How much is that baby in the window?

A report out today spells out the average cost of child rearing.

16 February 2006 13:08 GMT / By Ben Harvard Taylor

It's a horrific figure and one that will make the blood drain from many a parents face - the cost of bringing up just one child.

In a survey commissioned by Maestro UK and Family circle it was found that, on average, parents are spending £43,056 to take a child to adulthood - and that doesn't seem to include any allowance for those people who wish to put their sprogs through private schooling or even a nursery.

Babies are pegged at costing paretns around £40 a week, with 16-year-olds coming in as the most expensive at £64 a week. The biggest expense is food, with the average child having chomped their way through over £20,000 of meals by the time they reach 18.

The survey goes on to break down exactly where all that money goes, but I was feeling too unwell to continue reading. If you want to do your own research additonal data is available here.

My gadget ambitions are definitely going to have to take a back seat for the moment!

Full tags

Dad, Baby