That’s how much a child costs in Switzerland

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1,300 to 1,800 francs per month: This is the amount parents in Switzerland should budget for a child each month. This is the result of calculations made by the Zurich Youth Office. This translates to an average of 18,500 francs per year, ie 370,000 francs in direct costs up to her 20th birthday. Of course per child.

The highly anticipated baby also means spending on furniture, strollers, clothes, diapers, medical supplies and more. The average monthly expenses of a child aged 1 to 4 are as follows: 285 francs for food, 105 francs for clothing, 520 francs for housing (room), 70 francs for housing, 115 francs health insurance 175 francs for medical expenses and 50 francs for leisure and travel. So a total of 1320 francs/month. It has been calculated quite cautiously.

According to the same source, on average, 5 to 12 year olds spend slightly less on clothing (95 francs per month) and significantly more on leisure and travel (300 francs per month). This brings the costs to around 1465 francs/month. That’s even more for a teenager with 360 francs of free time a month. It makes a total of 1790 francs per month.

These are just guidelines. There are also indirect costs. “It should be noted that when at least one parent has children, they often reduce their working hours,” explains Philipp Frei, Managing Director of Swiss umbrella organization Budget-Consulting. This reduces disposable income. While the cost of a daycare is usually proportional to the couple’s income when childcare is needed, this can place a heavy burden on the family budget. Depending on where you live, unsubsidized day care centers can be very billable.

Price per child decreases for large families

If you take all this into account, the expenditure per child increases significantly.

For example, unexpected expenses may arise if the child has health problems or if the family’s location requires purchasing a car to get around. After all, most cantons also offer parental or maternity benefits, the amount of which can vary depending on the parents’ income.

If you have several children, you can still save on various expenses. For example, clothes and toys often pass from older children to younger children. There are also special discounts for family fun activities. Conversely, having another child can also lead to higher costs. For example, if a larger car or a larger apartment is required. As a general rule, parent spending increases by about 15 percent when the first child is born, 25 percent when the second child is born, and 35 percent when the third child is born, relative to couples.

Introduce kids to finance

The consumer association FRC (Fédération romande des consommateurs) has created budget tables that help families allocate the current budget into different spending items. These pages list the amounts that should be spent on individual areas, based on parents’ income and the number of children. The FRC also offers free budget advice to parents on request.

Ganimete Heseti (39) is a volunteer in the team that answers questions from families. He points out that there are simple ways to cut spending: buy second-hand clothing or furniture. Rent rather than buy rarely used equipment such as skis. Go to the museum the first weekend of the month when most museums are free. Have a picnic to avoid going to restaurants. Find savings tickets for train travel. There are many other ways to recover.

Another advice that experts often give is this: Parents should explain the value of money to their children. For example, by taking pocket money from the age of 6 or 7. Kids need to understand how much it really costs to go grocery shopping or go to the movies with popcorn.

Pro Juventute costs about 1 franc per week for pocket money from the age of 6, 2 francs per week from the age of 7, etc. recommends. A monthly amount of 25-30 Francs is recommended for those aged 10 and above, and 30-50 Francs per month for those aged 12-14. “It often happens that parents are helpless in front of young people who demand the latest smartphones or branded clothing,” Heseti says. Anyone who sensitizes children to the cost of living at an early stage will encounter this type of behavior less often.

Source :Blick