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?

This is my experience.
Although nursery was expensive.

Teens + then university although with school fees Yr7-11, Uni will potentially be cheaper!
We don't buy much branded stuff, no nails etc and she buys her own skincare but it's the clothes, shoes, activities etc which cost the most. They seem to grow out of everything so quickly!
Oh plus an expensive hobby and progressing with it 🙄

University of they go

Otherwise teens

Yea but OP didn't count that in.

Exactly.

Its like including in essential.baby costs, baby sensory, that ridiculously expensive baby swimming course, professional photography, private midwifery and a night nanny 😂

Just to clarify: I already know nursery fees are ridiculously expensive and I'm bracing myself for that. But I was interested in finding out what other fees make kids expensive... Hence the part in brackets.

Everything is more expensive.
Eating out is obviously more expensive (especially once eating adult meals). Groceries are more expensive.
You have more people in your house so things generally need to be bigger - nugget sofa, bigger fridge, bigger car.

Realistically though, they can cost as much or as little as you want (within reason). They don't need to have expensive hobbies and an expensive phone contract. They eat a lot as teens, but you don't have to buy the expensive stuff.

I was paying £1200 on my 2 year old to attend nursery every month, before food and clothing are taking into consideration. Surely that's the most expensive stage? I can't imagine (and I hope I'm not wrong) a teenager costs £12k plus a year?!? (Not talking university age here).

Currently parenting uni students, I’m buying contact lenses, glasses, prescriptions, dentists fees, gym membership, driving lessons, uni rentals and hall of residence fees, still giving generous presents, food and more food in uni holidays (DS is a runner and eats and eats), some train and taxi fares, car insurance for holidays as we are rural, phone contracts, various subscriptions for different digital services. DS bought me a coffee last week! When the kids leave uni I am going to disentangle them from the family WiFi and stop paying subscriptions / insurance directly, if nothing else it will reduce admin for me. But one DC has just announced they want to do a Masters next year? I’m genuinely thinking it will never end and retirement is a fallacy….

So at university age/late teen age you're basically funding another adult to live with all the prescriptions etc 😱 I can see how that would easily add up.

Just to clarify: I already know nursery fees are ridiculously expensive and I'm bracing myself for that. But I was interested in finding out what other fees make kids expensive... Hence the part in brackets.

They're expensive as you want them to be. I think the pressure is higher when they're teens, when they're trying to fit in, and young adults when you're trying to help them to launch with uni support etc. But if you can't afford to, you can't afford to. You do as much as you can or want.

I've been saving for DSs uni since he was a baby but still reading it all listed out makes me want to throw up a little 😅

University years and just before. They eat loads, want driving lesions and any outings or holidays usually means paying full adult whack. Having said that, both my DCs have been amazing about earning and saving money while at school and uni, so that softened the blow.

@EndorsingPRActice that's a choice, I'm sure the vast majority of parents are not paying for half of that, my parents absolutely did not pay for my contact lens at uni!

It's like saying oh I'm actually finding adults the most expensive, paying their mortgage payments is costing me a fortune!

No one is making you do that.

Quite agree @lopyrs , it is entirely my choice. Having taken that choice, it is an expense, and it is my experience, which was the subject of the thread.....