When are kids the most expensive (if not counting nursery fees)?

[Mae2B]

Genuine question.

The other day I saw a post here with people advising a new mum not to buy a lot of stuff for when baby arrives and one comment said "save it for when kids are really expensive", and that made me wonder when that is. Besides the initial spent on a cot, pram etc, and the nursery fees (in the UK at least), when do they become really expensive?

And also, when they transition from nurse to pre-school do you feel a massive relief in kid's related expenses?

Teenagers definitely. But if we're talking before teen years then it's a toss up between newborn and around 6/7 when they're constantly changing their interests and want to try every club going!

Teens. Not old enough to work but old enough to want expensive stuff! Used to be video/PS4 type games, phones etc. And clothes have to be this brand or that. Then they do sport so there's annual fees, kit to buy. Plus they do socialise a bit so money for a film/pizza....

For us it will be University, but not everyone has that expense. So late teens, while DD does have a job so buys her own clothes. Things like sports clubs and driving lessons are expensive.

I never actually bought a cot, pram or paid nursery fees, but the biggest costs for us are teenagers and university.

For us babies are very cheap in terms of money and very expensive in terms of time (which can be money) and our older children are several times more expensive.

I think from what I've read on here, teens.

I did definitely feel the difference when going from full time nursery fees to (state) reception! I still needed wraparound and but saved something like 1.2k a month even after that. Cost currently overall (DS is 5) is maybe £800 a month, but realistically the vast majority of what I spend is 'optional'.

Teens and that doesn't even take into account university.

I'd say mine are pretty low maintenance but even just things like when they grow you are having to buy adult clothes x entire wardrobe possibly more than once a year - and if they play sport too that's not just a day-to-day wardrobe that's kit shoes etc. Clubs and activities cost a fortune when they get older & and a lot of their entertainment is gadget focused again, costs a fortune.

And if you have boys . The.food. Oh my the food bills are astronomical and god forbid they brings mates over too

100% teenagers!
Clothes, clubs, socialising, food (mine are bottomless pits, always hungry!)

I do think all ages have their own expensive times though

Teenagers
School dinners
Sports clubs fees, equipment and travel
Clothes, shoes
Food...food...food
Holidays (charged as adults)

It will depend on your work situation and how much wraparound / holiday care they need during primary school. Also what their interests are - some hobbies can be expensive.

Otherwise then I would agree teenagers wanting electronic devices and branded clothing.

My DC didn't go to uni - but if they do then yes that would be very expensive. Especially compared with a situation where they are working at 18 and paying you housekeeping.

Teenagers! Everything is so expensive.

My kids are now 10 and 20 and I'm going against the grain of the thread as nothing has been as expensive as full time nursery. We had an evening nanny two evenings a week in those days so childcare was over £1k a month before any free hours kicked in. When my eldest was at nursery there was no tax free childcare scheme either. Then any clothing, food, activities etc were on top of that.

Eldest is at uni. We pay £500 a month to top up his maintenance Sept-June. So £5k a year. Compared to nursery at £12k a year is a bargain, not least because we both earn a lot more now. Admittedly Christmas and birthday gifts are more expensive and we still pay for him to come on holiday with us and insure him to drive my car, but he doesn't cost anything like £12k a year any more! Anything else he wants has to be covered out of his maintenance or part time job.

Argh, sorry just read the title properly and it says NOT including nursery fees! In that case it probably is University then ...

100% teenagers, they’re like parking meters. Just non stop.

University/late teens.

We’re yet to hit the teen years but are very much in the pre-school stage with DC wanting berries with every meal 🫠😂 The amount of money spent on fruit is outrageous 🙈😂

DS is still the same aged 5. I feel like I need a budget line for berries!

Teenagers!

And university years.

Saying to discount nursery fees is a bit ridiculous. Nursery fees and loss of earnings from maternity and potentially working part time absolutely dwarf most costs until university surely.

I agree with what another poster said about a lot of the expensive stuff being discretionary spends as they get older. Nursery and wraparound care were a necessary expense. Branded trainers, iphones, hobbies etc not so much. Ours get those sort of things for birthday and Christmas. We of course buy necessary basic clothes as needed, phone contract, monthly allowance etc but "over and above" stuff they have to wait or save up their allowance.

Maybe I'm a horrible mum 🤣 but I hear about other mums saying their teens are "always asking for £20 here and there" but mine don't because they know I'd just say no, that's what your allowance is for, if you've blown it all that's tough.

I'm sorry if I just unleashed all of the teen parenting trauma 🤣🤣🤣

I don't have kids yet, so I wasn't even looking beyond the 5-10 years, let alone into the teens 😅 but of course, it makes total sense that the teenage years and uni are very expensive!

Saying to discount nursery fees is a bit ridiculous. Nursery fees and loss of earnings from maternity and potentially working part time absolutely dwarf most costs until university surely.

Quite, this is usually the most expensive stage assuming no or limited support because it's an essential and you can't usually flex it. Most other aspects of raising kids is a choice and down to your budget, you can buy brand new branded clothes or you can shop in charity shops, you can buy brand new laptops for each child, or you buy something second hand for them to share.

@honeylulu yes we bought those things as presents, and also had the line of new trainers as a necessity = sports direct's cheapest, anything more then they put their own money to it. But this is still more expensive than presents and clothing for a 6 year old .

At mid-Primary age now and they cost a lot
more currently than when they were in nursery, and we were paying for 2 at nursery at the same time. But they do a lot of clubs and lessons etc, then doubled up as two of them doing similar. Breakfast/after school club bill plus their monthly club fees is way over what our nursery bill was

Taking school fees out of the equation DD is costing us more now she is at Uni than she ever has I would say

Yes, completely agree teen trainers, presents etc are way more expensive than for little kids. Luckily teens don't need £12k per annum childcare as well though!

The teen costs seem a drop in the ocean compared to nursery days. One of the reasons ours are spaced apart in age was that we just couldn't do two lots of FT nursery fees at once. I'm glad I battled through though as I earn 4x what I did when eldest was a baby, which is another reason why the teen costs seem pretty bearable.

I guess for families where one parent gives up work or cuts down to very part time, it's hard to pick up a "career" salary later on and that loss continues to be felt, and then the teen costs kick in anyway.

Definitely teenagers!!!!!!!!!!