financially stable D&D

I'm making this thread because the last one dissolved into drama, and I know there were a few of us who actually wanted to answer the OP.

Do you think that only people who are financially stable should be allowed to TTC?

What do you view as financially stable: owning home outright, having a years salary (individual or combined) in savings, having X amount of degrees?

Do you think that when you have a 2nd, 3rd, 4th ... child you should have the finances readily available to buy that child everything they need brand new?


Basically I'm looking to TTC in the next month (AF has shown up today), and compared to what other mothers have said in the last thread I'm nowhere near financially 'stable'. SO and I have a mortgage but its $363,000 (which is pretty cheap for Australia) and the likelihood of us owning it outright before 45 is slim to none. I have one degree in medical research but I don't actually use it for my chosen career in IT ... SO has no degree but a trade certificate in butchery. I'm looking to go back to school online next year to do archeology. We earn $79,000 a year between us and have a car loan and several small debts.

I currently have only $500 in my main savings account, $1200 in DS's savings fund and $1900 credit on my mortgage. We have been living paycheck to paycheck in recent months, but have now got ahead on our living expenses.

Should we not even be considering TTC at this point? Then again apart from our yearly income (SO has been accepted for a promotion and I've started training in a new role), I can't see a whole lot changing for us in the next 10 years., SO has no desire to continue his education and instead loves his current job and wants to get to the top with hard work and determination.

I was in your same position last year. We decided if we kept waiting until "the right time" to TTC, it wouldn't be for another ten years. We just had our 2nd in May and everything has worked out well. We have cut out some things to save on money but nothing crazy. We make it work.

I think that as long as you can afford day-to-day expenses for you and your children, and can provide food, shelter, etc, then it is your right to TTC whenever you want to.
I also don't think you need to be able to afford to buy everything new in order to TTC, that's ridiculous. We can afford new things and I still like buying cheap or used things. Because....I like saving money  

I think you should be financially stable before you TTC, yes. I view being financially stable as having a solid income and little debt (or the means to make payments on the debt without being broke), as well as having money in savings in case of emergencies. I do not think it is responsible to TTC while on government assistance (excluding disability). That being said, I don't really care what others do.

I think you are doing ok and are stable, but I would not TTC if I was living paycheck to paycheck.

To me being stable is having a good savings, retirment, able to save for college, being on no forms of assistance. I think it would be stupid to bring a child into the world that you can hardly afford.

If you can live comfortably with the amount of money you make and having another baby won't cause a major financial struggle then I say go for it

If everyone waited to TTC until they had a years salary saved up, no debt at all, etc., most people wouldn't physically be able to have children by that point.

What works for some people may not work for others. I think it's unfair to say that someone shouldn't be able to TTC because they don't have a lot of money. I think that you should be stable, that's just common sense. No point in putting yourself through that stress.

So IMO, as long as you're making ends meet - do whatever the smurf you want.

I think as long as you don't need government assistance it's ok to ttc. I understand that things change and you may end up on it but I feel that you shouldn't need it when you decide to get pregnant. I also understand if you got pregnant and weren't ttc, cause well it happens and that's why we have assistance in my opinion. That being said we have enough for me to be a sahm. We're waiting till DD is one we've bought another car and a house to ttc again. So by next fall hopefully.

Ummm SO and I have a 30 year mortgage, I would be in my 50s and him in his 60s before paying it off and before having another baby. If you feel you are ready go for it. Not many people in the US are financially stable that way. Loans are the way the world survived, and if you have x amount of degrees and home and cars the chances are you have debt, or at least payments to be made. SUCH IS LIFE. Go for it if you feel you can make ends meet.

Quoting ILOVEWINE:" I think you are doing ok and are stable, but I would not TTC if I was living paycheck to paycheck. ... [snip!] ... being on no forms of assistance. I think it would be stupid to bring a child into the world that you can hardly afford."

any kind of assistance? Does that include daycare subsidies?

I think if you can afford to live everyday and provide the things your child needs without external assistance, then you should TTC whenever you please. If you rely on others for your family's income, it probably isn't the best time to try.


But I wouldn't want to TTC unless I had enough money saved up to pay all of our bills for at ;least a few months, just in case something happened.

I think it's a good idea to save money ect, but I don't think you should "have " to have enough to buy everything brand new. It would save a lot of stress if you had the security of money. But, is anyone actually ever ready? Both of mine were unplanned, but we are finding ways to support our kids (one isn't born yet.)

<blockquote><b>Quoting The Master:</b>" any kind of assistance? Does that include daycare subsidies?"</blockquote>




Yes.

Quoting ILOVEWINE:" <blockquote><b>Quoting The Master:</b>" any kind of assistance? Does that include daycare subsidies?"</blockquote> Yes."

Everybody who works or studies more that 15 hours a week in Australia gets daycare subsidies.

<blockquote><b>Quoting The Master:</b>" Everybody who works or studies more that 15 hours a week in Australia gets daycare subsidies."</blockquote>




Well then that is different. Here you get it if you are low income.