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Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
26,700 posts, read 41,748,461 times
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It is no secret that the economy sucks and is making people cut back on things they thought they needed. One thought that some of us younger folks are throwing around is foregoing having a spouse or kids at all. It is no secret a family is very expensive in even good times. Add in the possibility of losing a job or rising insurance and cost-of-living increases and you have real stress.
The fact is that is cheaper and less stressful to only have one person to worry about given the employment situation in many parts of the country today. When balanced the utility of having a family with the expense and uncertainty some may decide it isn't worth it.
So anyone rethinking a family with a current economy?
With financial pressures I can understand why some people would choose not to have kids.
At the moment, I don't think we could really afford it.
But not have a spouse because of the recession ?
Don't get it.
Yea, married couples tend to be wealthier than singles. I don't know how divorce factors in. With that said I wasn't worrying about marriage or kids when I was in my 20s.
No, the economy has not changed my friends views on having a family. I think they already felt the way they did despite the economy. I think these decisions are entirely personal. I can see people using the economy or economics in general as a justification for already not wanting to have kids or even to not get married though.
Yep, there will be no family for me. I've given up on that dream. The economy contributed to my divorce and current road to financial ruin and hopelessness.
Nope, not that I know of. I have a really good friend who's postponing her wedding because of money issues due to the economy but other than that, no, none of us have changed our plans for that reason.
Never wanted a big one but I certainly don't now. And my future wife would probably need a job, at least once the kids are a little older. My current dream career doesn't pay super generously (figure the highest I'd be making is $130-200K... after MANY years... the latter is great, the former not so much in this area, not when trying to raise a family).
actually with the bad economy people should be coming together more to make ends meet than less and since that's not the case its clear to see most people no longer feel family or marriage is a must but freedom and doing what they want is more important.
Yes. I used to dream of having 3 kids (2 girls and a boy) but then thought 2 would be great.
Now I'm thinking we'd be lucky to be able to have just one due to hefty childcare costs and low wages. I sometimes think if we can't get better jobs, one child may not even be feasible.
I'm childfree, so the change in the economy hasn't exactly changed my views on anything.
I was thinking about the costs of raising children even when I was a teen. What I do know is that it costs a quarter of a mill per child, and I don't have that kind of money sitting around, and I doubt that any of my prospective partners did either. No money? No brainer.
That said ... I'm SO RELIEVED I don't have that responsibility. I have a few couple friends with kids, and I cannot describe how they are suffering. They used to be doing OK. Now they're living paycheck to paycheck, asking family for money to help support their kids. All it takes is one lay-off.
As part of "the village," I've helped out struggling families with children, and actually I don't resent it. I'm glad that CF people like me are able to help when childed folks are in a pinch. The kids shouldn't go without food because their parents are in a crappy situation.
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