to be p****d off that having another child would throw us into poverty

[chocolatemummy]

My dd is 4 now and I was never sure about having another one, found the whole experience fluctuated me from madness to untopia and very stressful.
Now, I realize that I actually think I could quite like to have another one in a couple of years sors so before I'm too old. For me, for my dd who would love it I know and my dh who loves children.
I just know that having one child has thrown us into debt and put massive strain on our relationship because of money worries and we are so looking forward to her starting school and no more nursery fees!
To have another would surely push us over the edge and I resent that

Also I have never ever regretted having five. I think you just manage and make things work. What you don't want to find is you're 55 and wish you'd had more when it's too late. Also we're finding it really helpful in our 40s that there have been 3 of us to deal with problems over elderly and dying parents. Not very fair for only one child to get lumbered with all that.

My DD1 was 4 1/2 when we had DD2, because I found having DD1 so traumatic (PND) I put it off and was sure we wouldn't have any more for all sorts of reasons. But as soon as we had second baby, DD1 broke my heart when she said she was so happy we had another one because she was so lonely being an only child. It is really hard financially, especially beginning of terms when there are two lots of activities to cough up for, and another seat to book on flight, two pairs of shoes instead of one. But when I see my two playing well, or taking comfort from each other, or ganging up on me when I lose my temper I would not have it any other way

Jesus, our mortgage is over £1000 a month, and bills are about the same... we only spend about £150 a month on food though, and we have one car which is a diesel, wouldn't be able to afford a car otherwise!.

I really don't know how we afford everything, but we do, somehow... jsut.

God knows how we would afford a second child though - with childcare costs there wouldn't be much point me having a job (I don't earn that much, and around 90% of my salary would go on childcare).

We'll just have to cut back even more...

Oh, and before anybody tells me we just need a smaller house, we live in a small terraced 2 1/2 bed, miles away from where we would have ideally lived... we're in the south east, so prices are completely ridiculous.

It is tough to be what you consider a normal hard-working family and struggle to get by. I'm pg with DC2, due in 6 weeks. We should be OK financially, but it all depends on the two from-home businesses that I plan to set up while on maternity leave. We'd really struggle on DH's salary alone. We live in a tiny house, one room downstairs and two small bedrooms upstairs. With 2 kids and 2 dogs, ideally we'd like somewhere bigger but not sure how we'd make that work, unless we pack up and move further north.

Ideal situation - my businesses will flourish, make lots of money and we'll be able to afford a 3-bed house and maybe even a holiday here and there.

Worst-case scenario - businesses fail horribly and we're are stuck in our tiny shoebox to scrape by on DH's earnings until DD starts school and I would be able to go back to work (childcare for 1 costs about 75% of what I earn).

I'm not a greedy person, I don't want to be rich! I'd just like a nice house that's big enough for all of us (don't mind if the DC's have to share a room, as long as it's big enough for 2!), and to able to afford to go on holiday once a year to see DH's family.

I know there are people far worse off than me and I shouldn't complain, but sometimes it seems very unfair.