The truth is in the details

I have always heard this phrase: "Having children is extremely expensive..."

In my opinion, that is false. Having children can be quite affordable. (I am talking about small children; when they are older, I know there are studies involved and that can drive up the budget. Although it could be debated, since I have not reached that stage yet, I will not comment on things I do not know.)

Let’s look at real data.

A package of powdered milk for preparing bottles... about €20, and it lasts almost a month (if you want, you can find it at €60, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there are even more expensive ones...). If you breastfeed... yes, yes, if you breastfeed, it costs €0. Therefore, mothers who can and/or want to do so can save some money.

A large pack of diapers... you can find them on sale for €20 or less, lasting practically a month (some people go through them faster because they compulsively change the diaper... but that is another topic).

And... nothing else. They don’t need anything else.

All right, there are clothes... Expensive? Well, yes, if they have to be brand-name, yes... but there are clothing chains where, during sales, we can find real bargains. For example, last winter at the Kiabi clothing chain, we bought 5 pajamas for €5. Expensive?

Therefore, a child can get through the month with less than €100, and remember that the State gives you €100 per child during the first three years of life. And the Generalitat (Catalan government) provides €600 a year for 3 years.

Large non-recurring expenses

(Remember that the State gives €2,500 for the birth.)

The child’s room. Yes, honestly, if you go to a specialized store, you probably won’t spend less than €1,000/1,500, but at Ikea you can set up a room for €300/400. And if you spread this expense over the years it will last (a minimum of 5 years, if purchased with the future in mind), the cost comes to:

€400 / 5 years = €80/year.

Toys.

Give a small child a rattle or a small bottle filled with sand (sealed, of course)... they won’t notice the difference.

Toddlers do not need toys in the early years... they are busy enough discovering the world.

Therefore, toys can be reduced significantly. A stuffed animal, some kind of light-up toy so parents feel like they are stimulating their child, and little else. (I don’t know how anyone can think a light-up toy can be more stimulating than seeing the world... just because we have lived on Earth for many years and find many things boring doesn’t mean they are boring for someone who has never seen them.)

Strollers, cribs, car seats.

I won’t deny that this is where the budget can shoot up, but let’s be honest, most of these expenses are not borne solely by the family.

In most cases, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, siblings... help with purchasing these items.

Still, competitive prices can be found.

At Champion, there are car seats for under €30 that last until about 3 years old.

€30 / 3 years = €10/year.

And there are very affordable strollers that can last 5 years, and can be reused for siblings.

Baby monitors, bath thermometers, sterilizers, dehumidifiers, baby walkers...

An endless list of items ending in “-ers” that are not necessary.

Our parents didn’t have them. I have never used a baby monitor to check if the baby is crying, because babies have the strange ability to cry louder if they are not yet loud enough for you to hear them.

Also, a baby monitor won’t help you know if the baby is alive or not. When a baby sleeps, they make no sound, and when they are dead, they also make no sound. (It might sound like a joke, but many people want a baby monitor “in case something happens”... What exactly? If something happens, they will cry and you’ll hear them without a monitor. And if you have the misfortune that something so serious happens that they can’t cry... you won’t hear them on the monitor either. If the monitor gave us heart rate and breathing rhythm, then maybe it would make more sense for worried parents.)

Therefore, €0.

Minivan?

Yes, this is where the budget can skyrocket, but I have to reveal a secret:

You don’t need a minivan or a family car to have children.

The car you’ve always had will also work to transport them.

So, €0.

Moving house?

Like the minivan, it’s not necessary.

I have a friend who lived with 9 siblings and both parents (11 people) in an 80-square-meter apartment with only one bathroom.

And he survived without any trauma.

Therefore, €0.

The only unresolved issue: nursery school.

If you have to take them to a private nursery, this is where costs do go up.

But here we could discuss a more delicate topic:

Is it possible for the child to stay with us during the first year and a half or two years of life?

I know, work...

It’s difficult, but it’s possible if you want to take the risk and look for different jobs that allow flexible schedules to coordinate with your partner or whoever. We managed it, so it’s possible.

But here I do acknowledge there is a problem:

There is a lack of public nursery schools.

In summary:

I wanted to debunk the false myth that small children are extremely expensive.

Apart from nursery school, if they’re expensive, it’s because the parents choose that.

Anyway, in a few months, we’ll see some big study saying that having a child costs thousands of euros.

Or like a friend of mine who doesn’t have children, who thought parents spent €300/400 a month on diapers... come on, as if they were Calvin Klein diapers!