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| Newborn Aaron |
We seriously discussed having a baby when I was 30 years of age. At the time I had quite a lot of debt and I said let’s spend 5 years clearing our debt and have a baby at 35.
It got to 2007, and I said let’s wait till the end of the year - would have still been in time for the 35 deadline (my sister in law kept saying my fertility would decline after that!).
Unfortunately in 2007 my precious Father In Law passed away, and we went with his body to Nigeria for the burial. The malaria tablets said not to get pregnant within 3 months of taking them, and that was a good excuse to put it off yet again.
I think I cleared my debts back in 2008, yet we still didn’t start trying till 2009. I had such a block about it due to real serious Tokophobia.
Anyway, it really was the right thing to do to clear my debt, before getting pregnant, as I only got full pay for 8 weeks plus holiday pay and then I was right down to Statutory Maternity Pay (which is not a lot).
What did you make sure you did before you had a baby?
Anyway now I am quite debt averse and nothing goes on a credit card, apart from my Amazon purchases.
But we *may* move house this year and if we do, I can see we that due to moving costs or home improvements I may end up getting a loan.
I will think long and hard about it, but definitely staying away from the credit cards.
What’s your view of debt?
I was renting for 15 years before I was able to buy my own apartment. I still have to pay the mortgage (which is the only debt I have) but I felt that I had a much more secure home to offer a child. There was no landlord to kick me out for any reason or raise the rent unexpectedly. I know there are plenty of single mothers living in rented accomodation but for me it was extremely important to have this stability.
ReplyDeleteGreat answer - love it xx
ReplyDeleteI'm lucky in that we rode the property market in the boom times my husband does building etc so pre this house we did it up whilst living in it and then had our first. personally there isn't anything that would put me off having a child even if we had been in debt. Life is what happens when you are making other plans as john lennon once said. Too much planning isn't a great thing. When i was pregnant with my second this house was a building site and my husband didn't sleep for 3 days trying to get the windows in and kids roons ready. i had no proper kitchen! I wouldn't have waited for the house to be finished to then start trying. time us of the essence with regard to breeding! i always think its a waste of money not to have more children re toys etc but don't generally compare the 2 as you can't. ultimately you always manage and you'll never regret the child you have but may thr child you don't tx
ReplyDeleteI'm not keen on having any sort of debt. I don't have a credit card and my only store card type thing is my Next account LOL. I think if you can wait and save the money to buy then that's the best way but so long as you can afford to repay a loan then I think they are excellent to help people make an impossible a reality.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't live without loans but I always pay them off. I hate overdrafts though, dangerous for me as I never check my bank account!
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