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If you think parents today are spending more than their parents did, you're right.
Many parents today are worried about how they’re going to send their kids to college given the high cost of higher education. But maybe they should be more concerned about the 17 years before the little darlings hit the road.
Food, clothing, and health care are just a few items that can add up into tons of expenses before adulthood. How much? $234,900 for a child born in 2011 to a middle-income family.
That's according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual report, “Expenditures on Children by Families,” released Thursday, which came up with the total by calculating the cost of a host of necessities parents pay for in the 17 years before adulthood.
If you think parents today are spending more than their parents did, you’re right. In 1960, the first year the report was produced, a middle-income family would have expected to spend about $25,000 over the course of 17 years, or $191,720 adjusted for today’s dollars.
The cost of raising a child differs sharply depending on the resources available to the parents. According to the USDA's calculations:
- For households with annual income less than $59,410, annual expenses per child range from $8,760 to $9,970 on average, depending on age of the child.
- For households with income of up to $102,870, the annual cost is about $12,290 to $14,320.
- For households with income over $102,870, the cost per child averages out at $20,420 to $24,510.
Housing was the biggest expense, followed by child care and education, food, and transportation.
Since 1960, food expenditures have actually declined to 16 percent of income from 24 percent, while the cost of child care and education has soared to 18 percent of income from 2 percent.
And despite the high cost of fancy sneakers today, moms and dads are shelling out less to dress up the little tikes, at 6 percent of income, down from 11 percent in 1960.
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$234,900 or 1million dollars, I wouldn't trade my son or daughter for anything... I love them so very much... :)
Sometimes the simple comments are the best. Thanks, Troy. My sentiments exactly.
My sentiments also.
I see children as an investment. People my age will not have the safety nets when you get older like the current elderly generation does with SS and medicare (P.S it is all going bankrupt and is unsustainable). If you dont have kids now, dont be surprised that your are srewed when you get old and absolutely noone will care about your hardships.
I await the day when SS is no longer an option, so my children will not have to pay for selfish peoples choices.
That doesn't seem like the best reason to have children. Instead, perhaps you should have them because you actually want them to love. If all you want is a fall back-up plan, maybe you should just save your money. There's nothing to say your kids will have money to help you or they will want you to come live with them. Especially if that's the only reason you had them.
It isnt the only reason, but it is a big benefit. Save money? you mean paper money right? The stuff that can lose it's value over night. Also where do you put said money? In the stock market? Oh you mean the place that is essentially legalized, rigged gambling. Oh, I forgot, we all pay into Social security, the super secure place the government protects...Ooops, that isnt safe either. It is a broken scam.
What ever hardships are faced by my children will inevitably be faced by me as well, and it would be 10 times worse without any support network. Even if it is living in a basement of my children, or in a home that we all care for together, it would be better than living on the street eating cat food all alone.
I look at my grandma who had 5 children who all love and care for her, as she is facing serious medial problems. She would have never survived alone, and would have died in her mid 50's..she is still kicking at age 76. They helped her because she did everything she could for them growin up, and sacrificed a lot to give them a good life in her younger years...
It is all about foresight, and forward thinking...What does the average American think happened before there was such a thing as social security...If you are 30 or less, the benefits that are available now for someone over 65 will simply not be there...You had better have a solid back up plan, because we wont be in Kansas anymore.
We started with a home-birth, $2,200 total.
Thrift store clothes (who actually BUYS baby clothes?), hand-me-down toys, etc. and we are having no problem.
Is this for Mitt Romney's kids?!
Too funny!
well I'll assure you it cost 0 to the welfare moms out there. and they get free housing and so much in food stamps and WIC they can never spend it all. but wait there's more if they refuse to teach the kids and teach them contrary to the schools they can get yet another check from social security disability claim. not only that but a free cell phone with no bill and free data package. Oh yeah being white trash is so cheap. now if they get near any of the charities out there they can get a free car, vouchers for gas, and even insurance paid for a year. Don't stop them now, free education and free health care also provided. they'll even pay someone to come over and watch your kids for you while you go and hit on college boys to make more welfare kids. if you do it right you can have one of your friends watch them and just split the money with them. no one actually has to watch them. no wonder welfare moms have an avg of 4.7 kids. free life for mom wasted life for the kid. did I mention that over 99% of every prisoner grew up on welfare?
If you can't feed them, don't breed them!!! Anyone on welfare should have submit to sterilization. Unfortunately, people are tooo stupid to govern themselves and I hate government!
Can we just be honest? 99% of the time a guy is fixated on wetting his wick without regard to the possible consequences of pregnancy. The notion of bringing a child into the world is in every respect trumped by the animal desire to copulate. How many of us have retrospectively contemplated with agony and regret the lifetime cost of that one piece of tail? Only to go and do it again.... and again...
Well...this is one time that I actually AM in the 1% :)
BTW: There are things that prevent pregnancy now. Did you hear? :)
No way!!
Raising two children is without a doubt the toughest thing I have ever done, ever. They are 3 and 5 now.
But, I have learned patience (you have to or you will freak out), sharing.
Children will bring you the most joy, and the most frustration, that you have ever felt...and often on the same day! :)
But, this dollar amount is such BS. If it isn't, then no wonder the average family has $20,000 in credit card debt.
it costs so much because big business and the politicians scratch each others backs so that they get the money. this is just ridiculous! I would love to strip their money and power and stick them in a position that most of the poor live for the rest of their lives
I hope it costs so much money, stupid people don't decide to breed.
The world will always be full of stupid people who breed.
Stupid people don't care about money.
The money someone spends to raise their child is not as important as the QUALITY OF TIME they spend with their children. That's what really disgusts me about the Nadia Suleman (Octomom) and Duggar family situations. Kids need proper attention, and to be the focus of their parents' lives, not viewed as a must have accessory.
Why it doesnt cost me a nickle- I actually get lots of money for each child I have . I get $600 per mos form SS and gits more food stamps and a stipend form the governemtn for each child., I git fee housing free medical and free food stamps. It dont cost a nickle what you talking aobut !!!
I love kids so much I don't have any. No need to have some one else struggle to make it like I did. Not too mention what kind of a world they would be born into.
The world they would be born into is no better or worse than the world anyone has ever been born into.
That is a stupid statement.
Tina, please step down from your parenting high horse. The world today is not nearly as safe, secure, prosperous, honest, or compassionate as it was years ago. With all of the problems in the world, particularly in America, why is someone struggling to make ends meet in the wrong if they don't want to bring another life into the same crappy situation. Specifically, as Juan said, he loves kids so much he knows not to have any so they don't have to struggle like he did to make it. You know absolutely nothing about his situation and what he went through to make it, so it is within his right (and he would be right to think it) to make a justification that he shouldn't bring a child into the world based on his situation and what he knows to be true in his life. As a parent yourself, people could equally accuse you of being selfish, bringing a life into a dangerous world only to fulfill your own need to have one. That would be wrong as well.
I would never have a child. They are funny, cute, put adults in check, and are smarter than we give them credit for. Still, I don't want one. Someday, those of us who you folks think are unfulfilled in life, will have acceptance from parents like you with the "babies are all blessings no matter what" mentality. Maybe we'll get to live in a world where parents aren't bringing their two year olds to five star restaurants, hotels, resorts, vacations, flights, concerts, movies, stores, etc too... but that's a whole other poorly written study to comment on at a later date.
Interesting then that those who can least afford them tend to have the most.
Exactly. All welfare recipients should have to submit to sterilization.
Bterzian
Unfortunately, it h
Sorry, stupid computer stopped working in mid-sentence.
I meant to say that unfortunately, it has always been the poor who have had the most children.
50% of the childbirths in this city are paid for by welfare, plus most all of the insurance for kids is paid for by welfare. Thus, the people without children are helping to pay for these kids whether they want to or not. The Octomom was a good example.
H*ll, be poor, the US Government will give you all kinds of free things and you can get great EIC, then free school lunches, etc.
So if you plan to have kids, dont worry about college, find all the things the government will give you for free.
And, that's why half of Mehico is here so we can pay for the stupid americans and all the illegals.
Leave it to MSNBC to expect that all kids should go to college. What about trade school? Or enlisting in the service? Obviously we should want our kids to be good citizens and hopefully have good careers, but pushing kids at 18 who may not be mentally and emotionally ready to undertake a higher education is irresponsible.
Complete nonsense numbers!! We raised 4 children, one with a PhD, two with masters degrees, one with a BA. My wife did not hold a paying job outside the home and I never made over $50K. The first year after our oldest was born, I made $5400 gross while living in So. Cal. I don't know what to call the info presented in this article except what it is..........utter B.S.
It's a social engineering thing, nein - the leftists don't want you to have kids (good thing we aren't in China!) so they make up trash like this article to influence the brainless, like those who believe in global warming/cooling/climate shift/etc.
Whatever-4, when you go to Politifact.org and examine who has the most "Pants On Fire" ratings, you'll find that members of the GOP are way out in front. I strongly suspect that it's because of people like you, who blindly accept the lies and fabrications - like your post above.
Zero cost if you ask the welfare parents who know how to abuse the system. Tax payers pick up the tab. Wish there's a way to sterilize them.
you said it!
Your are correct. Not only should welfare recipients submit to drug testing, but sterilization as well.
Don't slam all welfare recipients.
Someday you may need welfare.
Love these articles $234,000 per child based on who?
Brad Pitt
Cost per child for the 99% $72,000
Cost per child for a liberal crack whore $150 priceless
It's safe to say where all be watching.violating us in every way they can.who cares about the stuff they want or talk about.they don't seem to understand how pissed off some people are.gotta do something what are U waiting for??????
It's safe to say where all be watching.violating us in every way they can.who cares about the stuff they want or talk about.they don't seem to understand how pissed off some people are.gotta do something what are U waiting for??????K!
Arnold - please translate from gibberish to English. Hard to discuss your view when you haven't communicated well enough to decipher your point (if there is one).
I wonder how all the Spanish speaking customers at my grocery store can afford their 5-6 children.
Pretty amazing isn't it while they are all on their cell phones with tatoos and piercings. Amazing how they afford that.
By the same token, it is amazing how these white trash rednecks can afford their humongous pickups with the Confederate Battle Flag in the back window and their fake testicles swinging from the rear hitch.
K!
So that's the cost for me to pay for my child. What extra am I paying for on all the liberal cradle to grave hand outers who I also pay for?????
I think most parents lie to themselves when they say "You don't understand until you have one"...I have met one female that was honest with me (after child-care more than her mortgage, food, toys, clothes, shoes, and lack of sleep) she told me if she could do it again, she wouldn't. After the second one she got her tubes tied.
My hats off to the people who have them...But I don't see a practical reason for them when there are 6 billion people on the planet. To me, the money is important, but the lack of freedom, just quiet time, being able to explore new things and places in the world - freedom...That is more important to me. I have had people say I am selfish, I may be. But people who have kids are too. They want to leave a piece of themselves behind, that's vanity - They want a legacy...How is that legacy thing working for your parents?
How's that legacy thing gonna work for you when you have nobody to take care of you when you're old - or even really care that you were here?
According to this article, $234,900 is what it costs, so since there are 216 months in 18 years, and 234,900 divided by 216 is 1,087.50, then we should never hear of a woman getting any more than that for child support per month, right?