 weeks are sleep-away camps).

Whew. I'm glad my kids are cheap to keep.

OMG, wait until they become teens! If you have a boy, he'll eat you out of house and home! I cannot believe how much my son (12) now eats!!!!

 

[eliza61]

Why did I read this thread? We'll have 6 kids in Dec...

Actually you're in luck. I read the same article and supposedly it's the first one that's the kicker. after #1 they get cheaper.

I'm with Alexander, my kids are all boys and teens/young adults. My son came home from college and my food bill went from 450/month to 650 month.

Look at it this way, you can use the figure for the guilt factor when they get older.

 

[abmitch01]

I figure the more you have, the less likely you'll end up in the county nursing home, one of 'em will take you in

 

[mjkacmom]

I figure the more you have, the less likely you'll end up in the county nursing home, one of 'em will take you in

Gosh, I hope so! Between tons of dance classes, music lessons, each and every sport, tae kwon do, braces for 5, etc., someone better take us! I think I average $1000 a month in activity fees as it is!

 

[rumrunnergirl]

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[brenalexacamp]

yes, it is the TEENS! They bleed us! 10 here- 10 there- by the time you add it up- I'm like- wait a minute- I bring my lunch to work every day to save money! The driver's ed, braces, clothes, entertainment- even if they have a job it's not enough. When did this happen? When we were kids our parents had it or they didn't. You couldn't go to the movies every weekend. If you wanted something special, you worked for it- that meant you SAVED it- you didn't get the mani and pedi! You SAVED the money for the special trip or clothing item.