[wch]

There are people who waste money on toys, eating out, clothes and all that -- but those expenses pale in comparison to the really big costs:

- Child care (necessary if both parents work or there's just one parent)

- Larger apartment/house, in an area with good schools

My wife and I live in a large midwestern city. Prior to having kids, we had more than enough space in a 2-bedroom apartment. We had in the past (as students) lived comfortably on less than $20k each a year.

Putting an infant in a day care costs between $1200 and $1600 here. It drops a few hundred when the baby moves into the toddler room, and a few hundred more when the toddler moves into the older kids' room. With two kids in day care (an infant and an older kid), that still costs in the ballpark of $2000-2500 per month.

The 2-bedroom apartment is too small for 2 adults plus 2 children, plus visiting family members who help with kids, and moving to a bigger place in an area with good schools also increases monthly costs substantially.

Even if you're not spending money frivolously, having kids is expensive compared to not having them.