To ask at what age were your children the most expensive?

[Invisiblewoman1]

I am trying to plan and prepare for being a single parent. I think the under 5 (childcare) and then teenage years are prob most expensive. Am I totally wrong?!

All of it

Teens.

Subsidised childcare in France and bought most things second hand for under 5s (and up).

But teens need adult sized clothes and shoes, grow stupidly quickly, and also need a lot more supplies for school and pocket money (even if they earn it).

I didn't need childcare, so for us Secondary age - more expensive tech and more expensive school trips. Didn't go to uni as otherwise it might have been then.

Baby until the free childcare kicks in at 3 - £800 nursery fees per month, if you've 2 there at the same time it's crippling.

Peaks and troughs, extra like School trips can make an expensive year. School uniform is more expensive as they get older and need more kit. Christmas hasn’t varied too much as I tend to stick to a budget, although once tech comes in it can go over.

The 1st is most expensive, others you reuse stuff so a bit better.
Teen costs more for some things but you don't have to get them everything they want.

My daughters 17 and this is without doubt the most expensive year I think from 17 to 18. Driving lessons, asked for a car (can't afford one), prom dress, hair, make up and shoes for prom, leaving jumper, yearbook, holiday with friends at end of school year, starting uni- halls are 600 a month 😭, shel need lots bought to go to uni. I'm sure there is more Iv forgotten.

Just thought, insurance to go on my car for when we take her out practicing is eye-watering. Also pay her mobile phone bill and she constantly wants lifts places. To work, from work, to a friends. Repeat all weekend. Its definitely been the most difficult financially for us.

Nursery fees were hard, then in primary wrap around care was a bit cheaper but still a good chunk of salary. At this point activities start costing too, dance, football etc. By teenage you start thinking of university etc and that is back to costs similar to nursery fees. Actually pick hobbies carefully - they don't all have to cost so much as dancing etc.

Yeah, when they start to drive, DD needs a car for her apprenticeship. She saved up £1k for the insurance and paid for a lot of the lessons herself, but that was only part of it! I also now have to pay Council Tax for her (also single parent) and she doesn't get child benefit nor prescription or dental costs covered, which she would if she was in full time education.

Adults, university is £££

University. More than one DC there at the same time, subsidising their rent and living costs.

If you’re paying childcare then I can’t see how any age could possibly be more expensive unless you were doing private schooling. Don’t assume childcare will stop for primary age though. I’m still paying a fair amount for wrap-around and holiday clubs but no-where near the level of nursery fees of £75 a day.

My mum says I got the most expensive the day I gave her first grandchild

3 at university at once.

Teenagers.

Pre-school nursery fees, teens and University. Not necessarily in that order

Wrap around childcare for two so when both between the ages 4-10 has been the most expensive for me, higher childcare costs at nursery full time meant I had more money back in benefits than I do now.

I've been a single parent since mine were in nursery. They are now 14&15.
Although nursery fees were expensive most of it was covered with tax credits.
My income has increased and I no longer get any benefit (apart from child benefit) but my monthly income is probably very similar.
I would say they are more expensive now- and certainly not any cheaper.
But rather than it being a monthly steady cost of childcare fees it's lump sums for school trips, school uniform, clothes, shoes, I am saving now for driving lessons and cars. I don't want to think about uni when child maintenance will have stopped but no doubt I will be supporting them.

When at nursery and paying £1000 a month fees, so roughly between 1 and 4 years of age.

From tweens to 17, expect to pay at least £80 on trainers, £60 on school shoes, ongoing clothes as they grow fast. More when they move into adult sizes. Pocket money, trips to cinema, to town with friends. I forgot school trips and extra curriculum activities.

Then when they go off to university..........

DD is only 2 (3 end of this month) so we haven't reach the expensive stages yet.
However out of my nieces and nephews, my 16 year old nephew is the most expensive to purchase for now, with his 14 year old sister close behind. So I would definitely say teen years are the ones I'm looking forward to least financially 😅

We only have one nearly 13 year old.

She is tall and has big feet like me (poor thing), so is in adults shoes/trainers, which cost a lot more.

Also, gadgets and devices for Xmas etc.

This age has been the most expensive time for us thus far.

Prob now, uni age. And two cars that we pay for. Although that obv isn’t compulsory!

17

Hmm.... difficult. When DC3 arrived we made the decision that DH would become SAHP so we instantly lost his pay. This was back in the olden days before any sort of free childcare.

Each age is expensive but in different ways. When DCs were small it was the month in/month out expense of feeding, clothing, housing a family of 5 on one modest salary.

When DCs were old enough DH returned to work but the years out of work made it difficult for him to find work which paid more than NMW. Also DCs still really needed a parent available to be at home for sickness etc etc etc.

Now DCs are all adults it is uni costs which means a few hundreds intermittently.