LONDON, March 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --



Having kids causes enough lost sleep without adding money worries into the mix as well. Having children has numerous rewards but few of them are financial. If you are smart you will plan ahead. The trouble is, if you have never had a child how will you know how much you should be spending? The chances are you will underprepare.

On the other hand, you might prepare too well and end up with far too much food, clothes and toys that the baby will never actually use. Either way, you could do with some guidance, some idea of just how much raising a child costs. And that's where the Child Cost tool comes in. With NatWest's Child Cost Calculator you can get an idea of exactly how much each stage of raising a child will cost you, as well as finding out where you fit in the overall average. Are you spending too little? Or are you spoiling your little bundle of joy a bit too much?

The tool is divided into four sections. First up is the cost of raising a baby from 0 - 12 months old, then a toddler (1- 3 years), a child (4 - 12 years) and a teenager (13 - 17 years). Each group also tells you the national average and is divided into a variety of categories including nappies, childcare, food, clothing, books, toys, nursery, furniture and other equipment, otherwise known as miscellaneous.

So at a glance you can see that the cost of raising a child (£184,173.10) is more than double the cost of raising a teenager (£73, 373.25). Perhaps not surprisingly one of the biggest differences is in the amount spent on toys. For children, it's £6,480 but for teenagers it's just £3,000. With clothes on the other hand, teenagers win out with a spend of £9,000 in just five years while on children the spend is more than £300 less in nine years.

So if you're having sleepless nights worrying whether you will be able to afford the cost of having a baby or are wondering how much the next few years of child rearing will cost you, or are simply pondering how your spending compares to other parents around the UK, the Child Cost Calculator is ready and willing to help.

SOURCE NatWest