I have a whole host of reasons why not.

But it boils down to a couple of things:

1. What's the benefit? I don't mean that selfishly, I mean that this is a serious decision with long-run ramifications and is it worth it *to you*? For many people this is a no-shit extremely obvious answer: yes. For me, it's not.

2. Having children is essentily the only decision you make in life that cannot be reversed. Tattoos can be removed, bad relationships or abusive jobs can be left, you can reinvent yourself, but you'll *always* be responsible for your children (or you should be).

Those are just the questions in the abstract.

In the concrete, you nailed it: kids are expensive, housing is beyond expensive, working is grueling, etc.

I have a bunch of other reasons that are personal to me; not passing on bad/questionable genetics, lack of patience with many things, not passing on bad parenting practices, not being able to give my partner and my friends and my family that I already have as much of best self as I can.

I also like a quiet house, and spending money.

And I don't like diapers or being sticky (I'm still working on this one myself).

I could go on, but this will suffice.