Rich because you have no kids?

I never understand why people assume this.

Yes children are very expensive but that doesnt mean that us childfree are sailing around in yachts (though I wish it were true).

They should realise that we are paying more in tax etc because we dont have kids so not that much better off.

Does anyone else find people assume you have a lot of disposable income?

LOL I find this very funny because I am not married and childless...and far from being rich!

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"Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire, Let me not sink to be a clod: Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God."--Amy Carmichael


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Ugh, yes, that drives me crazy when people think we have tons of money because we have no kids. One of the many reasons we don't have kids is because we know we can't afford to have even one. We finally got a dog after saving up to afford to care for one.

And the tax thing really makes me mad. We know people with only one kid that will get thousands upon thousands of dollars back.

I'll stop now before I go off on a major rant.

Oh people assume that about single people too. Especailly if you are single with no children. While I am able to afford some things i want, it's because i had a very smart dad that gave me good advice about how to manage money and how to invest- not because i'm childless and certianly not because i'm single. I live frugally and if i want something i save up for it, but i'm not swimming around in a big vault of money and spitting coins in the air like Scrooge McDuck.

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The start is not nearly as important as the finish.


"Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." Mark Twain

I wish I was as rich as people assume I am!!!

True, I probably have more discretionary income than someone who earns the same salary as I do, and lives in my neighborhood but has kids.

How I spend my money and how they spend theirs is really a matter of choice. The money I spend on myself, for luxury items and treats (deisgner handbags, expensive dinners, theatre tickets, etc) is probably pretty similar to what they spend on stuff for their kids - clothes, $300 nikes, swimming/violin/ballet lessons, etc.

But I'm not swimming around in piles of money.

I've been on the receiving end of this assumption before. What really gets me is when people who have kids that clearly cannot afford them tell me I don't know what it's like to be poor because I don't have kids to take care of. Makes me wonder if these people know what causes kids in the first place, as if they have no control over what comes squirting out of their bodies.

Anyway, I like to remind these people that I pay taxes on schools, teachers, and text books that I don't use, I pay taxes on playgrounds and parks that I don't use, I pay taxes on WIC and other public support that I don't use, and I don't get a break on my taxes for having extra kids to care for. They should be thanking me for contributing to the upkeep of their spawn.

I'm a real curmudgeon about this topic.

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We have much more disposable income than parents who make the same as we do. And we are very good At Disposing of it.

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Patrick
4jacks

I confess that this is one of the nice things about not having kids right now: disposable income. Although we tend to spend most of it on paying down debt, since we each have 3 years of private college in student loans, and two home loans.

Once said debt is paid off, and if we decide to remain childfree for the long haul, I've thought that I'd really like to use the money we would have spent on kids in a way that glorifies God - give to missionaries and Christian organizations that help the poor, or even to buy a duplex/big house/etc with the intent of letting others in need share our home. My husband and I both feel a bit of a calling to this...not necessarily the not-having-kids part, but the giving part. We could just do it on a much greater scale if we didn't have kids. A nice side effect of this would be that nobody could ever tell me that I was "disobeying God" because I chose to not have kids.

Thats so true.

Its nice to be able to give. Once we have paid off a bit more of our house it would be nice to be in a position to help others more.

There are some great people in church who really help other members when they are in big financial trouble and its fantastic to see people willing to do that (although you dont hear it much because they tend to keep it quiet).

It's called "fun money" . And yes, it's enjoyable to have and spend.