How expensive are 4 kids?

[Calixtine]

Debating a fourth with DH!

If you have four, how old are they and...

How much do you spend on food per week?

How much on activities and school trips?

What size house/car do you have?

What’s the biggest added expense of having four vs. two or three?

Thanks!

I know I we would never, ever regret having a DC, but equally I’d like to be able to afford to give the children we have the things other kids enjoy, like school trips and activities. Those have come up lots as extra/unforeseen expenses once they hit a certain age, and I do think they’re important.

The constant ferrying is something to bear in mind too. We live in a small town so schools are all walking distance, but any big shops, cinemas, etc. are all a car journey away. And there’s currently no state Sixth Form in our town at all, so after 16 they’d definitely need transport unless that changes before then.

They weren't overly expensive when they were younger but now they are starting high school and becoming teenagers they are very expensive.

School fees/uniform, school activities, extracurricular lessons/sport/art, phones, money to socialise with their friends, clothes, shoes and food are our biggest expense. Oh and a car big enough for them all.

Very few people can accommodate you if you need to stay somewhere. 4 kids here.

Very expensive. We have a teen, a preteen and year 2 twins so we doubled over night.

House was fine, car was not.

Was fine when they were little but now the older ones are getting older its beginning to bite. Really just think if you have 25% more in your budget.

Activities are probably the biggest expense. I dread the university years. We have a good income and so I guess will be expected to finance all but the fees. Food is a massive expense and we have to think much more carefully about eating out. I feel like we burn through money!

It doesn't help that one of our DTs has SEN and a physical disability. We pay for a lot of intervention and I have stopped work because it became unmanageable. A major expense. So prepare for the unexpected.

I have four, it’s definitely more expensive and quite repetitive!
Our No4 wasn’t planned but she’s a joy, however, no3 definitely lost out on quality time. The youngest was reared in the car getting the older two to activities.
Toilet training, teething, homework etc were tedious having done it three times before.
Once the older ones can they will pull away so siblings don’t play together( unless you live rurally).
I wouldn’t like my kids to have 4, but for the most part I’m happy with my lot.

if you don’t think you can afford it now with them under 5, you definitely can’t afford it.

Shiny I’ve said I think we’d be fine now with them under 5, but thinking ahead I’m not so sure.

Uniforms, bus pass/travel expenses, school dinners, new clothes for everyone (no hand-me-downs), driving lessons, phones, etc. are all big expenses that hadn’t really occurred to me, which is exactly what I was hoping to get from this thread! So thank you everyone. I’ll have to show this to DH when the topic next comes up (he’s v keen for a #4). I am too, but we need to be realistic!

It does cost. I've 4 ages 9, 7, 6, 2.

The main cost is being unable to earn much. I work nights or childcare would be crippling. I still only manage part time. So my career and pension has suffered. I'm also very tired.

We live in a 4 bed detached. It's to small. We need an extension.

The wear and tear to the house is an ongoing expense.

7 seater car was expensive and I've an xc90 so taxing it is expensive.

I spend about 150 a month on clubs. This could increase as they get older and want to do more.

Food we spend 100 per week. Aldi.

Schol uniforms and shoes are expensive. Same with school trips.

Water on a meter anything from 50 to 100 per month.

It's expensive but worth it. I think I did go in a bit blind to the cost though which is starting to show now. Wouldnd change it though.

Mine are 15, 14, 11 and 9. They've cost me my professional career and pension but are priceless . The early years are easier but as everyone has said, once they are teens/into secondary the costs rocket. Today alone I have had to pay £100 for DofE, £30 for Scout trip, £15 for school trip hoodie (not compulsory but they (really) are all getting them) and £30 for fencing entry fee. And that's a not untypical day. Then there are the phones, shoes, clothes, socialising money..... Its relentless.

The biggest expense by far is university. Seriously. The bill has exceeded private school fees.

Ridiculously expensive!

3 dc. 20,14 and 8.

Costing much more now
Although 20 yr old works and pays keep an still supporting him with little things and feel I should treat him the same as the younger ones and his gf.
Had the 4 for Xmas and new year and cost a bomb.

The youngest hobbies cost about £65 a month plus other little bits about another £30

The middle one has a phone at £38 a month plus an allowance for make up etc of about £25 a month plus clothes and extra bits (3 months in a row have had school gcse day trips costing £20 a time plus £10 each time for food and the odd monthly cinema and Nando's trip at £30 a time.

Haemorrhaging money on them at the moment. She's Laos in adult clothes and shoes.
New school boots and trousers recently came to £80 😳

Wow, @Panicmode1 that really is an expensive day!

@janinlondon Do you mind me asking, is the expense of university because you have to pay tuition fees/maintenance or are you just talking about extra money for everyday expenses? I ask because AFAIK student finance is currently available to cover fees and maintenance, if your household income is below a certain threshold. My own parents didn’t pay a penny for me or my two brothers to go to university (all in the last 5-10 years). But again, I’m aware that these things can change a lot in a decade or two!

I had 4, by god they're pricey.

It's when (as everyone else has said) they hit teens. Two of mine are adults and left home, one is at uni and the youngest is 14 and we are just leaking money with him right now. He has size 9 feet so no kiddy shoes and has hit the I want designer gear stage but we refuse to entertain that.

Let's talk a pair of trainers, and they get through lots of them. Mine wears Airforce ones and at roughly £75 a pop they ain't cheap Then the mobile phones, his and we pay dd at unis one too. School shoes for a teen lad are around £50 for a pair that will last longer than a month.

Hobbies, youngest has one and it's costing £100+ a month currently

Food? He can eat his way through an entire weeks shopping in 48 hours when he's so hungry from being so active.

I'll lend you mine if you like on a free trial to see how much money you haemorrhage in a month. Then you can multiply that by 4.

Calixtine - Tuition fees are fully covered by the tuition loan, but the maintenance loan really doesnt come close to covering costs. DDs halls cost a couple of thousand more than her loan. Then there's the daily living costs like food, travel, toiletries, sports etc. Even on the highest available loan many struggle, and if you are not eligible for the highest loan your parents must pay the balance. For four children that would come to an inordinately eye watering amount. And I thought nursery fees of £1200 a month were horrendous when she was small!

I have 4 and it seems I’m coming into the expensive zone

12, 10, 9 tomorrow and 7! They don’t have phones yet, though the 12yo is almost there. We are in London and have a 4br home. Planning an extension sometime soon for a bigger box room and another bedroom. Activities wise, they seem comparatively cheaper. A tenner per month for swimming, only two at swimming now and two at gymnastics. Violin 125 per term, oldest cello £2 a class at school (you do get what you pay for.

Food about £150 per week. Occasionally more or less. We may picnic on days out, but hot cjocolate cake etc in a cafe. I guess you can make it more cheap or expensive. Dc very happy with clothes from Monki. We overhauled the way we work due to two dc with ASD so earn significantly. But going to cornwall for the holidays. Two hotel rooms £150 at premier inn. Kids eat free at breakfast - kids feel like we are the richest people in the world! Travel long haul every second year (dh and I from half a world away).

We are fine for the moment, but am dreading uni!

We are in France so bound to be differences. We have 14,13,13,10. The eldest 3 are girls so food not a huge issue. But we still spend up to 200€ on food and household stuff a week.

School meals are 6€ ish/child/day so that's 100€ extra.

We get large family discounts on things like train tickets. The cars a Kia carnival that is expensive to run. But meal prep etc is quick cos we do it together.

We have bought a 2 bed apartment in the local uni town to try and prepay some of the uni costs. Slightly mad situation.