Day 254 - Price I Pay*

Exciting news from Lincoln Financial Group, for those of us expecting a girl...

I've no idea who Lincoln Financial Group are, but they've just done an online survey of an apparently 'representative sample of British adults' and discovered that having a daughter is the expensive option, costing up to a third as much as again as a boy. Woo - break out the bunting..!

On average, parents have spent just over £48 on a girl to £45 for a boy (which isn't a third as much again, I know; hold on a sec).

When you look at parents who have a girl first then a boy those figures stack up as £53 to £47. By comparison, daughter number two (if she comes) will recieve a mere £39 a month. A second born son will do better in comparison to a second born girl, however, with £40.

However, I've got to believe that at least some of that difference between first and second child is accounted for in hand me downs. And possibly where one splurges a lot of money on things that turn out to be a waste of money and not spent on the second child.

Of course, this survey is on the cost of having a child. It doesn't seem to take any account of age or pocket money etc.

Still, anyone who needs to wait for a self-serving press release from the Lincoln Financial Group to work out that children cost money is in a bit of trouble to start with aren't they?

* 'I' as in 'we', naturally. Now put the rolling pin down.