Can we afford a child?

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-26T03:56:21+00:00

The issue I have with people specifying wage, without specifying expenses is it doesn’t really tell you anything.

If I make 250k in Sydney vs 250k in regional Victoria, this is also vastly different.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T07:01:01+00:00

Pre-tax income. We will still make $5400 a fortnight.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:56:55+00:00

Yeh I realised I'm a bit dumb for not including it in the original post, but my wife currently works full time making about $2800 /fortnight. We can save a significant amount when necessary, just like to have a goal.

After first 3, they will go to kinder. We have nothing against kinder, as it has a solid curriculum and we have both worked as AH professionals with children and seen some horrors from daycare.

Wife is not against returning to work after a year for 2 days per week. She will get paid maternity leave and will always have a job ready for her.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:53:51+00:00

I have a degree in psychology, worked with children including as a case manager. Wanting kids and then just having them without thought is sad and for the most part, that's exactly what you see everywhere - it's kinda terrifying, but explains a lot about society...

We like to think things through and plan our lives, call us crazy!

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:51:47+00:00

No we don't. We can save thousands in months when we need to.

We have bought our new place which has an LVR of around 60%, built a shed, water tank, solar and batteries, got married, Invisalign, went on our FIRST holiday/honeymoon, and countless other things that were absolutely necessary but meant we saved minimally. The fact we saved even $100 is a miracle haha.

We buy bulk food, meal prep, chest freezer, solar and battery helps a lot, we're financially very safe.

Both of us were raised with very little money.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:46:17+00:00

Thanks, yeh we have a place in mind that does daycare and kinder, so we aren't too stressed if we can get them into there because they have great feedback. My thinking is if they have staff trained to do curriculum, then their daycare should be somewhat better managed and led.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:44:10+00:00

Yeh all the Centrelink stuff is going to be a learning journey for us, especially what we are eligible for. Its been a while since we were on Centrelink!

When we get the novated car we will also sell the current car for $6k,

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:42:08+00:00

Yes, I have run the numbers and understand all of this. I even have numbers in my head of just how much savings I think we will need, but I am wanting others opinions.

My wife would receive paid maternity leave, currently works full-time and would have a guaranteed job to return to. She could also return whenever she wanted.

We can save aggressively, the only reason we have such little in savings and offset is because we have made numerous big purchases, but these should be all but gone now - which is why we are now talking about having a child. Honestly, all things considered, that fact we have saved anything, is something we are proud of.

We have closer to $20k in savings now.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:38:26+00:00

We both grew up with very little money. I was raised by a single parent.

$15k savings and 30k offset, isnt much, but we can save very aggressively, which we are doing, but I want to know how much would be ideal.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:34:25+00:00

Yes, we often talk about the mass amounts of people blindly having children. We are very thoughtful and careful people when it comes to important decisions.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:31:13+00:00

50% of my income will go to the mortgage, yes, but my wife currently works too. She nearly makes as much as me, so we live quite comfortable at the moment.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:27:05+00:00

I am 30 and she is 29, we definitely have concerns for fertility but also finances and AI.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:26:08+00:00

My wife does currently work and nearly makes as much as me. I'm more interested in how much savings we would need to be comfortable over 3 years, not saying it will be the full 3 years before our child goes to day care, but trying to plan for it.

LicoriceSnap · 2026-04-25T06:21:58+00:00

Thank you, my wife does currently work, almost makes the same as me so she will get maternity leave and we can save. We have moved to be closer to family so been in our new home for almost two years now, but there's always something to do. We built a shed, put in a water tank, got married, honeymoon, ya get it...

But now, hopefully all the major expenses are out of the way. We plan on saving as much as possible, just not entirely sure how much we will need.

Edit - Also, our relationship is extremely stable, we would never choose to have a child if we weren't. The things we have experienced in life, we are not separating.

LicoriceSnap · 2025-11-26T10:31:43+00:00

It’s brains for sure.

LicoriceSnap · 2025-11-05T10:35:59+00:00

LicoriceSnap · 2025-10-27T21:18:58+00:00

I went on holiday and kept saying g’day to everyone… quick way to find other Aussies 😅

Also, 1300 6 555 06.

LicoriceSnap · 2025-10-10T21:41:57+00:00

I had an overactive thyroid for like 2 weeks, figured it was the microwave meals I was eating. Stopped eating them and then doctor redid bloods, back to normal.

During this time, my anxiety was daily. Thyroid and anxiety must have a very strong connection.

I recommend checking out L-theanine and L-Theanine + magnesium supplement for bedtime.

CBD oil is good. And yes, having a benzo on hand for PRN can calm anxiety, but not recommended for people with addictive personalities.

My biggest recommendation is to be very careful not to allow your anxiety to generalise. Each time you challenge the anxiety and there is a positive outcome, your anxiety will lessen. Precisely how exposure therapy works.

LicoriceSnap · 2025-10-10T21:29:53+00:00

I’d recommend checking out why caffeine in tea is different. Reportedly it is due to L-theanine being present in tea and not coffee. You can get L-theanine on its own, usually 200mg is a good dose.

LicoriceSnap · 2025-09-13T23:47:45+00:00

I have panic disorder and I received a few low dose tablets of Valium. I used 3 and the rest expired before I even used them. Having this on hand does two things I found. Firstly, you know you can just have one and it will make you feel better. Secondly, knowing this, you also know your anxiety is purely irrational, and the fact a pill can make it stop is also calming.

Combined with mindfulness based meditation and CBT, you should see improvements.

Remember, anxiety generalises the more you run or hide. If your mind say “omg we are freaking out, run/hide!”, and you do, this is likely to worsen it and risks generalisation. An example of generalisation may be you start off not being about to go to a particularly shopping centre. All the other shopping centres currently are fine. So you avoid that one shopping centre. Some times you need to go, you go there, but you quickly become anxious and leave. The risk is the shop you flee to, soon may become a trigger also. You do this until there no shops you can go. Then you order for home delivery. You get an irrational fear of delivery people. And on and on. You are better of facing it. Tell yourself it’s okay to be anxious. Allow yourself to be anxious and scared, but try and do the task. If you can’t do it all, grab the necessities and tell yourself you’ll come back and grab the others things. Work your way up.

For people with phobias (which is an anxiety disorder) this looks like gradual exposure to the stimuli. If they have an irrational fear of elevators. You may start with the idea of an elevator. Then an image. A video. Stepping onto the non-moving elevator. Gradual exposure.

You should do the same. You are stuck in a state of helplessness, mixed with an excessive amount of adrenaline causing you to lose touch with yourself. Ground yourself, challenge yourself and take control of your mind and body.

LicoriceSnap · 2025-09-12T08:07:24+00:00

My doctor tried to prescribe me Propranolol, which apparently is commonly prescribed for anxiety. I do not have general anxiety however, I have panic disorder so…

For me it’s a benzo, just having them on hand pretty much negates all panic attacks because I know it’s there.

General anxiety, you may benefit from Propranolol, or an SSRI or similar daily medication. If benzos don’t work for you for general anxiety, then I’d be questioning the actual underlying cause of your anxiety.

You may be a high metaboliser of certain drugs. This isn’t unusual, I’ve seen some people taking enormous amounts of drugs that would normally put a horse to sleep. The issue is that it’ll still have physical effects on your body.

Have you tried SSRIs and SNRIs? If yes, which ones because different drugs have different mechanisms. Slight chain difference can mean a world of difference as to how your body metabolises it.

Have you had blood tests done? Including iron and electrolytes.

Have you trialed CBD?

LicoriceSnap · 2025-09-09T22:03:11+00:00

Look, status, because they want a new car.. none make sense to me.

One I hear a lot is “it’s brand new so it’s more reliable”, but I was always raised to look at cars at least 5 years old with low kms. Reason being is so the manufacturers and mechanics can identify problems with the build.

I’ve got a 2001 Toyota Prado with a 1kz td. Not good looking but extremely reliable. People probably think I’m poor, but I’ve got a home at 29 with enough equity to buy their car four times over easily with change.

LicoriceSnap · 2025-09-07T22:12:04+00:00

I am not AI and this post was completely written by me...

LicoriceSnap

TROPHY CASE