When were your children most expensive?

[RoamingToaster]

I’ve noticed some people saying children are more expensive as they get older. Is that true for you? I’ve paid for nursery which is a lot so I’m hoping it’s not for me 😂. I’m curious what everyone’s experience has been.

Depends whether you raise spoilt brats or not

With Uni costs definitely

Nothing is more expensive than nursery.

They get cheaper when they start school. By then they're also growing out of clothes less fast - I found that £££ as well having to buy an entire new wardrobe for them every couple months.

They then get more expensive again as teens but nothing ever comes close to nursery imo! 😂

University.

Uni. I have three kids, close in age.

What? I’m not meaning this in an argumentative way, I suppose I’m interested as to whether you think more money is invested in young or older children, where you think that spread makes them spoiled, ie is spending more money on them young making them spoiled or vice versa?

We didn’t have nursery fees so the teenager years were the most expensive for us.

Mine are costing me >£2k per month EACH in nursery fees at the moment, I can’t imagine it can get much more expensive than that.

The paying for childcare years
and
Uni

No nursery fees so teen years are the most expensive. School trips, a few branded bits, concerts , theme parks etc add up, and that’s without counting basics.Plus her school bus which is £6.40 (and prices rising) a day!!!

Teenagers will be more expensive if you buy them everything they want. Some parents won't think twice of just buying their child an £80 xbox hame because they've asked for it or £200 trainers. Other parents will say either wait until Christmas or just say no

Yes that makes sense. The same might be said to a degree for younger children, depending on the age and how well they communicate. So possibly not an age thing and more of a parental response thing?

Uni, and I paid 50% of a full time nanny when mine were small.

Both did 4 years in expensive locations

If adjusted for inflation nursery was the most expensive time, after that university.

Before and after school club for two children was more than our mortgage, private orthodontist for both was expensive. After uni the expense has been large ‘gifts’ - contribution towards house deposit and this week contribution towards forthcoming wedding!

I paid nursery fees but teenagers seem to be more expensive. But everything is more expensive than it was 12-14yrs ago.

Lots of the things we pay for are optional though, so I'm sure teens can be cheaper than mine.

Golf membership, football season ticket, gym membership, mobile phone, £20pw lunch money.

Clothes, his last pair of shoes were £180, like £100 for a hoodie. Then there's football boots, golf shoes and all the other kit. A broken phone screen needing repaired. ££ for school trips.

£30 here and there to go into the city for five guys with friends.

He eats like his legs are hollow so our food bill is a lot, constantly topping up when we used to get by on just a weekly shop.

No more free child places on holiday or eating out, no cheap days out to the park or beach. They like more expensive days out like escape rooms, theme parks, boom battle etc.

I'm dreading the university years...

Why on earth is everyone paying for uni? They can get loans.

Absolutely

This is what I never understand its only on mumsnet is see this.

Wow the rich side of mumsnet is on this thread

Teenager to young adult.

School fees combined with expensive trips, hobbies, orthodontic bills, driving lessons, car and insurance, then university has been more expensive than any other time.

What about things like braces for an overbite and music lessons...is that spoiling them?

Driving licence? Driving lessons? Not essential but there's no bus service...so it will be better for us all in the long run...including helping with finding a job to pay for it all.

Now, mid twenties.

I (affectionately 😉) refer to ours as the little cost centres (finance nerd joke 🤓)

No nursery but independent school currently at sixth form so definitely the most expensive now and for a while - we’re really struggling to make it through the last bit with all the increases and VAT, hoping that uni will be less…😬

I’m not sure children are in any way a sound financial decision 😂 - I’m sure when they’ve left home we’ll have more cash, more time and the house will be much tidier…but I will miss them terribly!

Braces no music lessons depends how much money you have. Driving lessons they should be paying themselves