Teens Are Ex-pen-sive!

Ann McRae

15 yr old needs braces - dental plan covers $2K lifetime, total cost is $6K over 2 yrs.
17 yr old is graduating high school and off to college ......who knows what that will cost.

The two of them are about to start driving - third car $5 or $6K, insurance another $2K.

And there is one more of them!

Just when I was thinking I was getting off the financial hamster wheel.......think maybe I'm gonna need another job!


ann

Eric&Susan

Hi Ann

At least you get a small break in between the ages. My wife and I were just talking about how when the twins turn 16 we need two cars and when they go to college we get 2 tuitions, lucky us

It's tuff right now having to buy 2 of every toy, shirt, whatever we get I can't imagine how hard it will be when we get to the older ages.

Eric

anwmn1

My little guy is only 8 and I already worry about that too. My little Toyota truck has 170K miles so it should still be good when he is 18.

Seefutlung

Youngest daughter $750 month for private school (doesn't include expenses for sports et cetera.) Just started driving.

Oldest daughter sophmore in college. Went out of state. $30K tuition.

Tango

i hear you......Ann

umm, brace yourself on the college cost.....

dont buy them a car. buses and bikes are for everyone...:D

Awais Yaqub

huh
Far far more expensive then i thought !

tsk1979

Come to India
For $5K you can stay in 5 Star hotel, do some real good tourism, and get braces from the best dentists

JavaLover

We just embarked on that little adventure and it's going to be $4500, $3000 outta pocket. Anyway, I feel you. I'm hoping the first child is out of braces before the next one goes in.

I'm making them share a car when we get to that point and they get our '96 Honda, bout time my hubby gets a new car.

And it's not the big ticket items either, you kind of know those things are coming. What is getting me is the $20 here the $95 dollars there! Ah but it could be worse I could be wondering where they are or visiting them in juvie.

Travis

Ann, no worries. For a good prime 85 mm lens, I'd be more than happy to align your daughter's teeth. Throw in a D300 and I'll also give her 4 years of that fancy book learning.

I'm not a dentist or a professor but I did sleep in a Holiday Inn Express once.

ShepsMom

Gosh, join the club. I only have 1 17 year old, i stopped kid production after this one turned 3
College, send him to community college for 2 years, they learn same crap for 2 years at University anyway, why waist good money?? He can transfer credits later for another 2 years.

Car, i sent my son to work, i told him to safe his every pay check (keep $20.00) and that will make for a good downpayment on a vehicle, get him a loan and have him make payments, you can also co-sign to start building a credit.
That's my plan, my son is working for the last 2 month now, he only saved $1000.00, but hey, another year he'll be all good to buy a car and pay his insurance. Otherwise, he can kiss my patooties because i'm not paying for anything after he's 18.

Zanotti

I feel your pain.......(X2 kids!)

scottV

sounds like it's time for them to get a jobby job.

Ann McRae

So, of course, we know that

1. Braces not optional

2. College not optional but there is still hope for scholarships and of course there is some Education Savings Plan money too.

3. Car optional but would really help us in that a.) there is no public transit here b.) riding a bike is not an option at -30C afaiac. c.)right now, we must transport them to and from school and it costs us time at work. Having them able to do that for themselves, and help with the younger brother, would be beneficial.

Daughter has been working for months (since she has been legally able to).
Number one son has this ridiculous soccer schedule that has, so far, impeded his ability to (at least in his mind) hold a job. Anyway, there are some reality checks coming soon to a channel near you! The deal may be that we buy the car, they pay for insurance and gas or that we lend the money for the car. Handing down one of our cars won't work because they would need collision insurance on them and that becomes even more prohibitive.

ann

Phyxius

I bought my first car when I was 16 and it was a convertible with a V6 engine, CD player, and leather interior. My brother was not as good at saving money from his jobs and he bought him self a 21 yr old toyota for $200.

My friend's parents bought her an audi when she was in high school and she hated it. I told her to quit complaining, get a job, and buy her own car. She didn't take my advice though.

So, isn't it great that no matter what you do the kidlets won't be happy with it?

Ann McRae

Phyxius wrote:

So, isn't it great that no matter what you do the kidlets won't be happy with it?

Too true, Christina, you have no idea! The oldest may just get turfed the day he graduates high school!!! But that is a story for another day!

ann

jdryan3

anwmn1 wrote:

My little guy is only 8 and I already worry about that too.

I don't worry about any of this. Put a baseball in his left hand - make him sleep with it! That is not only the way mine (almost 8) is getting that sholarship to Stanford - it's also how I am paying for my retirement.

ShepsMom

jdryan3 wrote:

I don't worry about any of this. Put a baseball in his left hand - make him sleep with it! That is not only the way mine (almost 8) is getting that sholarship to Stanford - it's also how I am paying for my retirement.

It would be really nice if it worked that way!

greenpea

You people are depressing me; I have two daughters (ages 1 and 4), after reading this thread I now realize that I have to look forward to a life of poverty and never getting to do any more computer or camera upgrades :cry

Ann McRae

greenpea wrote:

You people are depressing me; I have two daughters (ages 1 and 4), after reading this thread I now realize that I have to look forward to a life of poverty and never getting to do any more computer or camera upgrades :cry

Andrew - at this point there are some things I wish I could do over:

1. Don't live in a fairly affluent neighborhood where your kids peers want for nothing - their expectations are high enough without that kind of competition.

2. Start putting money aside now!!!

3. Don't have your business go bankrupt as your kids become teenagers!

And then realize that teens are teens and they are going to get under your skin no matter what.

Nikolai

Dear Ann,
I hear ya... My elder dotty is a WashU (STL) freshman, and the younger one has two more years of high school to go.
Both were finally off the ir braces last year. Lucky for me, Natalie doesn't need a car at the campus, and Helen's high school schedule allows me to drop her off and my wife to picke her up without affecting our work schedules by much. And while there is not much of a public transportation here either, our Conejo Valley is only about 20x3 miles area, so any possible extracurricular activity is within 10 minutes drive.
As to the paying for college - well, that's a totally different story....

greenpea

Thanks for the advice Ann! I figure anyone who can escape by themselves to Glacier, and with the family to Riviera Maya, is doing something right.

Ann McRae wrote:

Andrew - at this point there are some things I wish I could do over:

1. Don't live in a fairly affluent neighborhood where your kids peers want for nothing - their expectations are high enough without that kind of competition.

Well, the neighborhood was an old blue collar working class neighborhood when we moved in, and in 10 short years its totally been gentrified. What's a person to do?

2. Start putting money aside now!!!

Definately!

3. Don't have your business go bankrupt as your kids become teenagers!

This was the idea behind taking a govenment job 3 years ago, hopefully it will remain a stable source of employment.

And then realize that teens are teens and they are going to get under your skin no matter what.

My 4 year old already knows how to push my buttons (and her mothers too).

john l

Annie, you have no idea. After college or whatever there are weddings and grandkids(who are more expensive yet). Insofar as college or university is concerned(I'm from that little country north of you)both my girls did co-op. They did a school term and then a work term. Had to hold a B+ average to continue in the program. I paid for 1/2 of the first term expenses(they continued to live at home). One is a dental hygienist and the other has a MBA. The grandkids make it all worthwhile.

Ann McRae

john l wrote:

Annie, you have no idea. After college or whatever there are weddings and grandkids(who are more expensive yet). Insofar as college or university is concerned(I'm from that little country north of you)both my girls did co-op. They did a school term and then a work term. Had to hold a B+ average to continue in the program. I paid for 1/2 of the first term expenses(they continued to live at home). One is a dental hygienist and the other has a MBA. The grandkids make it all worthwhile.

Hehehe, John, you're not from the country north of me!!!!! cuz I am also a Canuck!

I'm thinking that by the time (I hope) there are grandkids, I won't be supporting their parents! And luckily for my kids, their generous grandparents have RSPs for them.. but not enough to ship them far, far away!

Ann McRae

greenpea wrote:

Thanks for the advice Ann! I figure anyone who can escape by themselves to Glacier, and with the family to Riviera Maya, is doing something right.


Well, the neighborhood was an old blue collar working class neighborhood when we moved in, and in 10 short years its totally been gentrified. What's a person to do?


Definately!


This was the idea behind taking a govenment job 3 years ago, hopefully it will remain a stable source of employment.


My 4 year old already knows how to push my buttons (and her mothers too).

Hi Andrew
Financially, I like to live on the edge! Why save when there is so much of the world to see and photograph!


ann

Ann McRae

Nikolai wrote:

Dear Ann,
I hear ya... My elder dotty is a WashU (STL) freshman, and the younger one has two more years of high school to go.
Both were finally off the ir braces last year. Lucky for me, Natalie doesn't need a car at the campus, and Helen's high school schedule allows me to drop her off and my wife to picke her up without affecting our work schedules by much. And while there is not much of a public transportation here either, our Conejo Valley is only about 20x3 miles area, so any possible extracurricular activity is within 10 minutes drive.
As to the paying for college - well, that's a totally different story....

Hi Nick - you remember when your kids were babes and you couldn't wait for them to get bigger so that they were less demanding??? Fooled me, they did, really fooled me!

ann