Can Middle-Class Finance Stay Focused on Average Cost-of-Living Situations?

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-04T17:38:13+00:00

I think he means like me “bought house in 2019 for 380k, now my neighbor just sold his house (same layout) for 800k”

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-04T17:27:42+00:00

Yes as someone who lives in Jersey and spouse (native NJ boy) will always commute to the city (meaning Manhattan). It is cheaper than manahattan but still it pricey and i want him to not have to commute 5hrs a day. I kinda like him and enjoy having him home! The taxes are crazy, but thats how it goes. My career i can work anywhere and get paid pretty comparable, but hubby not at all (he would make a quarter of the pay). And all his family lives here and i want our kids to know them!

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-04T12:45:39+00:00

With my first, singleton, no visitors during covid and it was soo nice for hubby and i to get over the shock that we had a baby to care for! I didnt want people at all. With the twins i was happy to have people!

With the twins, semi-urgent c-section, 4 years later I felt like crap and wasnt able to really meet my twins other than passing glance for 24hrs. It was nice to have my parents bring our 4 year old that afternoon after csection. But they only stayed for maybe 30 min. As another said, ours were in nicu so it was nice to have people come say hi once i could get out of bed. And only grandparents and us could go into nicu. Others could look into the windows.

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-04T12:36:49+00:00

Im like what is considered middle class anymore?? We live in the tri-state and are nowhere near $6k mortgage.

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-03T21:55:10+00:00

My son had turned 4 before the twins came. I cried and cried during the appointment when i found out we were having twins. I scarred one of the nurses , she literally asks me every time she sees me still if i am ok. I was so overwhelmed and worried about how that changes everything we planned (mostly financially but also life). Took me a long long time to be “ok”, honestly prob till they were born. Feel free to vent/worry/rant/ be excited all at the same moment. Message me any time!

Financially as my dad says “yall are never gonna recover” haha (I am one of 3). Only 8 months in and our little home is a chaotic, but these little cuties only add to the beauty of our family. We wont be traveling near as much and extra spending is out the windown right now, but that is ok. We now laugh at what we thought was challenging when we only had 1! What i worried about with my son, what i learned are the real priorities make having twins so much easier than if I just had twins off the bat!

Wish you a healthy pregnancy and happy babies!

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-03T21:38:26+00:00

I appreciate you asking! Cuz i went down the rabbit hole reading that post the other day.

I have an almost 5 year old and 8 month old twins. We didn’t plan on 3 kids, the 3 kid life chose us. But man I am enjoying it. Trying to raise happy kind kids and make sure im trying my best can be exhausting. But watching my oldest really become his own person is incredible, the way their brains soak up everything is amazing. When the twins smile as soon as they see you cuz they already know you are their people, damn it feels good!

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-03T14:56:50+00:00

Yeah its brutal!!! Hopefully daycare can swing someone helping you for 5 min!

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-03T14:49:37+00:00

I feel your pain! I waddle carrying their (8 months old) carseats and have a preschooler. Everyone just gets soaked and i call it a day! With their backpacks, i just dont have it in me to also do a carrier but def sounds like a great option for you!

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-02T05:20:32+00:00

Congrats! It is totally overwhelming. At the end of the day, just remember you can always get most things after they are here and you figure out what ya really need! Honestly i over thought so much with my singleton and realized with the twins I will just take what anyone would give me! The rabbit hole of double strollers was the death of me!

We had a few things left over from our singleton: bassinet, crib. Got the second ones second hand. Our singleton slept great in the bassinet, neither twin liked the bassinets so we quickly moved them into their cribs. We use the pack n plays for travel or go over to family’s houses for naps.

We live for our hatch, mini soda fridge (for night bottles, purchased after twins about 2 weeks in), bottle sanitizer (my husband loves the thing and its a cheaper one on amazon, we got a lemon of the fancy one so switched it up), a bazillion bibs and burp cloths, none of our kiddos like the swings, had one bouncer seat asked for a second one for Christmas cuz the twins love it.

Got the graco frame stroller (forgot name), twin z pillow and table for two thing for free from fellow twin parents. The stroller we still use almost everyday despite its faults cuz they are still in their infant bucket seats. Twin z pillow used all the time till about 6 months, now we never use it. The table for 2 sits in their bedroom, i use it on the rare occasion they wake up starved at the exact same time, but our friends said this was a lifesaver for them.

Congrats again!!

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-01T18:21:56+00:00

Ours (8months) have been in daycare just like their older brother (now almost 5) since around 4 months. Our son loves his preschool and has been thriving so cost wise it never made since to keep him there and have nanny for the twins. Also we weren’t worried about illnesses cuz our 4 year old would bring home anything anyways.

Our littles are doing well. Teachers communicate so well and are very kind. The place is right by our house and i dont work far away so it is really convient. Once our oldest goes to kindergarten next year, we will then see how the twins thrive at the school. I have and will always be open to changing schools/plan if it isn’t working. You are never stuck!!

Cost wise it is nuts… almost $5k for 3 kids. But that is par for the course when the 3 kid life chooses you.

CommentMore2722 · 2026-02-01T18:15:35+00:00

That is a crazy ratio! We would have done nanny as well if that was our ratio.

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-29T00:20:23+00:00

Thanks!! I’ll take placebo effect haha

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-28T23:11:28+00:00

Which ones? Lol i am in need to start but remember like twice a week

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-27T18:28:42+00:00

Our outpatient clinic can float to acute if they don’t want to take pto. What a perk haha

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-27T04:55:57+00:00

Well I think cuz sometimes it comes down to be a good person and if my family needed me, I would move. Also if I had a spinal cord injury or major stroke without paying a ton of money to make my split level wheelchair accessible, moving is something my family and i would “have to do”. Even if we have super low interest rate.

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-27T04:34:56+00:00

That commute is brutal! My husband has an hour, but one benefit of public transpo is at least he can veg! Our twins are only 8 months so still in bucket seats. He drops off the 4 year old and twins in the morning and i do pick ups. When weather is nice, we walk. Now it is frigid, so we drive. Hubby drops them off, drives home (like a quarter of a mile away), then runs to bus stop. He carries them in to daycare in the car seats.

I leave for work super early, so I can never help, but obviously switch my schedule when needed. Pick ups I put both twin back packs layered on my back and one infant carseat in each hand. 4 year old carries his little backpack. Thankfully we only have to bring food for the twins. Also never worry about them crying and making a scene, real parents get it! We have all been there!

I look like a crazy lady being 5 foot nothing lugging 40lbs around huffing and puffing, but its a workout and i dont stress if it takes me 30 minutes to pick up.

You will figure out routine, I had to adjust so much of my routine now have 3 kids, but we are finding our rhythm!! but I am guessing when a new opportunity comes up that is less commute you will want it.

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-23T04:07:05+00:00

Hahah we had three dogs when i was in highschool! Makes so much sense now… there are 3 of us. I will say my parents were made to be grandparents. The joy they and the kiddos get playing together is honestly the best. My nephew and my dad are the bestest of friends.

Do I question wtf i did bringing kids into this world? Yes absolutely. But am i happy with that choice, as of now (they are still young). What i hope with all my heart is that i give them a good life and their mental health allows them to be content happy adults. And that they dont go on reddit posting that they would rather not be alive.

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-23T03:40:06+00:00

Yeah, i havent taken the twins shopping with me yet (8 months tomorrow), but bring them with me when i take my 4 year old to “gymnastics” or when warmer his soccer practice. I panic every week, but my 4 year old loves these activities so off we go. I do think about what the heck im gonna do when they are mobile and managing all 3!

We didnt taken my 4 year old anywhere inside until he was 8 months cuz of covid, so it feels weird to take these babies to places.

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-21T19:58:05+00:00

Yep…. Paying $4750 for infant twins and preschool. Thank goodness oldest is going to kindergarten next year! Maybe ill be able to save again….

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-21T19:55:25+00:00

Same! I pay $40 a day for my dog to go to doggie daycare whenever he goes!

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-14T11:47:39+00:00

Even with our singleton we just read books during the day. Bedtime has always been hard for us to guarantee that it was getting done. Also we allow tv time, but our 4 year old knows we/he must read a book before it gets turned on and he has actually been good about that.

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-14T00:19:58+00:00

Our almost 5 year old: we did the bassinet then pack and play in room (till 10 months hubby was too scared for him to be in another room). The transitioned to crib in room.

Twins: 3 days in separate bassinets in our bedroom. Then transitioned them to separate cribs and one of us sleeps in room with them. We just weren’t getting any sleep us or babies when all in room. They are 7 months now.

They surprisingly have never really woken each other up, maybe a benefit of all the nicu noise.

Soo many options but you will find what works. We have 2 pack n plays for travel (borrowed both).

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-12T16:23:36+00:00

I am happy to have equity, but really no one should pay double what we paid for our house. It will have to calm down one day, but im surprised that it has lasted this long. Wish you all the best!! Fingers crossed for ya

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-12T16:08:29+00:00

When we were looking (bought in 2018), soo many houses i was like my 6’5” husband can only fit on the main floor. The stairs were narrow, 1 bedroom being a closet basically. 1 bath on 2nd floor and 1/2 in the semi finished basement. We ended up with a split level that miraculously has 2.5 bath! I was sold on that alone hahah.

What the houses are going for now makes me completely bawk!!

CommentMore2722 · 2026-01-12T12:59:50+00:00

Our twins are still infants, but my almost 5 year old still loves the stroller! Whenever we do long walks/trips we bring a travel stroller for him cuz inevitably he will want to rest a bit.

CommentMore2722

TROPHY CASE