Raising a Child Now Costs a Grand Total of $252,000
The extra $500 parents got per kid from the stimulus bill is about to feel like chump change . . .
A new study found that raising a child now costs an average of $252,000 in the U.S. That works out to $14,000 a year for 18 years. Here's how it breaks down . . .
1. Housing costs the most. An average of $3,971 extra each year.
2. Food, $2,482 a year.
3. Child care and education, $2,280. That includes day care, babysitters, and school expenses. But not college, or private school.
4. Transportation, $2,127.
5. Healthcare, $1,302.
6. Clothing, $795 a year.
7. Miscellaneous expenses, $1,047. That's everything from toys to haircuts.
All those stats are based on people with two kids . . . so $14,000 per kid, or $28,000 a year. If you only have one, it costs about $17,800 a year. And if you have three, it costs less . . . about $10,600 per child.