Reply to Why do children get MORE expensive as they get older?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This area is extremely expensive and competitive. We have HS seniors. $1600 total for sat prep. $1500 for college applications ( including test scores) College trips. We did it cheap about $200 each one x 8 colleges. Kids cars. They have fender benders ( find a kid who hasn't ) wisdom teeth. Clothes and shoes. Health care. Counseling. Tutors. I guess it paid off in merit grant. But what if it hadn't?[/quote]

- I never had a car
- I never visited any colleges
- I prepped myself for the SAT with books
- Wisdom teeth removal is a racket for dentists

This is all discretionary spending. [/quote]

Okay, sure. [b]But if we have the discretionary income, isn't it natural that we do things like this?[/b] I mean, kids really only NEED maybe three outfits a season, right? And man, they can wrap up in plastic instead of having a warm winter coat. They don't NEED beds, the floor will do! This isn't a thread about how much one can deprive their children of, simply people answering what having older kids looks like for them, cost wise. Of course that is going to look different for everyone, and family size and income naturally influences that. [/quote]

yes it is natural. the huge difference is that, once your kids are in school, [b]your discretionary income is much larger. [/b] daycare expenses are a huge fixed cost, and for most people, especially with multiple children, reduce discretionary income substantially. even if you choose to spend 100% of your discretionary income on your kids, it is still a different situation. you feel differently merely knowing that you can cancel classes, vacations etc.[/quote]

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