I make ~$450k and I would estimate that between the ages of 5-16, I spent virtually nothing on my kids (boys). Yeah the house is slightly bigger than it would otherwise be. Don't do travel sports, and I'm not chump enough to send kids to private school when we have some of the best publics in the nation. We're probably talking like $10/day on food, $3k extra on disney and one other trip per year (we would travel anyway so it's just a matter of extra tickets), and maybe $300 on clothes. So that brings me to about $7k per year per kid.

Sure, between Ages 2-5 it's 25k for daycare, and then at 16 you need to buy a car and then pay for college. But to say that a kid costs over 10k per year as a blanket statement just tells me you are a moron (in one of three or four potential ways)

Private school $53k
Car Insurance/Gas $2500 - 3k
Braces $7k
Travel Sport $4k (club fees and very little travel)
Medical $3k (often more - ACL surgery/Physical Therapy/CoPays/Contact Lenses)
Clothes/Hair $1500 (school uniform/weekend clothes/shoes/haircuts/sports equipment)
Food $2k (wild guess - teen boys eat constantly)
Travel $4k (vacations/college visits)

Some of these estimates are probably too low.



Bolded is discretionary.

#2 would be the case with or without kids.

Agree on Private school. You are wrong on #2 - that represents the increase in insurance costs for adding a teen male driver, plus gas. Food estimate was way too low. How are clothes and uniforms discretionary? Clothes definitely are not (amount may be), and if uniforms are required they by definition are not discretionary. This list also did not include so many things noted by others - higher health insurance premiums, birthday/Xmas/party/teacher gifts, camps, college savings. The older the kid is, the more expensive they are until they are independent.

I think it depends on the age. I’m definitely not spending $17k on my 12yo. No way!

If I had to guess, I’d say probably around $6000? $10k tops?

How is $6k possible? Food alone at $10 day (which is very low, would mean eating every single meal at home) would be $3650. Factor in clothing, housing, increased insurance premiums, copays and deductibles, dentist and vision appointments, babysitters, any activities, birthday and holiday gifts, teacher gifts, bday party gifts. . .

I stepped foot on a plane once when I was 11, and then not again until 21. First train ride was at 20.

I would consider myself to have had a good childhood.

Anonymous wrote:My beloved 2 kids cost us so much that we did not consider a third, and part of the decision was influenced by cost.

That is sad.

Meh, I view ‘em as an appreciating asset.

Plus the most expensive cost is the baseline cost to have any. The variable cost is much less with every subsequent.

Anonymous wrote:Kid 1: $300 for activities
$ 300 for new clothes
$4000 for food

Kid 2: $3000 for activities
$100 for clothes
$2000 for food

That's not accurate. You are not feeding Kid #2 on $5.47 a day, unless you are breastfeeding a lot. $100 for clothes?? shoes, swim suits, Pjs coats and what about diapers? No toys or electronic devices, streaming services or movies?? No doctor visits, medicine, lab tests? No childcare?

Kid 1: $300 for activities
$ 300 for new clothes
$4000 for food

Kid 2: $3000 for activities
$100 for clothes
$2000 for food

Anonymous wrote:I think it depends on the age. I’m definitely not spending $17k on my 12yo. No way!

If I had to guess, I’d say probably around $6000? $10k tops?

That’s probably the age where it’s lowest - less need for childcare but without the teen costs. You probably don’t do a lot of expensive extracurriculars.

I think it depends on the age. I’m definitely not spending $17k on my 12yo. No way!

If I had to guess, I’d say probably around $6000? $10k tops?

My beloved 2 kids cost us so much that we did not consider a third, and part of the decision was influenced by cost.

That is sad.

Not much on a daily basis. He probably doubles our grocery budget but we save money by eating out less since the restaurants we go to are definitely cheaper with kid in tow.

Activities are maybe $2-3k/year

Clothes another $500/year

We don't need before or after care thanks to elementary school hours and WFH capabilities.

The college fund is the expensive one at $10k/year though.

Anonymous wrote:

$75k/year?! Even if you have a kid in a $50k/year private school, where did the other $25k go?

Very easy to figure that out.

Private school $53k
Car Insurance/Gas $2500 - 3k
Braces $7k
Travel Sport $4k (club fees and very little travel)
Medical $3k (often more - ACL surgery/Physical Therapy/CoPays/Contact Lenses)
Clothes/Hair $1500 (school uniform/weekend clothes/shoes/haircuts/sports equipment)
Food $2k (wild guess - teen boys eat constantly)
Travel $4k (vacations/college visits)

Some of these estimates are probably too low.

Bolded is discretionary.

#2 would be the case with or without kids.

Very easy to figure that out.

Private school $53k
Car Insurance/Gas $2500 - 3k
Braces $7k
Travel Sport $4k (club fees and very little travel)
Medical $3k (often more - ACL surgery/Physical Therapy/CoPays/Contact Lenses)
Clothes/Hair $1500 (school uniform/weekend clothes/shoes/haircuts/sports equipment)
Food $2k (wild guess - teen boys eat constantly)
Travel $4k (vacations/college visits)

Some of these estimates are probably too low.

I forgot to include something for housing, buying an extra car, therapy (many kids have anxiety), school activities - and our food costs definitely exceed $2k. More like double that, including eating out.

$75k/year?! Even if you have a kid in a $50k/year private school, where did the other $25k go?

Very easy to figure that out.

Private school $53k
Car Insurance/Gas $2500 - 3k
Braces $7k
Travel Sport $4k (club fees and very little travel)
Medical $3k (often more - ACL surgery/Physical Therapy/CoPays/Contact Lenses)
Clothes/Hair $1500 (school uniform/weekend clothes/shoes/haircuts/sports equipment)
Food $2k (wild guess - teen boys eat constantly)
Travel $4k (vacations/college visits)

Some of these estimates are probably too low.

Teen Years:
orthodontia....
acne treatment...
therapy/mental health treatment...
tutoring....
car insurance...
college prep and search...
sports costs - travel, uniforms, coaching...

OMG it never ends!