Saving for a child: €100 a month from birth to 18
Set up a standing order of €100 a month on the day your child is born and keep it running until their 18th birthday.
At 18
€43,072
Before inflation. About €27,616 in today’s money, if prices rise 2.5% a year.
Before inflation, growing 7% a year
How it grows
| Age | Put in | Worth | In today’s money |
|---|---|---|---|
| At age 5 | €6,000 | €7,159 | €6,328 |
| At age 10 | €12,000 | €17,308 | €13,521 |
| At age 15 | €18,000 | €31,696 | €21,885 |
| At age 18 | €21,600 | €43,072 | €27,616 |
Why it grows this much
You pay in €21,600 over 18 years. Interest adds €21,472 on top, so 50% of the final amount is money you never paid in.
The early payments work hardest: the €1,200 paid in the first year grows to about €4,059 by 18.
Raising the amount a little each year as income grows can make a bigger difference than a slightly higher return.
Questions people ask
Is 7% a year realistic?
Broad world stock indices have grown roughly 8 to 9% a year before inflation over long periods: the MSCI World index (developed markets, dividends reinvested, in US dollars) returned about 8.5% a year from the end of 1987 to April 2025, according to MSCI. Single years swung widely and nothing is guaranteed for the future. 7% is a cautious figure for an illustration; the calculator lets you try other rates.
What does “in today’s money” mean?
Prices rise over time, so the same money buys less later. We divide the future amount by 2.5% inflation a year to show what it would buy today.
Are fees and tax included?
No. Fund fees and tax on gains lower the result; you can switch both on in the calculator to see by how much.
More examples
See all worked examples- €5,000 at birth: what it could be worth at 70See the example
Grows to about €661,958 by age 70 at 7% a year, with nothing added.
- €5,000 at birth: what it is worth at 18See the example
Worth about €17,563 on the 18th birthday at 7% a year.
- Start at 25 or at 35? €100 a month until 65See the example
Starting at 25 ends with about €262,481 at 65, more than twice the later start.
- €5 a day for 30 years: what a skipped soft drink becomesSee the example
About €185,537 after 30 years at 7% a year.
Illustration only, not investment advice. It assumes a steady 7% a year and 2.5% inflation; real markets go up and down, and fees and tax lower the result. Check the rules for accounts in your country.