News

by Carmel Green 18/05/2025

Children are expensive. Like, eye-wateringly expensive.
It’s basically like having a small, demanding ATM card with a face — and you’re the machine.

When my son was born, we were buried in baby blankets, three hooded towels (with tiny ears, of course), and enough “sleep when the baby sleeps” advice to last a lifetime.

Said son is now 19 in Leaving Cert! — and yes, I still have the towels.

Surprisingly useful for cleaning car windows, wiping spills, or protecting furniture during mystery DIY projects.

But do you know what no one mentioned back then? The actual cost.

According to 2025 research, it now costs up to €169,000 to raise a child in Ireland to age 21.

Yes. One hundred and sixty-nine thousand euro. Not including wine, coffee, or therapy.

So, What Can You Actually Do?

Here are two money moves I wish someone had told me when I was knee-deep in nappies and Night Garden reruns.

1. Get Your Insurance in Order

If you have children, you need life insurance. Full stop.

Not because we’re being dramatic — but because if something happens to you, your income disappears. The creche fees don’t.

If you’re a stay-at-home parent, your work is easily worth €60,000+ a year when you factor in:

• Taxi driver
• Chef
• Therapist (both giving and requiring)
• Admin assistant
• Personal shopper
• Full-time worrier

You don’t need to insure millions — just make sure there’s something there. Enough to clear the mortgage or keep the show on the road.

Because let’s face it: you can’t eat a house unless its gingerbread of course!

We’ll help you figure out what kind of cover actually makes sense for your family, with zero pressure and no scary sales chat.

2. Don’t Postpone College Planning (Seriously. I Beg You.)

I’ve got teens. Start now. Trust me.

Third-level education in Ireland now costs around €10,000 a year. That’s €40,000 per child for a standard 4-year course — and that’s if they stay local and don’t discover Erasmus.

A recent study found that 41% of Irish parents went into debt to fund college costs. That doesn’t have to be you.

Even saving €100 a month from early on can make a huge difference later. It builds slowly, quietly — and your future self will want to thank you for it.

Bottom Line?

Parenting costs money. So does college. So does just… existing at this point.

You don’t need to figure it all out overnight. But if you want a straight-talking, no-nonsense plan that actually works, we’ve got you. Book a consult — we’re sound.

And no, I still haven’t found anyone to pay me back for the 3,000 bedtime stories and 19 years of emotional labour — but I live in hope.