[live2bhappy2003]

This information is on a non-adoptive child. Add your adoption expenses to this...pretty scarey! But definitely worth it.

According to Smart Money, the US Department of Agriculture estimated that in 1995, a child costs approximately $145,320 in a middle-income family over 18 years; a more realistic estimate, based on expenses from birth to college, might be closer to $400,000. The first year of a baby's life is just the beginning: The average family spends about $10,000 (we're counting delivery, hospital stay, baby furniture, clothes, food, diapers, daycare, toys, books, and well-baby visits and immunizations) with some smart shopping, borrowing, and budgeting.[b]

[Linny]

Interesting comments!!!! I know that when we decided that we were going to have children........we had some friends who were older parents of very young children come up to us and give this advice:
"If you're waiting until you have the money to raise children.....you'll not do it! If you want to have children......have children."

While I know it's not good to have 'wreckless abandon' on anything......... I think there is some truth to that comment. Their point was that they waited soooo long to save the money, that they felt they had waited too long.

I know that once we started adopting......we just didn't look back. If we thought each time about what it might take to raise a baby to 18yrs.........we'd probably have never had children in the first place! LOL!


Sincerely,


Linny

[joelynn]

Amen Linny!!!! LOL
I was 22 when I had our first son...33 when we adopted our second son...now turning 38 this week and waiting to adopt a daughter...it was easier with the first! Waiting to adopt later was because of financial reasons but will adopt before I buy next house and so forth. We will be paying for college tuition for our first son in 2 years so I guess if you wait on the "right" time there may never be the "right" time!!!! Just do what you feel is right for you is my 2 cents worth.