Can you bear the cost of raising kids?

[Guest]

It will cost an estimated $241,080 for a middle-income couple to raise a child born last year for 18 years, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Wednesday. That's up almost 3% from 2011 and doesn't even include the cost of college. Source: http://money.cnn.com/2013/08/14/pf/cost-children/index.html

 

My 5 are all in there 20's, at this point, I am only bearing the cost of one of them to any real degree, and that is just for food.

 

To those of you just starting out or planning families, may God bless you abundantly, and provide all of your needs, according to His riches in glory.

[The_Patriot21]

I wouldn't call it a cost but rather an investment.

[hmbld]

Isn't that a little over $1000 per month? We were blessed with four kids. I'm thinking we had the economy versions.

[Guest]

Yeah HMBLD,

You math is sound, I do not know what formula they used, but I will make some assumptions.

 

Suppose a couple, is living in an apartment, the rent is part of their cost of living, and the utilities in that apartment, is relatively small, and their food budget for two, is likewise small.

 

Now, suppose there are a couple of kids added to that mix. They might go out and buy a house. The cost of home ownership is not just the price. It is, for the sake of this issue, going to be the down payment, and the mortgage payments for the next 18 years, plus the larger utility bills, plus property tax, plus homeowners insurance. They may take out life insurance now for the sake of being able to provide in the future,in case something happens to one or more of the adults. Perhaps, they will get a larger car, or a second car, plus the extra fuel running the kids around, and buying extra groceries etc. Car insurance will go up, and of course the payments on the larger or additional cars. Perhaps they will take vacations, that they would not have, maybe even a trip to Disneyland. They may not have good medical coverage from work, and might have to up that expenditure. Extra clothes and maybe school supplies. Toys, that basketball hoop or that swing set. Maybe the couple didn't have pets, but you know, every kid should have a dog, maybe two.

 

So, how much did having those kids add to their spending? You get the idea, the way we spend money, can be impacted greatly when we add the needs of kids, and what we want for them, into the mix.

 

But yeah, I had the economy version also. However, if you consider that the median income for a household (and that has single and couples added in, not just families) in the U.S. is about $52,000, it does not strain the imagination too much that a kid costs $1116 per month when the median household income is $4333 per month, and probably more for household with families.

 

Four more posts, and I hit 2000 - 1000 too many for a person with a life!

[hmbld]

Yeah HMBLD,

You math is sound, I do not know what formula they used, but I will make some assumptions.

 

Suppose a couple, is living in an apartment, the rent is part of their cost of living, and the utilities in that apartment, is relatively small, and their food budget for two, is likewise small.

 

Now, suppose there are a couple of kids added to that mix. They might go out and buy a house. The cost of home ownership is not just the price. It is, for the sake of this issue, going to be the down payment, and the mortgage payments for the next 18 years, plus the larger utility bills, plus property tax, plus homeowners insurance. They may take out life insurance now for the sake of being able to provide in the future,in case something happens to one or more of the adults. Perhaps, they will get a larger car, or a second car, plus the extra fuel running the kids around, and buying extra groceries etc. Car insurance will go up, and of course the payments on the larger or additional cars. Perhaps they will take vacations, that they would not have, maybe even a trip to Disneyland. They may not have good medical coverage from work, and might have to up that expenditure. Extra clothes and maybe school supplies. Toys, that basketball hoop or that swing set. Maybe the couple didn't have pets, but you know, every kid should have a dog, maybe two.

 

So, how much did having those kids add to their spending? You get the idea, the way we spend money, can be impacted greatly when we add the needs of kids, and what we want for them, into the mix.

 

But yeah, I had the economy version also. However, if you consider that the median income for a household (and that has single and couples added in, not just families) in the U.S. is about $52,000, it does not strain the imagination too much that a kid costs $1116 per month when the median household income is $4333 per month, and probably more for household with families.

 

Four more posts, and I hit 2000 - 1000 too many for a person with a life!

 

lol.  I remember what you said about 1000 posts.  Glad you kept going!  

[other one]

 

Four more posts, and I hit 2000 - 1000 too many for a person with a life!

 

 

what's a life????

[Guest]

 

 

Four more posts, and I hit 2000 - 1000 too many for a person with a life!

 

 

what's a life????

 

 

I'm not sure, but Amazon.com doesn't seem to have a listing for that . . .

[Guest]

Four more posts, and I hit 2000 - 1000 too many for a person with a life!

 

what's a life????

 

 

What's A Life?

 

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

 

And Who Would Pay For It?

 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

[Logan]

If you're worried about paying for 18 years, you can do like my folks and pick out a few older kids

[Diatheosis]

It will cost an estimated $241,080 for a middle-income couple to raise a child born last year for 18 years, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Wednesday. That's up almost 3% from 2011 and doesn't even include the cost of college. Source: http://money.cnn.com/2013/08/14/pf/cost-children/index.html

 

My 5 are all in there 20's, at this point, I am only bearing the cost of one of them to any real degree, and that is just for food.

 

To those of you just starting out or planning families, may God bless you abundantly, and provide all of your needs, according to His riches in glory.

 

Don't freak out the young couples here brother! But I can say, children are a blessing. It's really hard to think how the here postulated life will actually be like once they have spread their wings. 

 

Weren't we commanded to multiply and so on? Jesus said they are sort of short on workers for kingdom, so everyone please step forward now with your contribution. Even one would not consider for one reason or another to have children on their own, there are many needy little ones who lack home. I think it was actually Christians, who started to take abandoned children in early times when unwanted babies were left for wolves etc.