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Cost To Raise a Child $226,920.00
(Posted by Dannytheman)
Some mornings as I peruse the morning news I come across something I feel the need to share with everyone.
This is one of those stories. You see I have 4 sons, and this article linked and quoted below really got my attention. Based on time value of money,
I have spent over $1,000,000 on my 4 sons. One MILLION!!! Well, maybe a little under considering my #3 and #4 sons are still home and under 17. These number also do not include any college, this is only up to 17 years of age.
So let me give you my thoughts and please feel to chime in with your thoughts.
Cost to Raise a Child
Below is the Government estimate and the writers story and calculation of her son's additional expense.
It is my feeling that this woman having only 1 kid, misses the real fun, don't you?
This is one of those stories. You see I have 4 sons, and this article linked and quoted below really got my attention. Based on time value of money,
I have spent over $1,000,000 on my 4 sons. One MILLION!!! Well, maybe a little under considering my #3 and #4 sons are still home and under 17. These number also do not include any college, this is only up to 17 years of age.
So let me give you my thoughts and please feel to chime in with your thoughts.
Cost to Raise a Child
Below is the Government estimate and the writers story and calculation of her son's additional expense.
| USDA | Actual | |
| Housing | $10,450 | $6,560 |
| Food | $3,200 | $4,371 |
| Transportation | $3,263 | $1,096 |
| Clothing | $1,238 | $574 |
| Health care | $1,238 | $1,368 |
| Child care & education | $4,450 | $2,362 |
| Other | $2,625 | $980 |
| Total | $26,463 | $17,311 |
It is my feeling that this woman having only 1 kid, misses the real fun, don't you?
- Let's start on my housing costs. My wife and I bought a 3 bedroom when we started out, but after having 4 sons, we needed to move to a 4 bedroom.We wanted a 4 bedroom in a good school district. I know it costs my family more than 6500 per kid to live where we do. (But was a great choice) Add up all the lights and TVs I have to turn off all the time and then you understand why I buy Lotto tickets.
- She list her food as Food at $3,200.00? Her son has not had any substantial growth spurt I must assume. There are times my wife shops on Thursday night and the kitchen shelves are bare by Saturday. A gallon of milk is almost 4 bucks, we go through 5 gallons a week. 20 bucks times 52 weeks? Over a grand a year and, oh, I don't drink milk. Then add in 100 bucks a month for school lunches.
- I mean she spends only $574.00 on clothing. I guess her son buys the bargain sneakers? After puberty the price goes up.
- Transportation costs are tough, but we pick up after baseball, football, soccer, basketball, movies, rec nights, early school drop offs.
- Health Care? I did mention I have sons, didn't I? Stitches, broken bones, sprains, crutches? My deductible is higher than her listed $1368.00. Bryn Mawr Emergency room personnel call me Danny.
- Education is tough, can I include the computer we needed to buy? The TI 84 Calculators? We did summer Camps. Wayyyyyy more than $2362.
posted by Spencerblog at
8:29 AM
15 Comments:
Danny - Given all of that, it must be of some comfort for you to know that yur children will be allowed to remain on your health plan up to age 26.
Bob- Good morning. You would be wrong. That may be the government rules, but it is not mine.
My oldest has his own work policy and the 2nd one visits free clinics in the city. He is not on my policy. Men being men and all!!
When will that unconstitutional law be repealed? Will the SCOTUS do it by Spring, or will it be our next Republican President, Republican Senate and growing Republican House?
Danny - Are you saying that, God forbid, if your son was in need of some form of specialized or expensive care, you would deny him the option of using your insurance?
Ouch Bob, You make it seem as if my son couldn't walk into any hospital and get emergency care. But you and I know that no one in America has been turned away from emergency care.
But I also assume he is young and could pay off his medical debt if he needed to.
He is my son, and he is now a 24 year old MAN. Time for him to grow into one! Are you suggesting I should coddle him at 24, 25 and 26 years old? I handled him until he left college, his choice, not mine.
Danny - No, I'm suggesting that health care has nothing to do with machismo (Men being men and all!!)
and everything to do with doing all we can not to let our loved ones suffer or die when we have options. I would like to believe that even the most anti Obama Tea Party conservative, when faced with the choice of letting a loved one fend for themselves, or allowing them access to their health care, would choose the later. I sincerely hope you never have to face that dilema, but if you do, you can thank Obama for giving you the option. If it were my son, I wouldn't have to think twice.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/83113-pawlenty-let-ers-turn-away-patients-to-cut-costs
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/s_458275.html
Here's some food for thought.
Bob... Please help me on this. Keeping kids on a parent's health plan until age 26 is a wonderful thing. But is it free? Who pays for it? Is it the government that subsidizes the health insurance premiums involved? Or is it the employer of the person who has the post-college student (or, perhaps never went to college son/daughter)? If an employer pays for 75% of the family coverage cost, and if the premiums rise because of the additional participation by kids up to 26, isn't it the employer who is paying 75% of the cost? As well as the overwhelming percentage of participants in the plan whose premiums went up but don't have kids covered under the new rule? Yeah, that's the ticket... Yet another example of your liberal thinking of "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." [Karl Marx] Whoops, maybe those who don't have kids at 23 or 24 or etc staying on the play really don't have the money to pay the additional premiums involved in covering those who do... Sonds more to me like "screw those who have to pay for it, just give to those who perceive they have a need."
Anon - That's the difference between us. You would prefer to see those that can't afford health care, kicked to the side of the road, because someone has to pay for it. But if it's you or your kid's, well that's a different story. Bootstrap conservatives are only bootstrap conservatives until their boot's wear out. Then they get in line with everyone else. I get a kick out of the older Tea Party members who would kill you if you touched their Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid. Anon, I understand that your beliefs are very strong, and that you will refuse to accept anything from any of these socialist programs. Right Anon?
I will openly admit to one thing, I only have sons. So I only have experience in raising boys with the hopes of turning them into men. But, Bob, a 24 year old is no longer a KID, he is no longer a child. He is a full grown man. In my world a man takes care of himself and doesn't fall back off the hand outs of the government.
Did you ever question why Obamacare chose 26 years old? Why not 30, or 35?
A legal Adult in the country is 18, legally able to drink and carry a gun is 21. At 26 years old I had 4 years in the service and 4 years into my current career path. So to sum up, I will always be there to give my sons a helping hand when I can, but I expect adult responsibility from my adult sons.
Dan - You write "I will always be there to give my sons a helping hand when I can, but I expect adult responsibility from my adult sons." I believe you. But I have to take exception to your comment that a 24 year old is no longer a kid. Chronogically you're right. But you've been down there at Occupy Phila. I think you would be more than willing to agree with me that, not all, but the majority are kids. Idealistic kid's, but kid's none the less. You have even expressed concerns about the immature and idealistic thinking of one of those occupants, so I rest my case. You then go on to say "In my world a man takes care of himself and doesn't fall back off the hand outs of the government."
Nice Machismo posturing Danny, but this isn't a John Wayne movie. This is the real world where people get fired, or furloughed, get sick, or divorced, or have to take care of elderly parents or even disabled children. All of these situations will probably require assistance from the government. It would be wrong for you or anyone else to shame others, or to feel shame for accepting help. We know all to well that this kind of macho behavior can send one to an early grave. Trust me on this Danny. When it comes to the health of your children, toss the macho stuff out the window.
This last post, Bob says it all about the Demoncrats. They still think and treat a 24 year old as a child. That empowers them to act like it. Like many of the spoiled brats in Philly. (Setting up tents then going home and sleeping in a warm house.)
How is it I have not been furloughed, Bob? Luck you would say, but I like to think it is my work ethic and the fact that I never had a sick day in 17 years. I was always early and stayed late when needed. I helped my employers grow their business, and while all of them are now in the 1% territory, I do not covet them.
I hear kids, from 15 to 25 using your definition, all the time saying they would never work here, or there. I would work ANYwhere and be the best darned employee I could be. That is what it takes.
Of course some, like union members, have the unions to hide behind to help keep their job.(How is that working out in Hook and Trainer?) My stretch of 40 years of contiguous employment says something, doesn't it? That is how I want my sons to be.
Danny - 40 yrs? How old did you say you were? Regardless, I've always worked too. Pumping gas at the age of 16, stint in the Navy, warehoue worker and the railroad.
I've also been a Union rep for about 25 yrs, and I'm very proud of the work that I've done as a Union rep. Many of the benefits that you, a non union worker recieve, are the direct result of the trade labor movement. On many occasions I've had the privilege of defending our collective bargaining agreement and defending employees against abusive treatment from people who should have never held positions in management.
And Danny, we both know plenty of 24 year olds that have not yet matured. And it doesn't matter how we treat them.
Danny - Im trying to remember how old you told us you were. Was it 52or 54? Either way, your 40 yrs. of contigious employment doesn't seem to add up. Are you counting your paper route?
I started in 1972 as a stock boy at Bakers Shoe Store in, then on to Pantry Pride Supermarket and Edelman's Gun Shop, then the US Coast Guard. 55 Years old and have 6 sick days total!
You will be wrong. That could possibly be the federal government rules, however it is not mine.My oldest has his exclusive run coverage also to the 2nd just one visits free of cost clinics within your city.I am player of games,I like play Runescape games,I need Runescape Gold!
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