$204,060
That’s how much the USDA is projecting that middle-income families will spend to raise children born in 2007. What boggles my mind is the fact that folks are SURPRISED that the cost of raising a child is on the rise. I’m now old enough that I can say stuff like, “I remember when a can of Coke cost fifteen cents!”
I really do. A dime was a precious thing in my childhood: it could buy me one of those big superballs kids are shelling out a buck fifty for at the grocery store gum machines these days. The penny candy at the 7-11 cost two cents a piece. I know there’s inflation. I know things are more expensive now than they were 35 years ago. Am I the only one who knows this?
$204,060. That number DOESN’T include college. I repeat: does not. All you single moms out there might want to recalculate your child-support payments. I can tell you right now, what my ex (isn’t) paying isn’t even close to half of that sum.
I’m with Robie. We freecycle, go to thrift stores and yard sales, and gladly accept hammy downs. We cut corners where we can. I have been staying home part-time for almost 5 years, so that has really cut into our income. Hmmm, I wonder if that is included in the cost of raising a child. Probably not, I guess. Yes, it is very expensive to raise a child.
Wow, that’s $210 a week! My child support is barely 1/4th of that.
[...] Solo Mother kindly reminded us this week of the astronomical cost of raising children til they’re fully cooked, for a reason other than just torture of course. Luckily, ha, falling at the lower income end it’ll probably be more like $148,320 than the 200k+. Life still feels like it’s inflating at record speed it makes my head spin. [...]
LOL Robie. It certainly doesn’t. Of course, with this economy, us scrappy Goodwill peeps don’t have much more they can cut back on.
yeah, uh, i don’t think that covers us scrappy freecycle goodwilling peeps. just sayin’.
Since that’s nearly all of my disposable income for his 18 years, it does explain why I’m lucky to by one pair of jeans a year.
You’re right though – support doesn’t even come close to half of that.