Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One app.

Get all your news in one place.

100's of premium titles. One news app.

SHOCKING: 5 - What They Never Told You

8 Things Parents Should Stop Buying Once Their Kids Are Old Enough to Earn Money

Watching your child earn a first paycheck is exciting, but it also creates a question many families avoid: What should parents stop paying for? Financial independence for young adults rarely happens overnight, especially with today’s high living costs, yet earning money provides an opportunity to practice managing it. A 2025…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 26

Your Child Made the Travel Team — Here’s What That “Yes” Could Really Cost

Getting the message that your child made a competitive travel team can feel like a major family victory. Your kid is excited, you’re proud, and after all those practices and tryouts, saying yes may seem automatic. Then comes the registration fee—and the realization that it may represent only a fraction…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 26

7 Things Parents Should Never Drain Their Emergency Fund to Buy for Their Kids

Parents naturally want to give their children opportunities, memorable experiences, and things that make life easier. But generosity can become financially dangerous when it means emptying savings meant for a job loss, major repair, or other genuine crisis. Bankrate reported in January 2026 that only 30% of Americans said they…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 25

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

Your Kid Wants to Drop Out of College — What Happens to the Money You Already Paid?

When your college student says, “I don’t think I want to be here anymore,” your first concern may be whether leaving is truly the right decision. But after paying thousands of dollars for tuition, housing, meals, and fees, another question quickly follows: What happens to all that money? A college…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 25

7 Things Parents Buy Because Other Parents Have Them — Not Because Their Kids Need Them

Parenting has always come with a certain amount of comparison, but social media, school pickup lines, birthday parties, and group chats can make it feel impossible to ignore what other families own. Suddenly, an ordinary backpack seems inadequate because three classmates have a trendy one, or a perfectly functional stroller…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 24

Your Kid Keeps Losing Expensive Stuff — When Should Parents Stop Replacing It?

A missing water bottle is annoying. Losing $150 earbuds, a smartwatch, sports equipment, or a school-issued device can turn ordinary childhood forgetfulness into a real family-budget problem.

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 24

The Grandparent Spending Problem: What to Do When They Keep Buying Your Kids Everything

Grandparents often show love through generosity, but there is a point when another toy, outfit, gadget, or surprise stops feeling helpful. For parents, too much grandparent spending can create clutter, undermine household rules, and teach children to expect a purchase every time Grandma or Grandpa visits. This is hardly a…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 23

Read news from The Economist, FT, and more,
with one subscription

Your Child Got Birthday Money — Should You Let Them Spend All of It?

Birthday cards are opened, cake crumbs are everywhere, and suddenly your child is holding $100 from generous relatives. Their first instinct may be to spend every dollar on toys, games, clothes, or something they spotted online. For parents, birthday money for kids presents an interesting question: Should children have complete…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 23

The $1,000 School Trip Question: When Should Parents Just Say No?

A permission slip lands on the kitchen counter, and suddenly a parent is staring at a four-figure decision: Is a $1,000 school trip worth it? For many families, the answer is complicated because educational travel can offer memorable learning experiences while also putting serious pressure on a household budget. That…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 22

6 Money Rules Every Family Should Set Before a Teen Starts Driving

Handing a teenager the car keys is a major milestone, but it can also reshape the family budget almost overnight. Insurance, gasoline, maintenance, parking, repairs, and unexpected mishaps mean teen driving costs can reach far beyond the price of the vehicle itself. Experian reported that adding a teenager to an…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 22

Should Parents Charge Adult Kids Rent When They Move Back Home?

Moving back home as an adult is no longer unusual. In 2023, 18% of Americans ages 25 to 34 lived in a parent’s home, according to Pew Research Center, and housing costs, job changes, student debt, divorce, and saving for a home can all make returning to the family home…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 21

8 Things Grandparents Buy Kids That Parents Secretly Wish They Wouldn’t

Grandparents often love showing affection through gifts, and watching a grandchild tear into a new present can be irresistible. But even the most generous gift can create an unexpected headache when it clashes with household rules, available space, or a child’s age. That is why gifts grandparents buy kids can…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 21

43% of Parents Would Go Into Debt to Help Their Kids Fit In — 7 Money Traps to Avoid

The expensive sneakers. The travel team all their friends joined. The class trip. The birthday outing everyone is talking about. For parents, saying “we can’t afford that” can feel like saying no to far more than a purchase—it can feel like risking your child’s place in the group. That pressure…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 20

Youth Sports Cost Families $1,016 a Year on Average — 8 Expenses New Parents Don’t Expect

Youth sports can look surprisingly affordable when the registration page says $150 or $300. Then come the cleats, second uniform, tournament hotel, concession-stand meals, private lessons, team fundraiser, and Friday afternoon you have to leave work early for an out-of-town game. Suddenly, that registration fee looks like the smallest part…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 20

Get all your
news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One news app.

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 19

Before You Give Your Child Their First Smartphone, Do These 6 Things

Giving a child their first smartphone can solve a practical problem—suddenly they can call after practice, text when plans change, and reach you in an emergency. But it also places apps, messaging, cameras, location sharing, purchases, strangers, and a nearly unlimited internet connection in their pocket. Smartphone access is nearly…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 19

The $500 Birthday Party Question: When Did Kids’ Birthdays Get So Expensive?

A child’s birthday can go from cake and balloons to a $500 event surprisingly fast. Venue packages, pizza, decorations, favors, entertainment, taxes, and tips can turn what looked like a modest afternoon into one of the family’s bigger discretionary expenses of the year. A 2024 survey reported by The Bump…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 18

8 Money Skills Kids Should Know Before They Get Their First Debit Card

A first debit card can feel like a major step toward independence for a child, but tapping a card is much easier than understanding what happens to the money behind it. Before handing over that plastic, parents can use the moment to teach money skills for kids that will matter…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 18

How Much Should a Teen Contribute Toward Their First Car?

Buying a first car is one of those milestones that can feel exciting for a teenager and financially complicated for a parent. Families have to balance independence, safety, affordability, and the valuable lesson that a vehicle costs more than the number on the windshield. There is no universal teen car…

Get all your
news in one place.

100's of premium titles.
One news app.

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 17

Your Child Wants to Quit an Expensive Activity — Should You Make Them Finish the Season?

Your child begged to join the travel soccer team, dance company, gymnastics program, or music lessons, and you paid hundreds—or even thousands—of dollars to make it happen. Now, halfway through the commitment, your child wants to quit, leaving you frustrated about the money, the commitment, and the lesson quitting might…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 17

Should Kids Get Paid for Good Grades? What Parents Should Consider Before Offering Cash

Paying a child $10 for every A can sound like a simple way to turn report-card day into motivation day. For some families, paying kids for good grades provides a concrete goal and even creates an opportunity to teach saving, spending, and budgeting. But research on academic incentives suggests the…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 16

6 Things Parents Should Stop Automatically Paying For Once Their Teen Has a Job

Getting a first job is a major milestone for a teenager, but the paycheck can teach far more than how quickly money disappears at the mall. For parents, it is also an opportunity to introduce teen financial responsibility while the consequences of mistakes are still relatively small. That does not…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 16

7 August Advocacy Tasks That Can Make the School Year Easier to Navigate

August can feel like one long checklist of school supplies, forms, schedules, and last-minute appointments, but it is also an ideal time for school advocacy. A few proactive steps before classes settle into full speed can prevent small communication gaps from becoming bigger problems later. This is especially important for…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 15

What Does a Special-Education Placement Change Cost Families?

A change in a child’s special-education placement can sound like an academic decision, but families often discover that it has a financial side, too. A new campus or program may affect transportation, therapy schedules, child care, work hours, evaluations, and even tuition. Those special education placement costs can range from…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 15

Understanding School Attendance Rules That Can Hit Families Managing Therapy Appointments

For families juggling school with speech therapy, occupational therapy, counseling, physical therapy, or other recurring care, the calendar can become surprisingly complicated. A weekly appointment may be medically important, yet repeated time away from class can still affect a student’s attendance record. The challenge is that school attendance rules vary…

Kids Ain't Cheap · Aug 14

7 Records to Bring When Requesting a Special-Education Evaluation

When a child is struggling at school, asking for a special-education evaluation can feel like a major step. Parents often know something is wrong but may not know which information will help the school understand the full picture. Bringing organized special education evaluation records can make concerns more concrete and…

1 … 4 5 6 7

People

Grandpa

72 stories

From analysis to the latest developments in health,
read the most diverse news in one place.

Organisations

American Academy of Pediatrics

177 stories

Credit Karma

67 stories

The Philadelphia Inquirer

Read news from The Economist, FT, and more,
with one subscription

Topics

Places

Fourteen days free

Download the app

One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.