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.

Hobbies and activities are at the most “rife” in tween/teen years and this can be really expensive. These can also instill great discipline, responsibility and focus as well as fun and health and creativity. Wouldn’t say those attributes and skills align to your spoilt brat comment.

Probably nursery for me, though as I paid weekly for that I kind of didn't notice it as much as some of the big bills that came in the teenage years. All my DC had expensive hobbies and we live in the country with no public transport so learning to drive and having their own cars was, if not actually essential, very desirable. Then there was University. But overall, it will have been nursery fees I'm sure. I think I was kind of in the frog being boiled situation then though and didn't realise exactly how much it totalled, whereas there were a lot of "How much?!" moments later.

Out of the last 22 years I’d say 6th form was cheapest. Before that it was nursery followed by school fees and now uni. 6th form was largely government funded. But he plays an expensive instrument which needed upgrading pre 6th form.

I think the most expensive times are nursery and uni. The former was covered by DH being a SAHP for us - that was expensive as he didn’t work for a salary then. Uni has been v expensive- accommodation, travel, food, books, etc.

Really?!! My two get the minimum loan. They can’t get any more. That was less than half the price of accommodation for one of them without any living costs on top. She works but still couldn’t afford it if we didn’t help out.

Why are some people using this thread to dig at others? The OP has asked peoples experiences and they’re giving them. People will spend different amounts on their children and that’s ok, they’re just saying what they’ve done, not what others should do.

The loans aren’t designed to cover costs for most families and they don’t. Parents are expected to contribute.

Ds 1 wasn't particularly expensive.He left home at 17 and starting buying his own home at 22. We contributed to white goods and bits and pieces.
Ds 2 on the other hand has cost us a fortune due to his sport. We travelled up and down the country, petrol cost a fortune and so did hotels, subs, kit etc.
They weren't materistic children and were happy having bikes and going hiking with us.

I presume you have no understanding of how loans work now…!

Uni - we are in the middle of it right now. It’s so frustrating that they can’t have the full loans.

So far, early to mid teens.

They grow crazily fast all of a sudden and also have more of an individual look so can't just clothe them in h&m bargains anymore 😄- it's all too small all of a sudden anyway!

The football boots between 12 and 15 were the biggest cost. Astro's plus studs - a size up every 3 months!!! That plus new school shoes. I'm glad that's all slowed down a bit now.

They also want and need new tech at this secondary age: laptop for schoolwork, phone, games console etc. I managed to fob him off with a megadrive till he was 10 but that soon changed 😄

@CurdinHenry because the interest rates on student loans are so high. They won't be able to pay them off until they get to their 40's. Most of us have phase 2 aged kids. It is cheaper to pay the fees now than to let them accrue the debt and charges .... Otherwise they will never be able to move out.

The 6 months one of ours spent in Australia for a university term.
The term in Asia for another one was a pittance in comparison.

Teens, college or university has been the most expensive by a long shot

Right now. 13. He's going through shoes, jumpers, trousers, sports kits like no tomorrow + his sports clubs fees.

The teen years definitely feel expensive although that is offset by DC having p/t jobs so we only pay for what they need (designer clothes and make up are up to them).

Orthodontics are free up till age 26 so that's a huge relief.

Dreading the uni years but at least there are no tuition fees (for now).

But that is a choice. No-one, unless they have come into a lot of money, pays of their children's mortgages.

I've had two go through university and I still think childcare was more expensive.

University, mine get very little by way of loans. I didn’t have nursery fees though, so can’t comment. Teenagers are expensive, not for material things but sports and the food they go through!

So? The OP asks when it’s been most expensive and that poster answered that for her it’s been when her kids were older and she paid their mortgages.

Nothing is more expensive than nursery.

Oh yes it is. School fees with VAT on top!

Teenage years have definitely been our most expensive. £30k per year per child school fees plus extras, £5k per child braces, PC’s, MacBooks, iPhones, trainers that cost £200 a pop, joggers at £150 a pop, Calvin Klein fucking underwear, RL Polos, Urban Outfitters, Subdued, a new sodding dress for every big occasion as god forbid she’s seen in the same one twice, Space NK, nails, hair, waxing, perfume and aftershave for every season, going out to dinner with friends, festival tickets, it’s never ending!!

DD asked me why it’s been so long since a bought myself a new designer handbag. I had to ask her if she was joking!

I long for the days when all they cost me was a nanny and supermarket clothes every now and again.

We did flexi working so only needed 3 days nursery and spaced the kids so only one in nursery at a time. That plus tax free childcare etc and that part wasn’t too hard. My daughter does competitive dance so every year is more expensive than the last - she’s 13 now so have a good few years left of it before uni. We are in Scotland so hopefully won’t have tuition fees but will be plenty else to spend on in those years. Luckily my son likes two inexpensive sports!

Teenage years is very much kid and parent dependent. My daughter spends a fortune on dance classes and pointe shoes and competition entries but she doesn’t care about clothes or tech or makeup or anything - all dance, all the time. Her friends who are more into skincare etc spend loads on that. But most of this is in the parents’ control unlike nursery fees which just cost what they cost.

The loans barely cover accommodation costs once you are out of subsidized halls.We have 3 kids at uni and all needing weekly food money plus some accommodation top up

There is no public transport where we live, unfortunately. It's really becoming a pain now when they are old enough to be independent but the public transport isn't there to let them. And running a car / driving lessons are so expensive.

I solved that by moving to a city when I was 18 but my teen is too young for that at the moment.

I disagree with the poster who said teens are only expensive if they are spoilt!

Thankfully my two eldest went down the college and working route instead of the uni route so its not something I've had to deal with. My eldest is currently in the process of buying her first house with her bf without our financial help and my second eldest is doing an apprenticeship. I hope my younger 2 follow suit as we certainly can't afford to pay for uni for them