Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Are finances playing a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

DS is 9m old and I'd like to TTC next year. DH wants to wait until 2011, when he is finished with fellowship. Originally DH was the one who wanted children close in age so that they could play together but now he wants to wait until he can support us financially. I hate that finances are delaying TTC.

My brother and I are 4 years apart and we never played together. We are close now but when we were young, I always thought of him as a baby. When I was in hs, he was in jhs so it isn't like we would have the same friends since we were in such different stages of life.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

since baby #2 was unplanned it was not a part... but it is already a majr discussion point for #3 as when i deliver in a few weeks i will have to consider b/c options

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Not really.

I just knew that I wanted my DD to be 3 yrs apart from her sibling.

In this case, Im having two so financially we will be ok but not something I was prepared for.
I will double of all but that is what now is for, to prepare for that.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Finances def play a part in TTC #2. DH started a new Career about 9 months ago and while it will hopefully payoff in the future, right now I am the breadwinner. I want to stay home when we have #2 or work PT. We really want to start trying next fall though. We shall see!!

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

For us it wasn't. Mine are 3 years apart and that is a good age gap for us. They will be 4 years apart in school.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

yes, for us it is. If it wasn't, we'd be ttc'ing right now. LOL

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

if we have another, its definitely not till later due to finances.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

No, age was/is the main factor for us. I will be 39 soon and DH is 44

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Yes, with 2 I want one of us to stay home with the DC, so we are going to wait a few years and have a good cushion before TTC.

ETA: I would not push it past 35 b/c I don't want to be high risk, so I am lucky that age is not a factor in the equation for us.

Message edited 12/30/2009 5:26:02 PM.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Yes although if we had been well off I don't think I would have had them too close together. In an ideal world it would have been nice to have them about 2-2.5yrs apart but I was willing to put it off to 4yrs apart due to the fact that we just bought a house one year ago. However we were "suprised" this year and our DD's will be 3.5yrs apart.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Our 2nd pg was unplanned but we have already decided that we will probably not have #3. We live in a 2 bedroom apt right now and we have a lot of debt. I'm slowly paying it off but it's going to be years before we could possibly be debt free and then we would like to buy a house. Neither DH or I make a ton of money so with house prices we would prob wouldn't have a ton of money leftover.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

we would both love another baby right now but we are living with his parents, there is no room here and we cant afford out own place so we are out of luck i told FH that in 2 years from now, i dont care what our situation is, im having another baby

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Huge for us. I want to buy a home and put her through college. With another I am not sure that's possible.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Not at all. Our decision to TTC #2 is solely based on age. I'll be 40 this summer. If I wait for enough money, Abby would be an only child.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Yes and no. I did the numbers a few times before we decided to try for #2 and knew we could do it. However, it will be a bit tight for a while. We decided we are OK with that. I can always get a part time job after DH gets home or on weekends if I need to.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Yes. We are not having number 2 until we can eliminate a few credit cards. I was supposed to wait for that for DS too but he was a lovely surprise :) However, I am only 31 and DH is 29 so its not really a rush rush right now.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

it did not play a part for us, because we knew we wanted them 2 years apart

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Age was reason #1 we only have one DC. Finances reason #2.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

Yup, that's why we will start TTC next year and dd will be 4 when the baby is born Not really how I wanted it, but I can't afford childcare for 2 children and my caretakers (the grandparents) would not be able to handle 2 kids under 3.
I was 4 years apart from my brother and we were very close growing up.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

No - more of an age this as I just turned 36 this month.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

yes and no.

we never sat down and went over the money side of it, but we both knew things would be tight for a while.

but hopefully it will just be temporary and DH will get a raise next year.

And we both wanted kids close in age so that is why we started trying when DD was 8 months old. It took us a while too, something we didn't expect either.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

It will play a huge part in TTC #2. We can't afford to have 2 in daycare at the same time. Unless something changes, they will be 3-4 years apart.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

yes. daycare is very expensive- about $15 a year... if i had a second baby right now i'd seriously have to consider not working, which would set me back once they start preschool going back into the industy.

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

no... we are fortunate that I work part time and only have to pay for my DS to be in daycare 3 days (family will be watching the baby for a while) other factors did though...we wanted them close in age esp b/c we are in a 2 bedroom condo and while its on the market (we are ready for a house/bigger place), we are having such a hard time selling. Our feeling was if they have to share a room, then we rather them be close age wise, just in case we are stuck here a couple more years. We felt like its easier for a 3 year old and a new born to share a room, versus a 5 or 6 year old and a newborn. I do hope we sell our place soon though!! However we were thinking about having 3 kids but being that I have very rough pregnancies and also the financial component of having 3, we decided 2 is perfect for us

Re: Are/did finances play a part in deciding when to TTC for #2?

not with #2 but it will be for #3. We travel a lot and we want our children to go to Catholic School so we shall see. We want to wait 4yrs when DD is in Kindergarten and then make the final decision.