What do kids cost? (45)

Jan 12, 2009 3:41 AM CST What do kids cost?
Lagoona22
Lagoona22Lagoona22Bugibba, Majjistral Malta161 Threads 11 Polls 10,711 Posts
Not having had kids myself, I often wonder what a family costs the average couple out there today??...what percentage of a family's income gets spent on having a family...and raising them?

wave
Jan 12, 2009 3:52 AM CST What do kids cost?
Sommerauer71
Sommerauer71Sommerauer71Salzburg, Austria133 Threads 4 Polls 12,414 Posts
Lagoona22: Not having had kids myself, I often wonder what a family costs the average couple out there today??...what percentage of a family's income gets spent on having a family...and raising them?


Oh I love questions like this.

People say babies are expensive.

I never found mine expensive.

'All that equipment' people would screech at me, along with patting my huge stomach at the same time...
How i hated being pregnant.

Nappies, were the most expensive and we were a young hard up couple, I breast fed them, so no bottles, straight to a cup.

I knitted alot of clothes and people bought me lots and friends would lend me lots of things, so all of our babies had the same goods, they just went round us all..

As they started school, that was a huge cost, for us, all that uniform, then the shoes and I always insisted on good shoes.

The high school, trips, golf lessons, as they grew, my income increased, then the uni, but I am lucky now, as my ex and I have shared the cost financially 50/50.

So, I have managed to raise mine pretty cheaply, the biggest expense was contributing towards their cars, driving lessons and their travel now, and that is relative.

So in answer to your question, I have no bloody idea, but I do not have that feeling of thinking that children are expensive, because I only have 50% of the costs...

They work now, so they have their own spends, pay for their own cell phones and I am buy them something if I am passing a shop and see something and think 'That would be perfect for....
Jan 12, 2009 3:57 AM CST What do kids cost?
Lagoona22
Lagoona22Lagoona22Bugibba, Majjistral Malta161 Threads 11 Polls 10,711 Posts
Yeah...more or less what I thought...if you do it on the fly, one simply absorbs the costs as you go along...much better than getting all bookeeperish about it and putting it in black and white ahead of time...that way, none of us would have families...it just looks too daunting in figures..

...it's really a question of lifestyle...I know my brother in the USA has paid a sizeable fortune in university educations for his twin girls...what he has spent just on 5-star educations, I could have retired on I think...
In response to: Not having had kids myself, I often wonder what a family costs the average couple out there today??...what percentage of a family's income gets spent on having a family...and raising them?
Jan 12, 2009 4:02 AM CST What do kids cost?
phoenix
phoenixphoenixparis, Ile-de-France France81 Threads 4 Polls 3,669 Posts
Hi lagoona...On average from nappies until uni...about 100,000 per child..No refunds....
Jan 12, 2009 4:10 AM CST What do kids cost?
Sommerauer71
Sommerauer71Sommerauer71Salzburg, Austria133 Threads 4 Polls 12,414 Posts
phoenix: Hi lagoona...On average from nappies until uni...about 100,000 per child..No refunds....


Is that pound sterling Phoenix?

Because I know I have not spent that much on mine and they are at UNI.

I made the little swines get out to work at 14...
Jan 12, 2009 4:28 AM CST What do kids cost?
phoenix
phoenixphoenixparis, Ile-de-France France81 Threads 4 Polls 3,669 Posts
Sommerauer71: Is that pound sterling Phoenix?

Because I know I have not spent that much on mine and they are at UNI.

I made the little swines get out to work at 14...



Euro or sterling...There's no real difference today.

Nappies..for the first few months the baby needs changing 6/8 times a day 20/30 euro a packet. Means in the first few months you spend 80/100 on euro a month on them..Then you add on the creams, wipes..Baby milk is 10 euro a box.(on average 1 a week)...

Kids shoes are almost the same price a adults. Kids feet grow very fast...Clothes are the same.. School uniforms..christmas prezzies,birthday prezzies and the odd treat in between.. Then you have hoildays..You cant live in a 21/2 bed room place..For example you have 2 kids..a boy and a girl.At some stage of the game they will need their own rooms...

..Borrowing 20/30 euro here and there and you know you aint getting it back...

Uni is no longer free...grants stopped long ago

Today with the cost of living you are not getting much change out of 100,000 euro, sterling or dollars...
Jan 12, 2009 4:29 AM CST What do kids cost?
Sommerauer71
Sommerauer71Sommerauer71Salzburg, Austria133 Threads 4 Polls 12,414 Posts
phoenix: Euro or sterling...There's no real difference today.

Nappies..for the first few months the baby needs changing 6/8 times a day 20/30 euro a packet. Means in the first few months you spend 80/100 on euro a month on them..Then you add on the creams, wipes..Baby milk is 10 euro a box.(on average 1 a week)...

Kids shoes are almost the same price a adults. Kids feet grow very fast...Clothes are the same.. School uniforms..christmas prezzies,birthday prezzies and the odd treat in between.. Then you have hoildays..You cant live in a 21/2 bed room place..For example you have 2 kids..a boy and a girl.At some stage of the game they will need their own rooms...

..Borrowing 20/30 euro here and there and you know you aint getting it back...

Uni is no longer free...grants stopped long ago

Today with the cost of living you are not getting much change out of 100,000 euro, sterling or dollars...

Thanks for that Phoenix! grin

I have not spent that much on my two...

I know I have not, in fact, I have not earnt that much to spend it on them.
Jan 12, 2009 4:30 AM CST What do kids cost?
phoenix
phoenixphoenixparis, Ile-de-France France81 Threads 4 Polls 3,669 Posts
*21/2 bed room place*

should have been 1/2 bedroom
Jan 12, 2009 4:41 AM CST What do kids cost?
wedward
wedwardwedwardlinz, Upper Austria Austria680 Threads 7,252 Posts
phoenix: *21/2 bed room place*

should have been 1/2 bedroom
i have 2 girls one is 40 the other 11 and i give whatever it costs without counting the cost you get your reward in watching them grow and develope take pride in what they do why because you love them
Jan 12, 2009 4:47 AM CST What do kids cost?
phoenix
phoenixphoenixparis, Ile-de-France France81 Threads 4 Polls 3,669 Posts
Lagoona22: Not having had kids myself, I often wonder what a family costs the average couple out there today??...what percentage of a family's income gets spent on having a family...and raising them?


Laggona here another way of looking at it....


No Charge

Now our little boy came up to his mom
In the kitchen this evenin' while she was fixin' supper
And he handed her a piece of paper he'd been writin' on
And after wipin' her hands on her apron
She read it, and this is what it said.

For mowin' the lawn, five dollars
For makin' my own bed this week, one dollar
And for goin' to the store, fifty cents
An' playin' with little brother while you went shoppin', twenty-five cents.

Takin' out the trash, one dollar
Gettin' a good report card, five dollars
And for rakin' the yard, two dollars
Total owed, fourteen seventy-five.

Well, as mom looked at him standin' there expectantly
And I could see the mem'ries flashing through her mind
And so she picked up the pen, and turnin' the paper over
This is what she wrote.

For the nine months I carried you growin' inside me, no charge
For the nights I've sat up with you
Doctored you, and prayed for you, no charge
For the time and the tears
That you've cost through the years, there's no charge
And when you add it all up
The full cost of my love is no charge.

For the nights filled with dread
And all the worries ahead, no charge
For advice and the knowledge
And the cost of your college, no charge
For the toys, food and clothes and even for wipin' your nose
There's no charge, son
And when you add it all up
The full cost of my love is, no charge.

Well, when he finished readin'
He had great big old tears in his eyes
And he looked up at her standing there and said
Mama, I sure do love you
Then he took the pen,
And in great big letters
He wrote PAID IN FULL.

Lord knows when you add it all up
The cost of real love is, no charge...
Jan 12, 2009 4:50 AM CST What do kids cost?
Olsojente
OlsojenteOlsojenteOslo/Zadar, Oslo Norway51 Threads 5 Polls 5,070 Posts
phoenix:
Nappies..for the first few months the baby needs changing 6/8 times a day 20/30 euro a packet. Means in the first few months you spend 80/100 on euro a month on them..Then you add on the creams, wipes..Baby milk is 10 euro a box.(on average 1 a week)...



wow Is that the price of nappies???

At last something that's acually cheaper here then...as
almost everything else seems to be more expensive in Norway than the rest of Europe...


I paid about 10€ for 2 packets of Pampers here...conversing
Jan 12, 2009 4:58 AM CST What do kids cost?
gussi
gussigussiVilters-Wangs, St Gallen Switzerland12 Threads 2 Polls 4,032 Posts
Sommerauer71: Jesus, Gussi, whatddya do? Get an accountant to work it all out?

I would give them a bill and ask for it all back, in monthly instalments, I am not mean ya know.


No i did it all myself some years ago, and almost had a cardiac arrest. It all evolved from a discussion with friends, so i worked it out with averages and blow me down. Amazing what kids cost.
Jan 12, 2009 5:14 AM CST What do kids cost?
markizamkd25
markizamkd25markizamkd25Skive, Central Jutland Denmark235 Threads 5 Polls 4,706 Posts
My father says we ate him to bones......so i think thats a lot devil
Jan 12, 2009 5:16 AM CST What do kids cost?
Sommerauer71
Sommerauer71Sommerauer71Salzburg, Austria133 Threads 4 Polls 12,414 Posts
Olsojente: Is that the price of nappies???

At last something that's acually cheaper here then...as
almost everything else seems to be more expensive in Norway than the rest of Europe...I paid about 10€ for 2 packets of Pampers here...


HELLO OSLO...

grin
Jan 12, 2009 5:26 AM CST What do kids cost?
Olsojente
OlsojenteOlsojenteOslo/Zadar, Oslo Norway51 Threads 5 Polls 5,070 Posts
Sommerauer71: HELLO OSLO...



Hello Sommer!wave
Jan 12, 2009 5:33 AM CST What do kids cost?
Sommerauer71
Sommerauer71Sommerauer71Salzburg, Austria133 Threads 4 Polls 12,414 Posts
Olsojente: Hello Sommer!


Good to see you...

People will be coming to Norway, just to buy nappies...
Jan 12, 2009 5:34 AM CST What do kids cost?
Olsojente
OlsojenteOlsojenteOslo/Zadar, Oslo Norway51 Threads 5 Polls 5,070 Posts
Sommerauer71: Good to see you...

People will be coming to Norway, just to buy nappies...



I'm just sitting here thinking, couldn't it have been something else, like wine or something...???wine laugh
Jan 12, 2009 5:34 AM CST What do kids cost?
rizlared
rizlaredrizlaredNot in Cebu City, Central Visayas Philippines89 Threads 2 Polls 5,588 Posts
What price do you place on your life? 100, 100,000, 100,000,000, ?

Life is priceless, there cannot be a sum of money equivalent to the worth of a life.

The same applies to the cost in financial terms of bringing up children.

The joy and pride a child brings into your life is impossible to quantify in financial terms, whether you are a millionaire or a third world native in Africa the rewards nullify any financial cost.
No two children will cost the same to bring up.
Jan 12, 2009 5:43 AM CST What do kids cost?
wedward
wedwardwedwardlinz, Upper Austria Austria680 Threads 7,252 Posts
Sommerauer71: Good to see you...

People will be coming to Norway, just to buy nappies...
ill just say this our children will grow you spend what you can afford they as for things you give them if you can but a bit of advice never count the cost cause as gussi said you could have a heart attack and here is another little thought when grandchildren come along it starts all over again aint love a wonderful thing just remember you cant take it with so enjoy what it can give you now
Jan 12, 2009 5:57 AM CST What do kids cost?
Sommerauer71
Sommerauer71Sommerauer71Salzburg, Austria133 Threads 4 Polls 12,414 Posts
wedward: ill just say this our children will grow you spend what you can afford they as for things you give them if you can but a bit of advice never count the cost cause as gussi said you could have a heart attack and here is another little thought when grandchildren come along it starts all over again aint love a wonderful thing just remember you cant take it with so enjoy what it can give you now


Yes, grandchildren are next on my list...
Post Comment - Post a comment on this Forum Thread

Stats for this Thread

1,264 Views
44 Comments
by Lagoona22 (161 Threads)
Created: Jan 2009
Last Viewed: Apr 11
Last Commented: Feb 2009

Share this Thread

We use cookies to ensure that you have the best experience possible on our website. Read Our Privacy Policy Here