What’s a reasonable HHI to have children here?

[Anonymous]

DH and I make anywhere from 200k to 300k. Is this enough for a good quality life with a child?

[Anonymous]

No. Everyone here with a child makes 350+

Everybody.

Sorry.

[Anonymous]

I have a child at eay under that so 🤷‍♀️

[Anonymous]

I think above $250k is good. Depends if you have a house already and if you want to live in Bethesda you need ofer $350k. We bought in SS 10 years ago so our PITI is under $3k now which helped when we had a nanny and then a preschool payment. We are just over $300k and its enough for expenses, savings and a couple yearly trips.

[Anonymous]

Ok here. We do not own a home yet and husband is self employed so our income varies. Nervous about adding a baby to the mix.

[Anonymous]

Need more information on what you mean by good quality of life.

[Anonymous]

Mid to low 100,000s to buy a 1 to 2BR condo. Biggest expense is childcare if neither of you SAH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok here. We do not own a home yet and husband is self employed so our income varies. Nervous about adding a baby to the mix.

Will waiting make things better? Kids, even 1 kid, changes everything

[Anonymous]

Define “good quality of life.”

Private schools?
public pk3? Your aunt taking care of your kid? Beauvoir?
International trips?
Elite private colleges? or state flagship or directional publics?
GS 10 schools?
Yard?
Commute?
Clothes from Walmart or Tea Collection?

[Anonymous]

If you “aren’t sure” about adding a baby to your life at that income, you just don’t want a baby that badly.

[Anonymous]

Arw you okay if your career stalls if you have kids? If your spouses' career stalls? With the lack of support and infrastructure, ai would not recommend anyone have a child and I say this as a parent who really loves my kids and loves being a parent. There is zero support and your job actually doesn't care about anything but your work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok here. We do not own a home yet and husband is self employed so our income varies. Nervous about adding a baby to the mix.

Will waiting make things better? Kids, even 1 kid, changes everything

Of course waiting *can* make things better. A $300K DINK couple can bank $150K per year. If they do that for five years, they’re way ahead of the game in terms of down payment, padding retirement accounts, etc. before the inevitable kid expense overwhelm everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok here. We do not own a home yet and husband is self employed so our income varies. Nervous about adding a baby to the mix.

Will waiting make things better? Kids, even 1 kid, changes everything

Of course waiting *can* make things better. A $300K DINK couple can bank $150K per year. If they do that for five years, they’re way ahead of the game in terms of down payment, padding retirement accounts, etc. before the inevitable kid expense overwhelm everything.

Mother Nature is a brat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I make anywhere from 200k to 300k. Is this enough for a good quality life with a child?

Do you think that families with children who make less here have a bad quality of life?

[Anonymous]

Childcare & health insurance are the biggest expenses.