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| The high cost of raising a teenager |
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Being on a traveling team can also add significantly
to the expense. "With gasoline prices steadily climbing, it's
not unusual to dump $150 or more into the tank within three days,"
says Amy Grisak of Kalispell, Mont., whose stepson plays ice hockey
on a traveling team. On top of that, there's another $125-plus for
hotel accommodations and easily $125 for meals. "We don't take
family vacations because our money is used for traveling during
hockey season," Grisak says.
3. Extracurricular activities
Although sports are often cited as a significant expense, don't
forget all the other extracurricular activities. Whether your child
is into computers, music, art, theater, debate, chess or learning
a foreign language, those activities can cost a pretty penny. Parents
often don't realize just how much an activity will cost until their
child is deeply immersed in it. And then it's difficult to deprive
them of something they have grown to enjoy.
It can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars
per year depending on the activities your child is involved in.
Private lessons, registration fees, equipment, costumes or specialized
clothing can all strain the family budget. And, if there are several
children in the family, each of whom has two or three extracurricular
interests, look out! Those activities just might break the piggy
bank!
4. Food
Growing bodies demand food. A lot of food.
"I have a 6-foot-2-inch 14-year-old boy who embraces
a scorched-Earth eating style and leaves nothing behind," says
Carole Lynch of Jacksonville, N.C. It's not necessarily expensive
foods, it's just the quantity that teenagers pack away on any given
day.
"Food is expensive and has put one heck of a
hole in our budget," says Lynch, who is also the mom of a teenage
girl.
5. Dental and orthodontic care
The American Association of Orthodontists says millions of teenagers
need orthodontic treatment and recommends that every child be seen
by an orthodontic specialist by age 7. The cost of braces, depending
on where you live and the type of orthodontic work that needs to
be done, can range in cost from $3,000 to well over $7,000.
But, while treatment can be expensive, without it
many young people can develop serious oral health problems such
as tooth decay, diseased gums and tooth loss. Compounding the expense
is the fact that dental insurance is frequently not offered by employers
and, if offered, is often limited in its coverage. Check to see
if your employer offers a health-care spending account to help save
for out-of-pocket costs.
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