"I MADE A HUGE SACRIFICE TO BUY MY DREAM HOME"

[cookiemdough]

She doesn't work! How expensive can a third kid be if there are no daycare costs involved? No downsizing necessary.

[eclaires]

Jun 30, 2015 11:37:39 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

She doesn't work! How expensive can a third kid be if there are no daycare costs involved? No downsizing necessary.

Fuzzy math I swear.

Our biggest financial concerns with adding a 3rd is a new car. And eventually paying for college because that's important to us. The daily day to day budgeting is not a big deal and that's even being pretty sure in advance we will need hypoallergenic formula for at least six months. The long term stuff like college concerns me but at the same time, in the five years since we've had Scarlett, my husband's salary has changed so maybe we would be able to afford it, idk. it seems to me if you can afford a house like that, you should be able to run the numbers and figure out a 3rd without returning to work.

[eclaires]

Jun 30, 2015 11:48:25 GMT -5 Catlawdy said:

Jun 30, 2015 8:14:34 GMT -5 eclaires said:

One of her recent blog posts says they have to move and she doesn't want to? I'm confused.

Sorry if I missed it - but link to the blog site, please? I just saw her stuff posted elsewhere, not on the original blog.

scottsinva.blogspot.com/?m=1

[wawa]

Jun 30, 2015 11:37:39 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

She doesn't work! How expensive can a third kid be if there are no daycare costs involved? No downsizing necessary.

This was my first thought when this was posted on my local.

Factors we came up with:
-College savings.  meticulous planning I'm assuming means fully funded college savings plans for each kid.  If they're actually setting aside enough for each kid to pay for currently projected private schools out of pocket...then yeah.  that's a lot.
-New car.  Because you think she's going to cram three kids across in a sedan?  Yeah, I didn't think so either. 
-Extra plane ticket every time they want to travel somewhere
-New kid wardrobe.  Because you know she's hoping this one will be her little girl - and besides, new baby needs new clothes.  Can't just have that kid in beat up handmedowns.
-cost of redecorating the guest room into a nursery. 


Somehow that all adds up to downsizing AND selling the timeshare AND her going back to work.  OF course the third one would be almost entirely offset by daycare costs, so I'm not sure what the point of that is, but yeah.  TRAGEDY WOULD ENSUE.

[josieposy]

Obviously she needs to be smarter about monetizing the blog. I mean some of those people are bringing in the bucks and they barely write anything!

[eclaires]

And if college savings is such a burden to them but she desperately wants a 3rd - decide to save for 3 in state tuitions/room and board instead.

Funding our kids' college is important to us. It is our #1 concern with regards to the financial aspect of adding another kid and I won't feel a bit bad about only saving enough for in state tuition. Nope. Not one bit.

[tacosforlife]

I think it's cute that wawa and eclaires mentioned a new car.

Do we really think this chick doesn't already drive a large SUV? You know li'l miss ain't rolling around in a 2001 Camry.

[ttt]

Jun 30, 2015 11:37:39 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

She doesn't work! How expensive can a third kid be if there are no daycare costs involved? No downsizing necessary.

Right?? I don't get this at all. She's already staying at home, she probably already has all the gear and stuff from previous children since her kids are still small. And she appears to be homeschooling their kids? Did I read that right? What are the additional costs involved here that would require sacrificing their house? 

[wawa]

Jun 30, 2015 12:00:18 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I think it's cute that wawa and eclaires mentioned a new car.

Do we really think this chick doesn't already drive a large SUV? You know li'l miss ain't rolling around in a 2001 Camry.

But it might not have the third row seat!!!! 

[nsl]

Jun 30, 2015 11:35:09 GMT -5 Vespasia said:

Jun 30, 2015 11:14:36 GMT -5 mominatrix said:

Like, the way she phrased this makes me think her definition is a bit off. Like how teenagers are obsessed with whether or not something is "mature"...

This also applies to her claims that they planned the house purchase "meticulously." If they didn't make a contingency plan for the sole breadwinner losing his job, then they did not plan this well at all. 

I can't get past this point.  I can't claim to have planned anything in my life "meticulously," but I can't imagine purposely putting myself in a financial position that would require the immediate sale of our home if one of us lost our jobs.  That's not being a super special planner, that's being a dumbass.

[penguingrrl]

Jun 30, 2015 12:00:18 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I think it's cute that wawa and eclaires mentioned a new car.

Do we really think this chick doesn't already drive a large SUV? You know li'l miss ain't rolling around in a 2001 Camry.

I'm thinking she's rolling in a BMW SUV and would have to upgrade to an Escalade since the beemer doesn't have a third row and the kdis can't possibly sit next to each other.

[marathon55]

I'll give her a break and concede that it may be a dream house for her and plenty of others. Who am I not to say it's not a lovely house inside and out. (Not my taste but my taste sucks for most!).

But the article is full of the worst case of sheltered worldview. She really thinks she has hardships compared to the average 30 year old.

I'm sure someday she will realize how good she has it and will spend time with those who are much less fortunate.

[dawnzersong]

Jun 30, 2015 12:11:32 GMT -5 @meepmeep said:

Outside of college savings and her ability to be an internet martyr, there is nothing that would take that big of a hit in their current lifestyle - SAHM with a giant house - by adding another kid. There is no legitimate reason for this except for her whining.

She could even turn the experience into more fodder for her writing career- scads of articles about how meticulously planned families with three children are far superior to footloose, fancy-free two-child families and you people with your measly pair of offspring have no idea how easy your life is with your gold-plated toilets and free time up the wazoo.

[jillboston]

Jun 30, 2015 12:19:12 GMT -5 marathon55 said:

I'll give her a break and concede that it may be a dream house for her and plenty of others. Who am I not to say it's not a lovely house inside and out. (Not my taste but my taste sucks for most!).

But the article is full of the worst case of sheltered worldview. She really thinks she has hardships compared to the average 30 year old.

I'm sure someday she will realize how good she has it and will spend time with those who are much less fortunate.

30? yes. she needs to gain some perspective. (not that a 50 year old can't have a sheltered worldview ..)

[msmerymac]

Jun 30, 2015 11:53:03 GMT -5 eclaires said:

And if college savings is such a burden to them but she desperately wants a 3rd - decide to save for 3 in state tuitions/room and board instead.

Funding our kids' college is important to us. It is our #1 concern with regards to the financial aspect of adding another kid and I won't feel a bit bad about only saving enough for in state tuition. Nope. Not one bit.

I agree. IF (And it's a big IF) they are actually saving enough to pay for their kids to attend a private college for 4 years, that could be upwards of $10k/kid/year. And yeah, $30k after taxes to stick into a 529 plan? That's a hell of a lot of money.

Instead of looking at this like, "Oh no, we'd have to sell the house!" to be able to afford it, she needs to say, "Okay, well, right now we're saving $18k/year for college."

Which means maybe....
$6k/kid/year, which might cover 75% of college costs and then your kids take out loans or you cash flow some in 15 years, and they are still better off than most. 
You try to encourage them to go to public colleges, in-state (or get them in-state status in another state after the first year). 
You choose the local public high school.
You shift money from things like the vacation and miscellaneous other budgets. 
You realistically assess their chances of getting scholarships and/or get them involved in country club sports.
You go back to work when the youngest is 5 and use all your income for both after school care and to catch up on college contributions.