We pay around $30k a year just for childcare (kids are 6 and 3). Music lessons, classes, activities cost around $2500 per year for both kids. I have zero doubt that when both kids are in school full time our expenses will be lower.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a hard time believing that my two kids will require $3000+ in expenses when they are older.

You are right in not believing that. They will require a lot more than 3K! That is my summer camp budget for one of my kids - and it is not a lavish one!

I'm guessing that poster means per month.
We pay nearly $4k/mo for daycare. Older one takes karate. Little one does My Gym class. I'm SURE we will have less expenses once they enter public elementary.

I think it averages out to be about the same. There is savings from daycare for a couple years and then you end up squeezing it out again.

Anonymous wrote:I have a hard time believing that my two kids will require $3000+ in expenses when they are older.

You are right in not believing that. They will require a lot more than 3K! That is my summer camp budget for one of my kids - and it is not a lavish one!

It's the food. OMG. Our grocery budget was $1,000 a month when they were little. Now that the eldest has hit puberty, it's more than doubled. He NEVER STOPS EATING and has a food allergy that means we have to spend more than most people on food to avoid his triggers. Also, now that he is in adult clothing sizes, his clothing budget has had to increase.

Extracurriculars aren't cheap, either. Figure a BARE minimum of $250 for every activity a kid participates in. That escalates quickly if the kid is any good and wants to progress.

Oh, and toiletries. I used to bathe the kids a couple of times a week with a squirt of baby wash. Now, oldest kid showers daily and requires acne cream, deodorant, hair gel, etc. ... little things, but they all add up.

More expensive? Not necessarily. But you probably won't realize a huge savings over preschool/daycare.

Clothing is more expensive
Sports equipment and fees
Instruments and music lessons
Other activities and classes
Summer camps

Their stuff is just more expensive.

I have a hard time believing that my two kids will require $3000+ in expenses when they are older.

Way more expensive! Extracurricular, clothes, sneakers, proactive, laptop, cell phone, food, allowance, school trips (ex: skiing), etc. I could go on, those are some things that popped into my head immediately regarding my 15 year old compared to my 9 year old.

Mom of two boys, 15 and 9.

If you over schedule your kids with daily activities, send them to overnight camps, put them in travel sports, pay for tutors, buy expensive name-brand clothes - then yes, they are more expensive.

If you give the kid a normal childhood, then no - very cheap and a lot less stressful for parents and child.

Music lessons, travel sports (if that's your thing), orthodontia, electronics, college, social events (sometimes involving travel -- say a church youth group trip), etc.

Yes, more expensive.

I think they are cheaper...then more expensive.

Early elementary they are cheaper- but by middle school, watch out.

Extra curriculars
More expensive toys
Bigger vacation costs if you want to do vacations that help expose kids to different things
More expensive clothes
After care
Camps
They start to have social costs like going out to movies with friends.
Expensive hobbies like skiing if that's something they are interested in.


But that's all in the context of your budget and parenting philosophy. My son is 8 and at a small private school, so I've got tuition ($13,000). And I need full time care in summers because I work. He still doesn't cost me the $20,000 a year he did in infant day care. But it's coming soon. So.... $7,000 a year for everything else.

It depends on the choices you make. We have a special needs kid, so we are hoping it is cheaper as hopefully we will not need the expensive therapies. We are in 2-3 activities at a time, so those prices will not change. You can also pick cheaper activities or go through the county (which are hit or miss). You can get brand names on clearance but after 5T when the kids go into kids sizes, the prices do go up. It just really depends on your spending habits.

And if so, what drives the cost? I've been planning to get a new car once our current full-time preschool/daycare expenses are cut in half by only needing after care, but I'm scared. I keep hearing older kids are more expensive! Is this because extra curricular activities are more (we are never going to go the travel team route for any sport, ever) or optional things like kids wanting brand names? What am I missing?

Also, I'm not thinkin about college expenses. In an idea world, that's a steady expense all along. I'm thinking of things that change as your children grow.