Did you stop investing when you had little kids?

[rugrat]

Kero - Not sure if that is really possible. But I guess if you done up an expenses table you could estimate costs.

ie, Nappies $30 f/n
Formula $x f/n
clothing $y
entertainment $z
school fees $p
etc

They cost as much or as little as you spend on them - but it is the little things like extra toilet paper, petrol, food (particularly milk and bread) where the costs actually the most.

We never struggled because we only ever had the one wage - watching my friends, I have noticed that those who seem to struggle most are those going from two incomes down to one. Best thing is the try to survive on the one income for a year before you have a baby and put his income aside as a buffer when the baby is born.

 

[lizzie]

we were on one income before i was pregnant (my income was all capital gains from reno's etc) so didn't really notice a difference - except - we started investing in cheaper areas and looking at cashflow instead of capital growth.

i remember being 8 months pregnant in a hot february trapsing from open home to open home ... and after juniors' first auction at 3 months of age i had change her nappy on the floor of my new purchase before i could sign the documents.

from when she was around 3 she loved going to open homes (and still does), i have a photo of her naked at 3 painting with a roller (still loves to help paint) and she loves to help pull out nails. she cliimbed her first ladder when she could still barely walk (she was supposed to be in the care of her father!!).

i love being a stay at home mum - especially during the school holidays.

 

[farmilor]

We've been going through major reno's on our PPOR and another IP while our first has been 9 months - 2 years. Our second is on the way, due in July, I'm currently looking for another IP to buy, all cashed up and currently negotiating. When this one settles, will be hoping to squeeze in another one prior to the second baby being born.

Have also made sure that we have a large cash buffer set aside to easily get us through the period of reduced income and additional expenses.

 

[RumpledElf]

They cost as much or as little as you spend on them - but it is the little things like extra toilet paper, petrol, food (particularly milk and bread) where the costs actually the most.

Miss 9 is on holidays and the toilet paper is lasting noticably longer now she's not around. Don't notice any extra food bills with kids though. The littlest one barely eats anything and at times the big one eats even less. They weigh 28 and 14 kilos respectively though, I hear teenage boys eat their own weight in food every day.

Nappies are by far the biggest expense for the little ones, then clothes (school uniforms especially) for the bigger ones. I'm sure teenagers are the most expensive though..

 

[daniellee]

Still planned to invest despite having Kid 1, who is just 11 wks old. Wife works an average 1-2 days a wk from home. Combined income fell by 35%. Good thing we planned all along to live on one income and to save the rest for investing.

It was Robert Kiyosaki's 'Rich Dad Poor Dad' book that says it best for me. Rich dad said to Robert: "I have to be rich because I chose to have a family". Something down that line...

Makes perfect sense to me. We want to have the option of being able to provide for the kids (aiming for three)into the future, and PI makes perfect sense as a wealth accumulator.

Cheers

Daniel Lee