Baby Brunch | The Parenting Series · Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp

How much does it cost to have children? with Justin Harrison

·39 min·3 clips

Justin reveals how a child can cost $11.34 million with smart investments.

This episode explores the financial costs of raising children with guest Justi Harrison, a financial modeler and podcast host. Host Ilana engages Justi, who describes his background in non-traditional finance and fascination with numbers. The conversation builds on a previous discussion about not overspending on kids. Justi presents a calculation showing that monthly investments, given an 8% return over 15 years, could grow to $11.34 million, framing this as a potential "cost" of a child. He references his own impoverished childhood and early business ventures starting at age 13. The discussion critiques common online content about money for lacking actionable, number-based frameworks. A core insight is that numbers remove emotional bias from financial decisions, a principle Justi has applied over 25 years. The surprising claim is that a child's long-term opportunity cost, in terms of forgone investments, can reach millions. Justi's personal journey from hustling at a privileged school to building financial technology underscores his perspective. The tone is conversational and educational, blending personal anecdote with financial modeling. The style is direct, with the host prompting the guest to share lessons from his love of money. Parents or prospective parents interested in pragmatic, numbers-driven financial planning would appreciate this episode. Listeners seeking purely emotional or narrative parenting discussions might find it less aligned.

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