Today I would answer a common question that people ask when considering having children: "how much it costs to bring up a child to the age of 20?” – I made an investigation and the statistics show that the average Polish family spends for the baby around 1000zl per month but very often the costs are much, much higher...
The cost of bringing up a child depends on various factors, including the year you plan to have your child, where you plan to live, and your household income. Other factors - such as a further education - will also have a significant bearing on the amount you spend to bring up your child. There are various ways you can estimate how much raising a child will cost. While figures can vary from year to year, such tools can help you get an idea of an average spend.
The average cost for raising a child to the age of 20 is about 500.000zl. This takes into account housing, food, transportation, clothing, healthcare, childcare, educational and college costs, and so on. Those costs can be reduced by resigning from paying for babysitters, expensive clothes or private schools to the amount of 280.000zl.
The early years can be the most expensive with childcare costing an average of 50.000zl. This includes babysitter or nursery fees, cost of: stroller, cradle, changing table, diapers, cosmetics, vaccines, clothing and toys, etc. Early educational costs, including after school clubs and holiday clubs and a range of miscellaneous expenditures such as cool gadgets, clothes and sports equipment, have also been taken into account provides a cost around 50.000zl.
The hardest and the most expensive time for parent’s budget is the time the children go to high school. This cost can rise as high as 200.000zl within those few years.
University usually comes next, figuring in at about 30-40.000zl for a total of four years of study.
Another thing to consider is the cost of food, which can come to around 2500zl per year. Transportation alone - including school runs, trips to friends houses and running a taxi service for your teenager and his/her friends - comes to just over 1200zl per year.
Then there are always miscellaneous costs, which require about 1500zl per year. Finally, the cost of clothes figures in at around 1000-1500zl per year.
If you are preparing to have children, then it is important to prepare yourself financially, whether this means opening an additional savings account and putting away a little money each month or by some other method.
While these figures may be daunting for many soon to be parents, it's always important to remember that the rewards of bringing up a child always outweigh any financial costs...
http://www.baby-shower.pl/AKTUALNOSCI/Felietony/Ile-kosztuje-wychowanie-dziecka.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/jun/18/familyfinance2
http://www.strefabiznesu.gazetalubuska.pl/artykul/ile-kosztuje-nas-wychowanie-dziecka-36161.html
Questions:
1. Are you surprised hearing about the cost of bringing up a child?
2. Do you think that this kind of information can discourage people from having children and in turn decrease birthrate in our country?
Ad 1 No, to be honest I thought it would be more expensive.
ReplyDeleteAd 2 I don't think so. If someones really want to have a child, he will find money for it.
1. I'm not surprise, but your 1000 PLN per month is not true. The more money you have, the more you spend. And the more kids you have, the more money and time you can save per each. And... money is nothing, but did anyone count how much time does parenthood take? That could really scare many... ;-)
ReplyDelete2. Untrue information discourage many people XD However I agree, children are awfully expensive. Parents shouldn't pay taxes at all :D
1.I'm not surprised, PJWSTK is 1200 zl per month, I heard that private highschools monthly cost is very simmilar to PJWSTK.
ReplyDelete2.I agree with Maciej If someone really want child he/she will find money to pay for everything
1. As the others I am not surprised. We are studying in a private school which is quite expensive, but instead of this, my girlfriend study medicine in public university, and the monthly costs are not lower then mine.
ReplyDeleteIt depends on how much do you earn. I agree with Asia. More money - you spend more.
ReplyDeleteIf you have not enough money you shouldn't have many children. Unfortunately it's common. I want such parents to be more reasonable.
2. Historically one of the most important reasons to have children was social safety - "my parents raised me and invested in me so i'll take care of them when they're old". now this is no longer valid as social security is provided by government. so people have lost one good reason to have children.
ReplyDeletethis is IMO the biggest flaw in the so called 'pro-family' policy adapted by socialistic governments :)
I hate when people state that having children is kind of policy or pension, but thats my problem. I think when it comes to having offspring no reasons are needed, because basically its just primal urge..., so to say.
ReplyDeleteNo i'm not suprised.I have to agree with Maciej in 100%. Child is not a car which you're upgrading, repairing, not getting nothing in the end so you should complain about it. It's better not to have a child than to watch on your kid and see only financial losses.. C'mon!
ReplyDeleteI agree with my interlocutors. Being a responsible parent means that you can predict all the needs of your child and cost of these needs. As s3616 mentioned, it shouldn't be seen as I financial loss.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wonder, why people that have problem with existence, decide to have serveral children. One child is big problem, and needs a lot of money, but if family has no job, and the have 4-5 or even more children? is it stupid?
ReplyDeleteThat’s true child could be very expensive. But it mostly depends on parents.
ReplyDeleteBut you spend that many for a long period not everything on the beginning.
If you really want to have baby you would never calculate this. You work for some reason for me child is the best one
ReplyDelete