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When did you know it's the right time to have a baby?
Answered 3 years ago
My husband earns $75k. I quit my job last month because the workplace was toxic. I was earning $60k. My husband and I are happier now in comparison to when I was working as I was stressed all the time. I'm in my early 30s and we want to start a family. We think now is the right time to do that but I'm scared that financially we may struggle. I will be selling pre-owned items online as well as crafty things to help out with the cash flow . I think if I'm SAHM I can focus more on the upbringing of our kids and maintenance of our home and any admin we need to do (tax , budgeting etc...). When did you know it's the right time to have a baby? How did you start your family? Is having one income enough?
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3 years ago
This is a tricky one and it depends on lots of factors. Do you have a mortgage? Are all your expenses manageable on one income? The truth of the matter is that babies are incredible, but there is a period of adjustment and having added stress (particularly financial stress) can really be problematic. Financial issues are one of the leading causes of divorce in Australia. I’m not sure what state you live in, but making ends meet on one income of $75k for three people will likely be difficult, particularly if you don’t own your own home.
My honest advice would be to get another job, work in it for a period of 12 months so that you qualify for maternity leave and then have a baby. Spend that time aggressively saving (you could even live solely off your husband’s income and save yours as a trial run). After you’ve had your baby, if you have enough in savings and have found living off one income possible then you can review your options. You can choose to stay home if that feels right and suits your family.
Of course you can choose to jump right in and have a child now, but the truth is, if you end up needing to go back to work it’ll likely be harder to find something suitable when you’re under financial pressure and trying to care for a baby and arrange childcare. I’d say plan as much as you can before having children and that’ll make life easier for everyone in the long run. Best of luck to you!
My honest advice would be to get another job, work in it for a period of 12 months so that you qualify for maternity leave and then have a baby. Spend that time aggressively saving (you could even live solely off your husband’s income and save yours as a trial run). After you’ve had your baby, if you have enough in savings and have found living off one income possible then you can review your options. You can choose to stay home if that feels right and suits your family.
Of course you can choose to jump right in and have a child now, but the truth is, if you end up needing to go back to work it’ll likely be harder to find something suitable when you’re under financial pressure and trying to care for a baby and arrange childcare. I’d say plan as much as you can before having children and that’ll make life easier for everyone in the long run. Best of luck to you!
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3 years ago
This is excellent advice! 👍