Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever made

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McCharley
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Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever made

Post by McCharley »

My friends who have children are all getting sucked dry by them, whatever their income level. It seems like those who make a lot more money do things like send their kids to private schools. And most of the couples I know with kids have one person who is underemployed. I know more than one person who pretty much breaks even working after factoring in day care, but they just want to stay employed. (Or staying home with Junior is not as engaging as working -- many parents have told me that. :D )

I don't mean this as a slam against having kids at all, but I have noticed that this decision has very much impacted me financially. Most people I know who have carefully considered whether to have children (as I did, years ago) have given economics some consideration, but the cost of kids is vastly underestimated. :moneybag
chaz
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by chaz »

Lucky your parents had a child.
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xpy1999
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by xpy1999 »

All other factors aside, raising kids is not a good investment financially.
WendyW
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by WendyW »

Good financial decision, but a bad life decision. Kids aren't intended to be a profit-making scheme.
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momar
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by momar »

I wonder, when you are 60, if that 7th BMW will bring as much satisfaction as watching the Thanksgiving day games with your kids and grandkids.
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JoeMatye
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by JoeMatye »

Or maybe not!
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pennstater2005
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by pennstater2005 »

Congratulations?
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livesoft
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by livesoft »

We found kids (we have 2) to be incredibly inexpensive and no impact on our early retirement, but apparently we are not normal.
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3CT_Paddler
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by 3CT_Paddler »

Choosing to have kids is not a financial decision... its a personal one. Not everybody is up for the cost of parenting. And it will cost time, money, freedom and at times, your sanity.

But for me, the joy and fulfillment our little 9 month old has brough me in her short time far exceeds in value any achievement or expensive toy. But that is my own personal experience.
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SSSS
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by SSSS »

Let's guilt-trip people who don't want to have children into having them anyway... surely only good things could result from such an endeavor.
thomasbayarea
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by thomasbayarea »

The best financial decision you made might also be the worst "life decision" you make.

There is a reason why a billion people worldwide have kids.
travellight
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by travellight »

It is one of the worst financial decisions I have made, but also possibly the best life decision I have made. Funny how the two can be incongruous. Not that those who don't want kids should have them; I am just surprised at how great it has been, but I think I really lucked out.
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travellight
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by travellight »

Ya definitely never know; it is a bit of a roll of the dice.
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monkey_business
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by monkey_business »

3CT_Paddler wrote:Choosing to have kids is not a financial decision... its a personal one.
It's not a financial decision if you have the finances...
Jeff7
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by Jeff7 »

Many people want kids, some don't. Each person evaluates costs and returns, both financial and emotional, differently. That's about all there is to it.
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wbond
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

Post by wbond »

I assume that the OP carefully crafted his message intentionally to elicit the above responses. And in doing so he is highlighting the looming demographic crisis in the developed countries brought on by the crash in fertility rates coupled with advancing life expectancies and Entitlement programs for the elderly. As such, this is entirely political and, and hence off-limits. Don't bite.

Or perhaps he's planning to write a parody of Adam Smith: The Wealth of Shakers.
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Re: Not having kids was the best financial decision I ever m

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