Have kids before 25 or you're not human!

[Dee]

I didn't think about the "afford" part when I had a kid. I didn't plan on having a kid in the first place, but we made it work and did the best we could with limited funds.

I wish more people would think about this and add up different scenarios. For one example, maybe factoring in not having to pay for childcare because you have family and friends who are willing to help, and then on the opposite end of that, factoring in how much daycare would cost if something were to go wrong or you didn't have childcare. This is not even adding in medical costs, food, diapers, clothing, schooling, extracurriculars etc. And factoring it in for 18 years. Possibly even starting a savings/college fund. Don't get me started on more frivolous things like how much more expensive vacations will become, holidays, birthdays... I think a lot of people would change their minds and either decide not to have kids or wait until they're more stable.