[massysett]

They get cheaper as they get older. Child care for infants is extremely expensive, or the opportunity cost of staying home and watching them.

Are you thinking college? Despite what expensive selective private colleges want you to think, parents do not have to pay for it.

[xwdv]

With that logic, a child can be super cheap if you just pay the bare minimum to live. No cars, no phones, no college.

[Handytinge]

What a weird list of bare minimums. What child requires a car or phone?

If they want one, surely they can get a job and pay for one?

[xwdv]

If those don’t qualify for bare minimums to you, I shudder to think about what you think are actual bare minimums.

[Handytinge]

I live in an area with sane public transport, and if my kids need to get somewhere I can also drive them.

The amount of children with cars in my area would be a singular percentage.

As to phones, why would your child require a phone? I'm sure there are some useful scenarios - obsessive tracking, easy contact, etc - but these aren't necessary. For hundreds of generations kids didn't have phones (and billions around the world still don't), and it's rarely an issue.