Are babies more expensive or teenagers?

I look forward to seeing the answers that you get - my first baby is due TODAY!!! aarrrggghhhh!! :o)

I don't think it gets more expensive or cheaper as they get older, it's just what the vast amount of money is spent on that changes.

I would say babies, because the amount of stuff you have to buy them is ridiculous. Teenagers may winge more, but in most cases, some of the stuff that they own and/or do is paid by the teenager themselves, particularly as they start to head towards the tweens...
Babies even more so if it is your first child and you have had to go out and buy all the baby stuff brand new from scratch.

Teenagers definitely it's just that we are more willing to spend on babies than resentful teenagers at times. They seem to get more expensive and demanding the older they get.

I had the first and now I've got the second. Thing is you are probably going to be in different financial position by the time he/she gets there so it is difficult to judge. I think babies are a bit like getting married. You can spend fortunes or not. Babies need to be feed and loved. What do they know? Teens on the other hand just you wait!

i would say teanagers i have 4 children and it costs much more for them now than when they were babies

I would say teenagers. I know that when my daughter was born I was able to buy lots of things second hand or was passed on things by friends and family so I never really spent a vast amount. However, my daughter is 11 now and I certainly don't think I could get away with giving her second hand clothes etc!! Things like holidays are more expensive whilst babies can travel free...she is already talking about when she will be able to take driving lessons!!

Definitely teenagers as they always want money to buy things (or help themselves!) where you can give a baby anything and there's not much it can do about it!

I think babies are more expensive for the amount of equipment you need and the rate that they grow out of things!

i think teenagers. i am at the baby stage and you dont need to buy all the stuff that's available. friends donate hand me downs and you can borrow toys from toy libraries.looking at my niece, i cant imagine her going without anything or using anything second hand!!

My son isn't a teenager yet and a long way to go, but I would imagine, your teenager can be taught about saving money.

You could also teach your teenager about money by him/her working a local shop that will reduce your "I want this dad for Christmas" famous statement

Based on my parents' claims, teenagers by far!!! At the end of the day, babies have mouths but they don't know how to talk yet and therefore don't ask for things, while teenagers all they do is ask for a different thing every day. One week they think their vocation is to be a professional surfer and want to get the equipment and a course in the Summer, then the next they think they can be good at something else, etc.

And nowadays, there must be a lot of competition amongst them to see whose iPod has the biggest storage capacity, who can get an iPhone to show off, who has more shoes (that's for the girls), etc

Plus there is the cost of education, etc

Do I need to go on?

Oh, just the thought of teenagers makes me afraid of having kids!

sorry to buck the trend but i would say babies they need things like buggies and prams and cots , then they go through thier clothes so fast it is frightening, plus they are going to be teenagers one day too lol

It depends on how willing you are to give into the demands of teenagers and their wish to have the latest of everything and keep up with their mates. If you are talking necessities then probably babies.

Teenagers definitely! Babies don't demand things just because all the other babies have got them!

It's a tough one. Maybe your first baby would be more, with the expense of having to buy things for the first time, second and third babies tend to get Han me downs. I do think that if you sit down and look at nappies and bottles and milk you have to buy that in fact they come close to a teenager who wants everything!

Babies are normally born when the parents don't have much cash so they (i.e. parents) are usually more frugal, and find life quite hard. However, when the kids grow up and become teenagers the parents are usually both working. in better jobs and tend to have more money to spend on their children, so the extra expense for the needs/education etc of their children isn't so bad for the parents .

teenagers ask for things. babies dont.

about equal theres so much stuff to get for babies that is quickly outgrown. but teenagers want more things.

I would have thought babies were cheaper, they don't compare trainers or look down on each other if they are wearing the wrong jeans. They don't watch advertising and they don't use mobiles. If you are lucky grandparents will fund a lot of baby expenditure

Teenagers definately. They want more expensive things than babies do!

If you are lucky, when you have babies, there are so many presents bought for them, you never have to buy much. When they are teenagers, they can get themselves out to work and earn themselves some money!! Or is this just wishful thinking!!??

Teenagers can buy for themselves most of the time and babies can't, love is important really, nothing is expensive to buy for children. But as parents, should buy sometimes for children no matter what there age is. Quality love for kids and quality items at good prices.

Well teenagers of course, some get themselves in debt and come running back home to mummy and daddy, well I talk from seeing this within the family.

I personally saved hard so I never cost my mum and dad anything.I guess it depends on the person, look at the youngster on this site that is looking to ivest in shares, now there's a smart cookie and I wish them luck, then on the other hand there are the must have this, must have that, oh, and I'll get a credit card and pay it later, and that can end in tears.

Mind you, I did see a nice pair of trainers for my two year old the other day. Perhaps I'll buy them for her next birthday. Or shall I spoil her?

Wow Avaface ... what a popular question!

At first consideration, babies are financially fairly low maintenance I guess .. after all teenagers are kind of adult size, with appetites to match and sometimes big buck demands. And babies simply don't have the 'want' factor do they?

But hey, we don't get a choice here do we ... babies are really just trainee teenagers, aren't they?