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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think boys are more expensive than girls?

27 replies

OldSkoolLikeHappyShopper · 21/02/2023 20:28

I have two DDs age 18 and 12. DD1’s best friend is a boy age 17 (who thinks he’s a girl as appears to be the modern way, but his metabolism doesn’t agree). When he visits he stays for about a week usually, and I cannot believe the difference in terms of what he eats vs my kids. He’s not overweight or greedy, he just needs a lot more food.

I get that it’s obvious, teenage boys need more calories than girls, but good lord, as much as I like him, if I had to feed him all the time I’d be destitute! It got me thinking about how I would manage as a single parent if both of my DDs were boys, I reckon my food bill would be double what it is now.

I know girls need sanitary products, which boys don’t, but a 50p pack of sanitary towels hardly breaks the bank.

There must be a massive disparity in the cost of bringing up teenage boys vs teenage girls, and I do genuinely feel for families who are struggling, and perhaps controversially I believe there should be some kind of supplement for very low income/single parent families if they are raising boys, once they get to a certain age, as they need to eat so much more. AIBU?

OP posts:
berksandbeyond · 21/02/2023 20:32

I agree they eat more but that doesn’t necessarily need to cost a lot.

the idea of giving people more benefits for having a certain gender of child is all a bit communist china to me…

MrsTerryPratchett · 21/02/2023 20:33

DD eats like a horse and one of her male friends basically licks air and gains weight.

She cost me a bloody fortune.

SweetChilliGirl · 21/02/2023 20:34

My girl costs me much more than my boy. She is forever wanting new clothes, make-up, money for going out, birthday presents for friends; it's endless. My DS just wants to read books and play D&D with his friends. He just costs me extra pasta and toast.

Tempone · 21/02/2023 20:35

Three boys I'm broke.

NancyJoan · 21/02/2023 20:35

My DD is much, much more expensive to keep. Extra curriculars, busier social life, birthday presents for her big group of friends. DS is a hermit by comparison, and also doesn’t eat much.

Dominoeffecter · 21/02/2023 20:35

My girls are waaay more expensive

Original poster
OldSkoolLikeHappyShopper · 21/02/2023 20:37

I get that girls cost more in terms of make up, clothes etc (usually, guess it depends on the girl). But as long as they do have clothes to cover themselves the rest is luxuries really - they may WANT that mascara everyone on tiktok is going on about but if they don’t get it, tough bananas. Food is a different matter, can’t really go without that.

OP posts:
Mouldyfoodhelp · 21/02/2023 20:39

Stereotypical girls wanting make up, clothes, being extra social/ more social events?

Feel like boys and girls individually have things that cost more or less than the other

MrsTerryPratchett · 21/02/2023 20:40

It's well known that there is a Pink Tax. And it starts in childhood.

Just give boys an extra slice of bread with their meals for a few pence. There's only actually about 400-500 calories in it. That's not much.

Mouldyfoodhelp · 21/02/2023 20:40

Couldn't the same be said about excess food? Not every teenage box will eat like a horse and at some point its unnecessary but just available

MrsTerryPratchett · 21/02/2023 20:41

bills.parliament.uk/bills/2724

SNWannabe · 21/02/2023 20:42

I have two of each. One son has cost a lot in extracurricular activities and equipment. The other not so much. One daughter tried lots of different and expensive hobbies like horse riding and skating. The other has done one sport but at a high level so ongoing costs and attending competitions across the UK have been pricey.
So anecdata suggests girls are more expensive. Oh and boys might eat lots but girls like Starbucks and expensive treats too!!!

Vitriolinsanity · 21/02/2023 20:43

DS is cheap as chips to run. He's whip thin from sport (free), his feet grow precisely one shoe size per year. He doesn't eat sweets, ice cream or cake but no piece of meat is safe. Cannot eat enough pasta, potatoes or bread.

I buy him smart clothes simply to spend the family allowance Grin

Blablablanamechangagain · 21/02/2023 20:43

50p sanitary towels? Eeech

*misses point of thread sorry

octoberair · 21/02/2023 20:45

If boys are still hungry after eating their share of a regular meal, they can bulk up their portion with inexpensive but filling food. Dried beans, for instance, are very filling and nutritional.

It's not something that needs governmental interference.

Original poster
OldSkoolLikeHappyShopper · 21/02/2023 20:46

@Blablablanamechangagain 😂😂 that’s the cost of them in lidl/Aldi and they’re actually ok. I can’t really notice the difference between them
and ones for 4 times the price. Not that we use them anymore, we all have period pants so after the initial investment in them, periods cost nothing in this house.

OP posts:
Perfectlystill · 21/02/2023 20:46

My boys eat SO MUCH and particularly meat

LondonQueen · 21/02/2023 20:47

Girls are way more expensive. The "pink tax" is real. Boys may need to eat more, but it's only about 400/500 calories for a teenager. You can bulk out that pretty cheaply, it definitely wouldn't double your food bill.

tulippa · 21/02/2023 20:52

DS is 14 and DD had near enough stopped growing at this age so one set of school uniform would last the whole year. I'm having to get DS a new set of school trousers every term as he keeps getting taller and this won't stop for another 4 years. Also think we managed with two blazers from 7 - 11. That's not going to happen with DS. Dreading when he starts wolfing the food down. That's not started yet.

watchfulwishes · 21/02/2023 20:56

Yeah, this is nonsense. The variations on costs between kids is far more complex than just boys/girls.

Anyway, the government doesn't give nearly enough support to all families on low incomes.

JaneorEleven · 21/02/2023 20:56

I’ve had 2 DS and one DD. My sons sports were always better accommodated at school, so very cheap, but there’s less choice for my DD at school, so she goes to a private gym for gymnastics and cheer. We’re in the USA.

All 3 as tweens and teens could eat for England. Because all of them are in sport, they were/are ravenous and all need big meals and decent snacks in between.

if my DD had her way, we’d be in Starbucks daily, but that’s not in the budget. I can
imagine If parents accommodated these wants, a DD could be much more expensive. The boys wanted McDonalds and we do this maybe once a month.

Children in general are expensive.

Vallmo47 · 21/02/2023 21:01

Disagree, my daughter eats like a horse. She also wants way more fashion and make up and hair products, then once she gets her period she will cost more in sanitary products, underwear, protective bedding, you name it. She’s also more sociable and into things like clothes shopping and handbags and god knows what else. Did I mention my son also doesn’t spend pocket money on jewellery and nail varnish? 🫣🫣🫣

surlycurly · 21/02/2023 21:02

My DD didn't really care what she wore growing up and a supermarket outfit would be ok for her, whereas DS always had to have designer stuff. Trainers, sports kit and clothes all had to be names. That said, DS will eat anything and DD had expensive tastes in food and loves a takeaway. They are both expensive and now the big one is at uni, it's got much worse.

Ponderingwindow · 21/02/2023 21:05

Bras

quality sanitary products that won’t cause a rash

possibly higher transportation costs because don’t feel as safe via certain methods at certain times

Even basic clothing either costs more or is made more cheaply and doesn’t last as long

that doesn’t even begin to address societal expectations for grooming and fashion

boys do not cost more

WentForAWalk · 21/02/2023 21:15

Neither of my DS's ate me out of house and home.