re: financially stable D&D

Quoting The Master:" I earn $42,000 a year and SO earns $38,000 a year. I'm currently 29 and have recently come out of bankruptcy, ... [snip!] ... and car) at my current level of savings I will be 39 before I have a years salary in savings (and that's my current salary). "

Well, if you want to maintain the lifestyle you're in... I say a year's salary because that's been what it's taking people to find a comperable job in this economy. At 20 I had a year's salary saved when I TTC my son. Mind you I only made 20k/ year   But I had made investments, started a IRA, lived well within my means, etc. My husband had done the same thing. When I TTC my daughter same thing, I made about 30k/ year, w/ a year's salary saved. We live within our means.

Quoting Fatty McRunnerPants:" Well, if you want to maintain the lifestyle you're in... I say a year's salary because that's been ... [snip!] ... the same thing. When I TTC my daughter same thing, I made about 30k/ year, w/ a year's salary saved. We live within our means."

It took me 2 months to find this job. With how much housing etc is in Australia the only way for me to live well beneath my means would be to sell my house and pocket the equity and then move into low income housing.

I don't think people should be told what they are "allowed" to do in terms of reproduction, period. Of course I think you should be financially stable, but I don't think anyone should ever told they aren't "allowed" to have a child based on someone elses criteria.

Quoting The Master:" I just like advice. Everyone in my life is telling me to go for it .. but then you hear things like you should have X amount saved up."

You're really the only one that can say.

I've just been too unstable for too long to be comfortable ttc with less. I HATE that I was almost out of my hole of debt and building a very nice savings account and would have been comfortable ttc in a few years... and then I got pregnant, lost my job because of the pregnancy, and slowly drained my savings getting smurf ready for baby and now I'm back to worrying about money.

Quoting The Master:" It took me 2 months to find this job. With how much housing etc is in Australia the only way for me ... [snip!] ... way for me to live well beneath my means would be to sell my house and pocket the equity and then move into low income housing."

But see here's the thing: all of us make choices that either benefit or don't our financial well being. They'll either pay off in the future or they wont. I wanted children young so I made strides early to provide for them. I didn't take on major debt voluntarily and I worked my ass off. Perhaps my view is different because I live in another country? I wanted to provide the absoloute best for my children that I could. I didn't want them growing up like I did with government hand outs, always stressing about money, etc. To me that means being financially stable, and that's what stability means to ME.

Quoting Fatty McRunnerPants:" But see here's the thing: all of us make choices that either benefit or don't our financial well being. ... [snip!] ... hand outs, always stressing about money, etc. To me that means being financially stable, and that's what stability means to ME."

I didn't have children young, in fact I didn't want children at all. I had my oops baby at 27 and having grown up an only child and HATING it I didn't want my son to go through the same thing.

Quoting The Master:" I didn't have children young, in fact I didn't want children at all. I had my oops baby at 27 and having grown up an only child and HATING it I didn't want my son to go through the same thing. "

I can understand that. In the end, you got to do what you are comfortable with. No one else.

In my opinion, I don't think you two should be TTC at this point.

I wouldn't consider someone financially stable unless they were constantly bringing in more than they needed to spend. Being able to set aside a certain amount every month just to save, as well as having money to spend on miscellaneous stuff.

Babies are expensive, and living pay check to pay check is not going to be a very fun financial situation to be in when you have an infant. They need new clothes every couple of months, different types of food every couple of months, doctors visits, delivery costs, baby supplies like cribs, changing tables, etc.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Red Bottom:</b>" In my opinion, I don't think you two should be TTC at this point. I wouldn't consider someone financially ... [snip!] ... types of food every couple of months, doctors visits, delivery costs, baby supplies like cribs, changing tables, etc. "</blockquote>




All medical care here is free for under 16s and i have a change table and bassinet/crib

Quoting The Master:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Red Bottom:</b>" In my opinion, I don't think you two should ... [snip!] ... tables, etc. "</blockquote> All medical care here is free for under 16s and i have a change table and bassinet/crib"

So what happens when you spend that $500 you have in savings....because your living costs are going to go up and you're already living paycheck to paycheck.

Quoting Red Bottom:" So what happens when you spend that $500 you have in savings....because your living costs are going to go up and you're already living paycheck to paycheck."

so you recommend waiting the 8.6 years til I have a years worth of wages saved?

Quoting The Master:" so you recommend waiting the 8.6 years til I have a years worth of wages saved?"

Yes. or you could always have a baby that you can't afford and put so much strain on your marriage that it fails, but you stay because you can't afford to leave.....I mean everyone does it now-a-days.

Quoting Red Bottom:" Yes. or you could always have a baby that you can't afford and put so much strain on your marriage ... [snip!] ... strain on your marriage that it fails, but you stay because you can't afford to leave.....I mean everyone does it now-a-days."

is that what happened to you.. you seem bitter...

or at 24 are you rolling in cash and the perfect mom?

Quoting Red Bottom:" Yes. or you could always have a baby that you can't afford and put so much strain on your marriage ... [snip!] ... strain on your marriage that it fails, but you stay because you can't afford to leave.....I mean everyone does it now-a-days."

I'm sorry but if bankruptcy, miscarriage, three hospitalizations for mental health issues, and my hoarding hasn't put strain on my 'marriage' over the past 9 years I doubt having a child is. In 8.6 years I'll be nearly 37, I will not be having any babies at that age.

Quoting Monkey Nuts:" is that what happened to you.. you seem bitter... or at 24 are you rolling in cash and the perfect mom?"

NO, I'm observant and a realist.

Have a baby you can't afford or wait until you can afford having a baby. I wonder what the smart choice is.