How expensive is your teen?

[Aliksa]

MN lore says that teens are super expensive.

Maybe I’m just “not there yet” as we haven’t got to driving lessons and whatnot. But my teen dd15 is not that expensive.

She has a few hobbies but the price is same as always. And some school trips have been pricey. We have been lucky on vacations as we’ve managed to choose places where we have two bedrooms without ramping up the cost too much.

She does eat a lot of fresh fruit, and yes that’s very expensive.

But she doesn’t spend a lot on socialising or clothes/makeup/tech.

Am I just lucky, or is it all still to come?

DD15 wasn't too bad - managed ok on pocket money and some babysitting money for day to day needs (a never ending series of parcels arriving from Depop and Vinted as far as I can tell). Music lessons as well, but she's always had these so I don't really think of them as extra expense.

What I am now spending a fortune on is gig tickets - she can cover some of this with her pocket money, but not all of it. Plus, she's still at an age where an adult really needs to go with her.

My 16 year isn't too bad but he's started a part time job, which really helps, so no need for pocket money etc. We are lucky 6 form im September is walking distance too.

I was paying for his mobile phone contract(£10). Now he needs a new phone and wants one thats £26.99 on contract,. So I'm getting it and he is paying me weekly(standing order) for it. He can't get a contract till he is 18. So this is a good way for him to learn about paying bills etc . I can't afford £40 a week on driving lessons, so he better try and save for those too.

Neither of our teens has a job, so they know not to ask for something branded unless they're going to use their birthday or Xmas cash for it. They are fortunate that all their grandparents live far away so send them cash instead of presents, then they get to choose.
They both do scouts, so fairly low price per term so far as extracurricular activities go, and DD 12 does art and drama after school ($100 a term). DS isn't interested in driving lessons but can walk to/from school. DD gets lift to school and bus home for 50c a day.
Our grocery bill has gone up with cost of living etc, buying fresh fruit and veg is more pricey, and DS gets through a kilo of hummus per week!
The main extra expense is electricity and water, with extra showers, devices, computers on for homework and gaming etc
I'm sure the driving lessons and uni fees will be pricey in a few years time

Travel to my daughter’s sixth form was no longer free from y12 onwards - £20 per week. Prom was a big cost, although we managed to keep it around £250 each for both girls which included dress, nails and make up - some paid more than that for the dress!
Driving lessons can be £40 an hour, luckily my youngest only had 20 lessons before passing but my oldest did twice that! And we bought both our kids small second hand cars (and insured them at £1800 each for the first year!) so yes, it gets more expensive as they get older, but they can save towards their own lessons/car so it doesn’t have to be that expensive if you don’t want it to be.

They like shopping in charity shops and adjusting the clothes themselves but festival tickets are £££s and driving lessons are £££s. Train tickets to visit their friends all over the country rack up.
But we didn't have kids to save money and parents since the dawn of time have warned about the expense so just really glad ours don't want whatever the expensive trainers are etc.
School fees (boarding) are around £60k now incl VAT, but it's only for a few more years and university will feel cheap by comparison.

Yeh we keep reminding ourselves how much cheaper uni will be than school fees! Even day fees.

Trainers. Gym. Mobile phones. Xbox game pass.
(final 3 are about £60 per month in total.)

Mine is almost out of his teens and didn't cost much. Autistic so claimed DLA/PIP, which more than covered his spending. Claimed UC when he was old enough. Free travelcard so no public transport costs. No friends so no socialising costs or peer pressure. Went to specialist school with in house SALT/OT/Psych so no need to pay privately. Didn't pass GCSEs so no uni costs. No interest in sports, gym or driving lessons. Wore the same casual clothes and shoes until they wore out, not interested in designer labels. Had a cinema and Access card for free entry for carer to films and attractions. Main interest was gaming, and he eats a lot, but his benefits covered the cost.

erm. Their clubs/ activities / lessons cost about £500 a month each, they get £25 a month general spending money into their accounts. They don’t eat a huge amount ( girls!) the first day of the holidays cost me £200 for ear piercing and nails, the older one has her hair dyed every 8 weeks and that cost £100 a time. They like clothes and make up / , shopping / going into town is dangerous! So pretty pricey actually 🤣

oh and their phone contacts are £40 a month each and the ski trip next year for dd13 is £1980

( gosh this is horrific written down!!)