Kids Cost a Fortune: 4 Tips for Saving on Yours

As much as raising a child counts as the most rewarding experience any person can have, the hard facts of life demonstrate that bringing up a kid in this day and age is no walk in the park. For one, both parents need the emotional maturity and commitment to raising children using a consistent belief system or set of values. If that wasn't hard enough, having a child comes with a mind-boggling number of expenses. If you are expecting or have young children, here are a few general rules to keep in mind so that little Johnny stays your loving son and doesn't become a hole that sinks your financial ship.

1. Don't buy expensive clothing that your kid will outgrow very quickly.
From birth till about 15-18, kids grow rapidly. Especially during the earlier years of their lives, between 0 to 4 or 5, children are outgrowing clothes faster than you can say Google.

2. Tech gadgets are age-appropriate and should be purchased only if the value is primarily logistical and/or educational.
This seems to be one of the biggest consumer purchases for children in the 21st century. Of course, I am far from being a Luddite by any stretch of the imagination, but I do believe that younger kids do not need fancy i-Products. Well, most adults don't necessarily need them either, but it's always been my belief that tech products for children should be purchased with an eye to their value to your child's future, or to make communication between you and your child easier. So, in my book, yes to cell phone when they are in middle school, but only the most basic model. Kids don't need individual laptops until college, maybe high school.

3. Research universities meticulously to find the best fit for your college-bound kid that's also the best deal after taking into account financial aid or scholarship money that doesn't need to be repaid.
As someone who attended an inordinately expensive university and is now saddled with student debt, I am a firm believer in doing your research before sending your child off to school. Although private, high-quality universities certainly can be great investments, this is true only if the sticker cost is reduced by government grants and private/school-based scholarships. Don't burden your child's future with debt either.

4. Remember that love and family closeness is the most important aspect of raising a healthy child, and that's completely free!
So many parents across the nation have anxieties about their parenting and the future of their children, and of course it's natural. However, don't be that parent who equates good childrearing with spending money. The most important thing is that you develop a healthy and close family bond. All else is just the icing on the cake.

By-line:
Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.



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