How expensive are kids, really?

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by boefixepa

FYI - The baby will have no expectations other then a clean bum, a full tummy, and arms to hold him/her. Everything else are YOUR expectations.

Ditto! this is where I want to rate her post, excelent point.

as for the awakening, the first kid is the most expensive, after that you already have the crib, you know what you wont use (mostly) and if you keep to the same gender you have the clothes.

right now I have 3 kids, I spend about the same per month as when I had one..partly us being smarter, partly no new stuff needed.

Health insurance goes up major for the first kid, but often is not effected after that (though copays of course) delivery can vary greatly, and as I said in the other thread..they lie, or at least mislead, get in writing just exactly how much they cover, and just to be on the safe side if you feel a procedure is purely rutine and not needed, ask to skip..you don't want to find out the policy changed after you have a big bill in your hands!

but as for the actual cost of pregnancy..normal pregnancy..well there I have a lot to say! It isn't cheap to be tired, hungry and in need of a bathroom! (not to mention a pair of pants that stays where you put it!)

Now for teens, they do not have to cost that much, I didn't, but hten I have friends who are very expensive..you decide what they expect, and you decide what you as a family can afford...it will be more than zero, but it doesn't have to but thousands for sports, band or cell phones.

[frugalmomof1]

Originally Posted by PrincessPerky

(not to mention a pair of pants that stays where you put it!)

Ugh...maternity clothes. I spent a small fortune on them...the worst part is that I don't think I will be able to use most of them the next time around because I weigh about 15 lbs less than I did before I got pregnant for DS!!!

[Broken Arrow]

Originally Posted by PrincessPerky

as for the awakening, the first kid is the most expensive, after that you already have the crib, you know what you wont use (mostly) and if you keep to the same gender you have the clothes.

That's a good point, and it's something that I had meant to mention, but forgot to.

The first is generally the hardest because everything is a new challenge. Subsequent kids can be raised on hand-me-downs, your budget and lifestyle will be better adapted, and sometimes, even your older children can help you out in small but helpful care duties.

Of course, that's not mentioning personalities. Some kids are much easier to work with, and that might fool you into thinking that they're all like that. They're not. Some are very colicky and/or are very active and injury-prone. But that's not a bad thing later in life... it's just not easy when they're young.

[LuckyRobin]

It helps to have other family members with young kids who will pass everything on to you. I barely bought any clothes for my kids the first couple years of their lives. The clothes I did buy were all in colors a girl or boy could wear, indigo, burgandy, bright green, red, black, white, orange, yellow and jeans, and both kids wore them and never knew the other had. My daughter got plenty of frilly and pink and purple handed down. It really helped that my SIL had a daughter almost one year older than mine and my sister had four boys and we got everything that made it through them or often she had had to buy for the youngest and that was barely used and passed on in like new condition.

We have a cradle that was my husbands that his father restored for us and we were given our high chair, stroller and first car seat at my baby shower by family members. We were able to use the same car seat for both kids as when the first had grown out of it and into a booster when the next was born. And boosters aren't near as pricey.

I think it is very important to put out on your network of family, friends and colleagues that you are looking for whatever it is you want, you can get a lot that way.

As for baby food, aside from baby cereal my kids ate off my plate, I just mashed everything really well, though I did blend meat in the blender with veggies when they were old enough to start meat. I'd buy a few jars when on sale to take on the road when we wouldn't have a fridge to store it in, but that's all.

Diapers were the biggest cost, a kid uses a case a month if disposable. Then formula if you use it, but you can sign up with both the diaper companies and the formula companies and get scads of coupons.

It is not as expensive as they make out. And do read that article from the Tightwad Gazette that someone else recommended, it is very eye-opening in the opposite direction of that article.

In the end if you want a baby you will figure out how to have one, cost or no cost.

[cicy33]

So true! Kids are only as pricey as you make them, even after baby hood. When I became a mother I was so poor some days I don't know how we made it, but we did. yard sales were great, my dtr never went without nice clothes. and she did get some new stuff but usually when it was on sale. Kids can be in activities and be limited. You dont' have to do every single activity and there are expenses that can be passed up. You do not have to do every book buying program, one a month is more than sufficient. and also remember that usually when you have a child, the expenses go up in one area and usually down in another, like going out. so usually it balances a little bit. Daycare is the biggest expense. unless you stay at home. Then if you were working you lose that income. but believe me so worth it.

[cschin4]

Having kids changes your whole financial direction and picture. Besides all the costs of food, clothes, etc. You then modify your entire life. For example, when we bought our home, we bought a much bigger home than we would have if we did not have children. So, bigger home means bigger bills, taxes, etc. And, we also purchased larger cars (minivan) than we would have otherwise if no kids. Not saying you have to get those things, but it has changed the direction of our life and spending.

[PrincessPerky]

But at the same time...kids only change direction, not neccessarily amounts.
My husband would have a 'cool car' if it werent for needing room for kids. I would have this size house, room for an office and a guest bedroom.....Kids change direction, but what many 'by the numbers reports' don't look at, is the tendency of people to spend what they have somewhere, somehow.

Not that all do, and not all parents are frugal, or the opposite. just that when looking at kids and finances, I could spend less, I could spend more, if I were single I would want to spend differently, but I would still spend.

[34saving]

Me staying home is definitely our biggest "expense", but we kind of ignored my income from day 1 (put it into extra mortgage payments so we paid off the house), so it didn't hit us that hard. I second all of the "get it used", "borrow it from friends", etc. Our kids have been very cheap. A note on diapers and formula -- they're like anything else, use all of the tricks. For example, the free formula coupons are for sale on eBay, but don't be afraid to ask the doctor/hospital for freebies. Diapers -- I bought about 10 packages when CVS was clearing them out at 75% off (plus the CVS $2 off $10 purchase coupons, plus the use of extra bucks.) Even this month Walgreens has a $10 gift card with $20 Kimberly Clark purchase. Well, Kimberly Clark makes Huggies and Walgreens will probably put them on "sale" (yeah, right) for $8.99 a jumbo pack. So, $8.99 *3 - $1.50 ea manufacturer coupon - 5% cash back on credit card for drug stores - $10 G.C. = About $11.50 for a month of diapers.

[cschin4]

If we didn't have kids, I would be working more, have more money saved, and probably be pretty close to retiring. Now, I think about funding college for 3 kids and 1 wedding since I have a daughter!

[cicy33]

Originally Posted by cschin4

If we didn't have kids, I would be working more, have more money saved, and probably be pretty close to retiring. Now, I think about funding college for 3 kids and 1 wedding since I have a daughter!

You would also be more lonely, less rewarded with love, and have nothing to look forward to during retirement. Having children means pure love no matter what, always being forgiven, having something to do, grandkids during retirement. At least this is my opinion. I also have a wedding that I am having to pay for, but it is one of the most exciting things I have ever done. and I am expecting my first grandchild, also another most exciting time of my life. So worth it!

[pearlieq]

Originally Posted by cicy33

You would also be more lonely, less rewarded with love, and have nothing to look forward to during retirement.

Not necessarily. There are many childfree people who live very happy and fulfilling lives. I'm glad people who do have kids enjoy them, but they do come at a cost and some people prefer not, which is totally OK.

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by pearlieq

Not necessarily. There are many childfree people who live very happy and fulfilling lives. I'm glad people who do have kids enjoy them, but they do come at a cost and some people prefer not, which is totally OK.

I have to agree with not neccessarily, all choices in life come with a cost..choose only the things in life you really want to pay for for the rest of your life. the expense of kids doesn't end when they turn 18! (emotionaly or finacially)

[savvy06]

Except for formula, cheapest diapers I could find, and little things now and than, 99% of everything that we have used and are still using for our daughter has been second hand passed down to us from my family. We've been lucky and feel very greatful for that, because it saved us some money.

She doesn't have too much of anything, including toys, and her bedroom decor is made up of furniture that was in our storage. She doesn't know the difference and we'll wait few more years to buy her a nice bedroom set.
Now we're faced with monthly fees for preschool and other activities that she enjoys. But we feel the cost is worth it because she's around other kids and that makes her happy.