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MNHQ

Tell us when you’ve forked out for your DCs - £100 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

296 replies

EmmaMumsnet · 05/08/2016 10:12

As you well know, having children isn’t exactly cheap… Just when you thought there wasn’t anything else your DC could possibly need, something else crops up and rinses your account.

Since your DC entered the world, at what points have you found yourself shelling out for things? Maybe when your DC got older, you had to splash out on a new buggy, or your second DC arrived and you found yourself looking for a new home?

What have been the major purchasing decisions in your child’s life so far? Have you had to cut back in some places in order to afford what your child needs? And how have your buying habits changed over time? Maybe you used to spend money on holidays and now you spend more on childcare? Finally, what have been the products you’ve spent the most money on as a result of having children?

Here are a few topics to think about:

• Health
• Childcare
• Education
• Home & Garden
• Cars
• Insurance
• Technology
• Travel
• Baby Products

All MNers who post on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks, and good luck!

MNHQ

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Tell us when you’ve forked out for your DCs - £100 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
furryleopard · 07/08/2016 20:12

Car seats - we forked out for an extended rear facing one and it cost us at least triple what other people have paid for their forward facing ones.

Shoes - I like my DD to wear shoes with flexible shoes if possible as they just seem more comfortable to me. She has a habit of growing though which is not great for shoe costs.

Both of the above are essentials for me though.

victria · 07/08/2016 20:46

Trying to establish breastfeeding with a low milk supply is expensive- I must be Medela's best customer!

tiddles12 · 07/08/2016 21:05

It got costlier when they went to Uni and we gave them £500 per month towards their rent. Bad enough with one at Uni but crippling with two.

grumpymummy3 · 07/08/2016 21:25

Where do I start, first was a bigger car to fit 3 car seats in and then a bigger house.
Now my biggest expenses seem to be shoes, how do their feet grow so fast and school holidays - so expensive.
And school they always need money for some activity too
and food why are my cupboards and fridge empty almost as soon as I fill them!

shivbrown · 07/08/2016 21:33

Ive forked out lots on Clark Shoes as my little ones feet grow so quick x

pfcpompeysarah · 07/08/2016 21:35

No major purchases here, I moved from London to my home town when my son was born because as a single parent I would have struggled both financially and logistically to carry on where I was.

I think school costs a blinking fortune, the endless shelling out for charity days where they can do something of a particular colour, wear something different etc etc, or the 'fetes/fairs/any old bloody excuse' events they have to raise money, not to mention the cost of the trips, school uniform that my son seems to grow out of in seconds, or destroy with pen/stains in a similar period of time, then there are the outfits/costumes he needs which all have me panicking at how much they are going to set me back.

On another note, I can remember when my son was a toddler, I shelled out a lot of money on Clarks shoes and they were lovely, I can still remember how upset I was on coming home from a trip to the shops one day to discover he only had one shoe on, somehow the other had fallen off, I revisited every spot but I couldn't find it... from then on I lowered the shoe budget considerably!!!!

BellaWella86 · 07/08/2016 21:37

I think shoes have been the biggest 'ongoing' expenditure in this house. I've always bought Clarks for my two. My eldest has feet that go up a size once a year (which is great... shoes often get worn out before they outgrow!!), but my youngest goes up a size approximately every 2 months.

seeingdouble2 · 07/08/2016 22:45

Expensive time at the moment with having to buy school uniforms and shoes x2. Had my daughters ear pierced at Claires accessories recently that cost a whopping £28!! just for a single top ear piercing! Felt really ripped off!!!

purplevamp · 07/08/2016 23:18

My children are always needing new clothes for school. I have to buy them from a specialist uniform website (school policy Angry) and their shirts alone cost £11 each!!! I bought my DD a new skirt in April costing £15 and she's had a MASSIVE growth spurt and the skirt is now too short for her. That's another £15 just to buy one 2 inches longer. Hopefully I can sell the other one on ebay and make a bit back.

amanda08 · 07/08/2016 23:38

Ice skates and lessons for son, so expensive but it is his passion

mo3733 · 08/08/2016 07:17

its a constant daily basis thing with children. its so important that their quality of life is good that you tend to put your needs to oneside.

Toystory36 · 08/08/2016 07:24

Hobbies and schooling are a big expense.
Clothes and nursery furniture.
And general day to day living!!!

Ikea1234 · 08/08/2016 07:53

My son has Aspergers and as a result, his self organisation is very poor. I am constantly forking out for new lunch boxes, water bottles, school uniform that's been left behind......the teachers are so used to me rummaging through cloakrooms and classrooms on the hunt for the latest missing thing!

windowmouse · 08/08/2016 09:48

A new family car, we just couldn't fit everything in my little 3 door and had to get a 5 door with a big boot to fit the buggy in!

phillie1 · 08/08/2016 09:56

TRainers. Both Kids do lots of sport and get through trainers in about 2 months, and each new pair cost £80-£90!

hermancakedestroyer · 08/08/2016 12:36

Everything school related is expensive. I've just paid out £200 for my ds uniform to join secondary school and the school insists you by a specific uniform from an online supplier so it costs twice as much.
School trips also add up. All great experiences for the dc's but I often find myself forking out £20 here and £20 there for various trips for them.
That said, I love them both dearly and they appreciate every activity they get involved in so it is money well spent! Wine

chrismse · 08/08/2016 15:38

At almost 3 my daughter wants everything including Train to London to see the giraffes please ( she has recently been to London Zoo). Her sister is only one but like everyone says shoes are hard to keep up with. child care costs are hard but everyone keeps telling me they get more expensive when they are older. Uni, driving lesson, clubs etc.
Im just taking them to as many places were under 3s can get in free while I can.

kittylover · 08/08/2016 15:43

Before my oldest was born he is 10 now i got my pushchair second hand it was a bargain at £100 as it had only been used once and looked brand new , the first car seat came with the buggy , things like clothes cost the most before he was born and nappies etc, Second child was a bit cheaper as already had most of the things saved from first same with third child i had kept my buggy in such good condition i used it for third child 5 years later . The other expenses have been as they get older school uniforms , shoes , day trips etc i think as they get older i spend more

Badders123 · 08/08/2016 16:15

Yes to hobbies and clubs!
ds1 did swimming, beavers and karate - he plays football for a team now. £40 per month not Inc boots etc
Ds2 did swimming and gymnastics - still does swimming. £10 each week for a 20 min lesson!

CassetteTape · 08/08/2016 17:39

School trips have been the biggest expense in one go so far, I was determined to cover the french y6 trip as I didn't get to go when I was that age.

The rest are the little drip drip drip expenses of shoes (I don't even ask how much they are any more) clothes, activities, events....

zeenie · 08/08/2016 18:08

i spend alot on clothes and after school activities that he wants to do

GruffaloPants · 08/08/2016 18:20

Shoes, shoes and shoes. DD1 is 5, and DD2 is 2 weeks, so I can only predict it will get worse.

Oh, and dance lessons.

Teladi · 08/08/2016 19:19

I would hate to add it all up.

In the beginning there's baby kit and such like and I haven't been able to bring myself to sell a lot of it, 'just in case'. I've been selling on Gumtree with some toddler-specific items recently and recouping a little bit of the cost there.

I did buy DD quite an expensive first bike. As a cyclist myself it's been worth it, she can handle it like a pro now, and I'll sell it on when she's done with it.

However I'm feeling really happy right now as DD is finishing up at private nursery this week and starting school - so no more nursery fees!! New wraparound childcare plan much cheaper. Nursery has been 100% wonderful for my only child and has been worth it to allow me to keep working, but my bank account will sigh with relief! Did just have to fork out for all the school uniform etc but a mix of official school kit, some M&S and then the rest from ASDA meant it wasn't too painful.

rhinosuze · 08/08/2016 20:03

So far my biggest expense has been buggies and a big girls bed as she e us still only young. I do worry about what ill have to fork out for in future as kids have more these days and they are more expensive. I hear friends with older children talking about cost of school trips and that worries me as does the cost of school uniform

Mozarmstrong · 08/08/2016 20:14

Well as they say children cost a fortune but we all know that a n d just go without ourselves I have always spent on my child before myself i.e. shoes as their feet grow! Clothes as their bodies grow! You n.a.m e it I've paid it and do not regret one minute !