A quarter million per child? - CHRIS FARRELL, Star Tribune

According to the USDA, a middle-income family with a child born in 2013 can anticipate spending about $245,340 ($304,480 adjusted for projected inflation) on food, housing, child care, education, and other expenses up to age 18. In other words, before counting any costs from investing in postsecondary education. The more intriguing and informative numbers come from the USDA’s breakdown of where the family money goes in 1960 and in 2013. Families are spending much less on food, clothing and miscellaneous expenses in 2013 compared with 1960. In 1960 food absorbed 24 percent of the household expenditures on children. In 2013, the percentage had shrunk to 16 percent. Housing has barely budged, 31 percent in 1960 and 30 percent in 2013. Transportation, another big ticket expense, has dropped from 16 percent in 1960 to 14 percent in 2013. http://www.startribune.com/business/yourmoney/272221691.html