Can You Afford a Baby?

Interesting concept -- setting up a quiz to see if a baby is affordable. Not really that scientific/comprehensive, but the thoughts are in the right direction -- namely highlighting the fact that part of deciding to have kids is the economic impact on families.

Comments

[Jon]

LOL. If we all used that quiz, the race would die out.

[kitty]

So many people wait until they can afford it and until they are ready only to find out they no longer can have kids.. Then they spend lots of money on fertility treatments which have very low chance of success.

As an ObGyn once said on her blog "there is no cure for the year 35 bug".

And don't forget health risks.

[Rebecca]

I am ready for kids -- both emotionally and financially. I knew this both before AND after reading this article/quiz.

The economy hasn't exactly done wonders for my career or salary advancement, but I'm in stable footing because I made smart decisions prior to the first signs that the economy was tumbling. I paid my credit card debt to $0 a long time ago and I also paid off a fairly large car loan more than 3 yrs early. Doing these things has also allowed me to build excellent credit so that I can hopefully obtain a mortgage soon(although my partner already has a house so perhaps my own property wouldn't even be needed). I always try to work more than just one job so that I have extra income + I have a back-up job(or two, in my case) in the event that one of my jobs lays me off, like what happened to me not too long ago. Right now I do not have employer provided health insurance, but I am responsible enough to shop around for an affordable PPO and budget for it myself, allowing me to attend all the necessary doctors visits to make sure my body is in healthy shape for a pregnancy, and for fertility counseling.

In the meantime I also live way below my means. Every week I budget my money as if I were a single mom raising a child right now, putting any "baby expense" money into savings to use for the time that I'll (hopefully) have an actual baby to spend that money on -- so although I'm (very very unfortunately) childless, I do not allow myself to live the financial lifestyle of a low-expense "childfree" person. Yes it means not allowing myself to have much fun or go out very often, and yes it means me feeling even more bitter each month when I go through such great efforts and STILL not end up pregnant, but it gives me the confidence that I am ready and "yes I can" be a mom(if God only gifted me with a baby already, darnit).