[Dilbert San Diego]

Children are expensive there’s no question.

But I question the numbers that they show us here . They are saying it costs $18,000 a year to raise a child up to age 17?

Are they doing some accounting cost allocations, such as ascribing a portion of the mortgage or housing costs to a child living there?

[metmom]

Children are expensive there’s no question. But I question the numbers that they show us here . They are saying it costs $18,000 a year to raise a child up to age 17? Are they doing some accounting cost allocations, such as ascribing a portion of the mortgage or housing costs to a child living there?

I’m with you. I think there is definitely fudging numbers going on there.

Things like the mortgage and taxes are going to be the same no matter how many people live in the home. The utilities are just a matter of adding the extra one more person uses to the base cost of having them and two adults already using them.

Hand me downs work for clothes. A child does not need new clothes every time the fashion industry changes styles.

Nor do they need a constant supply of new games and toys.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Yes.

Also daycare.