Kids are ridiculously expensive.

[monster]

We all know that. But sometimes the expenses take you by surprise.

I have the blessing of having a teenage daughter who (a) loves unusual clothes and loves resale and hand-me-downs from friends, and (b) whose routine is pool, school (with an enforced dress codes), pool, slob/homework/sleep.... so needs little in the way of fashionwear. And didn't have a boyfriend.

Eventually, even athletic girls needs bras. Stingy Brit though I am, those need to be new. I can only wear cotton bras, need underwire, there's basically only one bra available for me, but fortunately, it's actually cheap. Tween bras are also cheap. At first, you can just visit the "tween dept" and get something that works. When those start to stretch and they start to know what works for them........OMFG I just spent more on bras (and thongs to avoid VPL with the athleticwear ) than family food for a week. Who knew? it should have been in the manual.