As every mum and dad knows, kids are expensive from the minute they’re born. And although they become more and more independent every year, the darling cherubs also become more costly; bigger and more expensive clothes, more activities, and of course, school.

Anyone who’s been there will agree that making a decision about a child’s education, between public and private, is one of the most overwhelming, and significant, choices parents can make.

It’s not easy. There are so many factors to consider, and so many unknowns about the future, for example, what can you afford? Where will you be living? If you decide private, is it just in junior school, or from the start?

And it’s not just the term fees that make up a child’s education, but their sports, music, uniforms, and excursions – just to name a few things.

If only we all got a crystal ball when the stork delivered our babies…or, at the very least an education costs calculator. But wait – now we’ve got one of those things.

Australian company ASG, which specialises in helping parents plan for their kids’ educational futures, has a “Cost of Education Calculator” on its site, and yes, it’s as easy as it sounds.

It does all the thinking for you, and considers every factor – even the ones you don’t think of immediately, such as the date they will start primary and/or senior school and whether you live in a rural area. Because those things impact the cost of transport, excursions and extracurricular activities.

According to the 2018 ASG Planning for Education Index, a child born in 2018 would incur around $500,000 in fees if their parents sent them to a private primary and secondary school. That’s a lot more than public, you can bet on that.

We created a few examples to show you just how simple ASG’s calculator makes one of life’s most overwhelming decisions.

Scenario 1: Maple

Maple was born in 2017, in a metro area, to a mum who sees her as her “main financial investment”.

We put her details into the calculator:

The result? Only marginally alarming, but obviously, affordable and/or worth it to Maple's mum:

Scenario 2: Bilal

Bilal's parents firmly believe in the public education offered, but can also afford private school - so were interested in both. We compared the public option to Maple's results, and obviously, there was a sizeable difference:

Scenario 3: Sophie

Sophie's parents live in a rural area, and would like their daughter to attend a private boarding school for her senior education.

This is what Sophie's information looked like in ASG's Cost of Education Calculator:

And this was the result:

As you can see, the calculator has a number of variants, so every family will be able to find a result that suits their needs.

So interesting. So helpful. And, depending on your desires for your kids - a tad terrifying.

But that's why the Cost of Education Calculator really is the most useful tool for helping parents to make a decision. It's also something you can return to at a point if and when factors in your family change.

Because, as every parent knows about parenthood - expecting the unexpected and being prepared is half the battle won when it comes to peace of mind about their kids.

Don’t leave it too late – start planning early so when the school fees hit, there are no big surprises. Take the stress out of saving for education. Speak to ASG about their Little Big Pathway Fund, which invests your savings so they will grow and may give you tax advantages in the future. To find out more call 1800 648 945 or visit ASG on Facebook.

This post was brought to you with thanks to our partner, ASG.