Puisa Kotha Hunibo?

Most couples plan for the joy of having a child. Far fewer plan for the bill. Raising a child from birth to marriage is one of the largest financial commitments a family will ever make, and knowing the numbers early helps you decide not just when to have children, but how many.
It begins with childbirth. A normal delivery in a private hospital can cost anywhere from tens of thousands to over a lakh of rupees, while a C-section, a NICU stay or a complicated pregnancy can push the total several times higher. Add prenatal checkups, scans, vaccinations and the first year of paediatric visits, and the opening cost is substantial.
Health insurance should be sorted before you conceive, not after. Many policies carry waiting periods for maternity cover, often two to four years. A family floater, and a higher cover for a child with unexpected medical needs, is a recurring expense that rises as you age. Skipping it is a gamble with your savings.
Daily costs are quieter but relentless. Food, clothing, diapers, medicines, toys, tuition and activities add up month after month. Schooling is where budgets stretch. Private school fees keep climbing faster than general inflation, and admission fees, uniforms, books, transport and coaching come on top. Many families spend more on a child’s education between ages five and eighteen than on any other category.
College raises the stakes. A professional degree in India can cost several lakhs to tens of lakhs. Studying abroad often costs fifty lakh rupees or more once tuition, living expenses and currency swings are counted. Then there are postgraduate plans, and for many families, the cost of a wedding.
Add all of it together and a single child can cost a family a crore or more across twenty-five years. Two children can double that, and some of the costs arrive at the same time.
This is an argument for planning. Calculate your income, estimate realistic costs, start an education fund early, and be honest about how many children you can support without sacrificing your retirement. Family size is a financial decision as much as an emotional one, and the couples who treat it that way tend to be the calmest parents.
Paweü Kayina founder@moneybar.in Moneybar
Building NE India’s Finance Community