Yes, not having kids will definitely save you money in some ways, but could also cost you money in other ways. For example, if my wife and I didn't have children, I'm willing to bet we would travel more since we wouldn't be constrained by school schedules or limited to family-friendly locales. We would probably dine out more. We would go to the casinos more often.
Of course, we wouldn't have college tuition ahead of us. We wouldn't be spending thousands on a Bat Mitzvah in a couple of months. There would be no wedding to worry about. And all that has been spent on food, toys, clothing, activities, etc. during the past 12 years wouldn't have been spent. Plus, my wife could have continued working full-time instead of being a SAHM for 10 years. That alone would have changed our current balance sheet dramatically and probably accelerated retirement by several years.
No easy answer to the question.
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Steve
* Despite the high cost of living, it remains very popular.
* Why should I pay for my daughter's education when she already knows everything?
* There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.
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