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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I had a kid on 100K per year as a single Mom. I made it work just fine in my tiny apartment.[/quote]

I don't find my kid to be expensive, especially after child care was no longer an issue. I am also a solo/single parent. It is even easier when I share expenses with friends, her dad and other co parenting communities.

Biggest expenses by age
0-3 (if you live in DC) Childcare is by far very, very expensive. I went to a low income daycare and paid $900/month. Diapers, bottles if you don't breast feed, medical expenses if you don't have insurance, fun mom/baby events and shopping. I hired a nanny, as needed. Saving for college is ongoing.

3-5 (If you live in DC) Free pre-school. Most of the preschools are great. Toys, clothes if you don't want hand-me downs, Children's museums, vacations, and dietary preferences. Nanny or cleaners for sanity.

5-8- Kids want electronics. I only purchased used or refurbished electronics from Walmart. Tablets cost $60, used cell phones $100, gaming $200. The kids should not abuse or break their electronics or else they won't get another. Nanny or as needed childcare is still necessary. Private schools in DC are extremely expensive. Budget for this if you want to go down this path.

9-12-Preteen social development- Sports, academic activities, clothes, specialized interests like robotics clubs, camps, high quality shoes, groceries, unexpected expenses such as injuries, staying home from work, loss of work time.

13-15- Social activities, sports, online services, college/career prep!

15-18- Cars, college prep, study abroad, personal preferences and school trips.

Overall, I have been able to save for retirement, live in a great location, drive a nice car and still enjoy parenting, even if I am single. The hardest part is loss of time. For the first 5 years, I could not travel, go to concerts, meet up with friends, exercise or do anything social. My entire world revolves around my kid. I still feel like I am neglecting my child and I make so many sacrifices.
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