Reply to What’s a reasonable HHI to have children here?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We spent hours going over our budget tonight. In Bethesda with 3 kids in public school we need at least $18k/month after taxes to live fairly comfortably. This includes childcare, food, two car payments, mortgage ([b]5-br house[/b]), all utilities, [b]landscaping[/b], [b]bi-weekly house cleaning[/b], retirement/college savings, sports, etc. Everything.

Houses are expensive in any desirable location. Considering what you get for your money ([b]diverse, well-educated interesting neighbors[/b], great public schools), I think Bethesda/Potomac are a good deal. Childcare, camps, activities are super expensive here though. We pay sitters $30/hr. Summer camp for 3 kids is over $1600/week. Before/after care at the elementary school is thousands. Preschools that accommodate working hours are $20k+. [b]Birthday parties are $500-$1000[/b] at any local play space. I just paid [b]$800 for spring tennis lessons[/b]. It just really really adds up fast.

[/quote]

Oh, good lord. None of this is required. When we had little kids, we lived in a townhome. I couldn't afford the neighborhood pool for the summer so we bought a cheap plastic thing for a small patch of lawn. Kids played in parks. I cleaned the house myself - and same for landscaping. We had birthday parties in a public park. 
I'm starting to wonder if the absurd expectations is why women wait so long to have kids and then end up not having them.

And I love the dig at "poor neighbors" - clearly not interesting or educated folks if they don't make $500K. This area is just crazy. [/quote]

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