Money tricks for raising children

ACCORDING to figures out this week from the life insurance broker Reassured, it costs an average of £225,521 to bring up a child to the age of 18 — that’s more than £12,000 a year. So, with the rising cost of living, parents need all the help they can get. n CLAIM THE BENEFITS TO WHICH YOU’RE ENTITLED: It’s possible there are benefits and tax credits you’re owed that you don’t know about. Use the calculator at turn2Us.org.uk or at entitledto. co.uk to see if there is extra help you could get. And check out Workingfamilies.org.uk too. n MAKE THE MOST OF FREE AND

DISCOUNTED TRANSPORT: Children can often get free travel on buses, trains and trams. If you live in Scotland and are 5-21 years old or aged 60 and over, you can get a card giving you free bus travel. Contact your local travel provider to see what is available. If you travel by train even just a few times a year as a family, it’s worth getting the Family and

Friends Railcard which gives you 30 per cent off travel on off-peak fares and 60 per cent for the children. It costs £30 for a year or £70 for three years at Railcard. co.uk and they say that the cards save an average of £114 a year. n JOIN PARENTING GROUPS

ONLINE: Social media sites like Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp and Nextdoor.com have groups specially for parents where users can sell or exchange kids’ items, get advice and even share babysitting. Most schools offer forums for parents to sell or swap school uniforms to save having to buy things new. You can also swap children’s clothes for free at websites such as rehashclothes.com. n FREE CHILDCARE: Parents in Scotland can claim around 30 hours of free early learning and childcare a year during term time if their child is three or four years old. You may be able to get more funded hours in your area, or access them earlier as the Scottish Government is adding more funded hours. Visit your local council’s website to find out what is available in your area.