Like Karen, I have mixed feelings on this issue. On the one hand, I don't want to do anything to "obligate" family, friends, neighbours and co-workers. Adoption is expensive, but dh makes a good salary and (if we hadn't wasted so much time, energy
and money on IF) we should be able to cover the expenses involved. Also, I'm just uncomfortable with opening up to people about (a) our plans to adopt and (b) that we don't have the savings to cover the expenses. (We won't touch our retirement savings or add to our mortgage to finance an adoption. I want to stay at home with our child(ren) and don't want to put us in a position of
needing two incomes.)
On the other, we have been giving, giving, giving for years to family and friends - buying gifts for their children, providing free babysitting, donating to their favourite charities, helping them move, etc. With the exception of my parents, we really haven't been on the receiving end.
Still, I don't expect these same people to happily turn around and help us out financially. Instead, I'm looking at selling off "excess" possessions, saving money out of our budget and finding way to earn money providing goods/services. Of course, I haven't put this to the test yet,
so I might have to re-consider.