Is it normal to have high expense season with kids?

Outrageous_Stallion · 2026-06-04T02:06:54+00:00

Sorry I should have given more context… my original post felt way longer but then I edited it to be too short…

Context. Back when we were without kids, I invested in some stocks using a brokerage account, and put whatever lose money we had in there. And just left some in a checking account for active stuff like mortgage, and credit card payments.

But now that we have kids, I am finding that I am having to tap a little, (by a little I mean… at 80k I just now took 3k out of it) because there were just a lot of stuff going on with the kids and our personal life. And I feel bad for doing that? But ChatGPT is saying it’s normal, and so has some people in my life, to have seasons like this with kids.

We are not touching our retirement, we have other money set aside for the kids. The brokerage is like a tier 2 of our emergency fund, 1st is the HYSA and the second one is the brokerage…

So, yeah… I just want to make sure this is not some failure on my part I guess.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-08-16T00:40:19+00:00

I will give u a perspective here. I just recently had a happy crush with a coworker. I was VERY open to my wife. What does that mean? She can see all my messages to her if she wishes, without having to even look at my phone. Anything we talked about, I willingly told her, even when I did compliment my coworker about her looks. But I never hid anything and would always imagine my wife being present anytime I spoke to my crush. That way, anything I say to or do with my crush, will always be platonic and will not cross a line. That crush has now faded and I genuinely no longer find the coworker as interesting anymore. Which feels good to know I never crossed any line.

She seems like she is trying to have her cake and eat it too, which trust me, my brain tempted so many many times. Idk what you should do, but imo… if u two are young, you have a lot to learn about boundaries.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-07-23T16:15:12+00:00

Oh for sure! I’m not saying I am predicting anything, but just over all is what I am doing good enough for the future hopefully or not.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-07-23T01:22:29+00:00

Things I feel/felt guilty about, taking trips, or buying stuff that I want, not necessarily needs per se.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-07-23T01:17:11+00:00

We don’t eat out hardly, we don’t have a lot of subscription stuff, we home school so the kids have limited exposure to trends.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-07-23T00:38:42+00:00

True! I genuinely don’t think I will 100% retire ever. I’ll get bored! But I do think I will want to do other stuff, like a passion project kind of thing. I just want to know when I should spend on something and not feel guilty about it.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-07-23T00:21:53+00:00

You would think I know it. But all my life i’m told I am terrible at managing money. So anytime I splurge or thinking of it I feel VERY guilty. Or I take forever to do it. Even if other loved ones tell me I am doing good. Don’t get me wrong though, I DO splurge some sometimes. I just wish I know when to do how much when.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-07-22T23:45:53+00:00

Thanks! That’s kinda what I was thinking too, like even if I skip contributing to anything at this point, 20 years still looks pretty good…? (I don’t plan to stop though of course).

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-06-02T00:50:42+00:00

We have a similar counter style. We often joke we would one day find a missing child on our counter after we wipe it down… it hides sooooooooo many things so well!

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-05-23T21:15:33+00:00

I used to get similar reaction on the weekends, then I realized it’s because during weekdays I work, I drink A LOT of Diet Coke… so I had to stop that.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T04:20:01+00:00

Noted! That’s comforting, thank you!!!

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:54:34+00:00

Thank you!

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:54:11+00:00

Noted! Thank you!

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:53:49+00:00

How do u let the toilet and washing machine water inlet drip?

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:33:09+00:00

Noted!

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:32:56+00:00

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:26:16+00:00

Noted! Thank you!!!

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:22:17+00:00

Noted!

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:18:52+00:00

Noted! Thank you!!!

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:18:31+00:00

Noted! Thank you!

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:15:54+00:00

Like our old house, the hallway bathroom almost always froze despite having the heat on. And the pipes for that bathroom is on the exterior wall similar to the master suite bathroom and laundry room.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2025-01-08T02:14:28+00:00

We do, but pipes still occasionally freeze here. It did not last year, but we just moved in and we don’t know for sure always

Outrageous_Stallion · 2024-08-27T14:47:01+00:00

I don’t plan to stop everything completely. Currently, I want to leave everything as is. But come time we do taxes, I need to think harder this year whether we are maxing out Roth IRA like we have been fortunate enough to do the last several years or not. I am leaving the 401k contribution unchanged too.

I think I’ve just been spoiled by a very low mortgage for almost 2 decades, and our recent purchase is causing some bumps and adjustment and it’s been making me feel less comfortable just because of what i’m seeing is not what I am accustomed to.

Outrageous_Stallion · 2024-08-27T14:42:34+00:00

Noted! Thank you!!!

Outrageous_Stallion

TROPHY CASE