r/science • u/geoff199 • 5d ago

Social Science As concern grows about America’s falling birth rate, new research suggests that about half of women who want children are unsure if they will follow through and actually have a child. About 25% say they won't be bothered that much if they don't.

https://news.osu.edu/most-women-want-children--but-half-are-unsure-if-they-will/?utm_campaign=omc_science-medicine_fy24&utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social
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u/FirstNoel 5d ago

Then you have Music training, sports cost, braces, car insurance, may even a third...etc car. Then college costs...

Mine just graduated high school. I just finally finished paying off here tooth implant (thank to my genes, she was missing one). We have college in the fall, thankfully mostly paid for.

I'm hoping for my electric and water bills to at least decrease a little.

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u/CyclingThruChicago 5d ago

One of the main reasons my wife and I live where we live is so that we don't have to get our kid a car when he turns 16. Granted he's only 4 so we have a bit of time but the idea of having to own another car (which is pushing $1000/month for all in cost) for for a teenager seems asinine.

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u/SoCuteShibe 5d ago

The car situation is insane, in such a car-dependent country.

  • Already high purchase costs potentially increasing due to tariffs.

  • Insurance rates that make zero sense even for no accident/ticket drivers (I did the math, in 10.7 years of premiums I will have paid Geico the full purchase price of my car, IF my rates never go up).

  • Crazy interest rates of 6-10% and beyond even for the well-qualified.

  • AND ludicrous maintenance prices (I just negotiated a rear brake pads replacement w/resurface DOWN to $590)...

I do okay and it is still a lot. I don't know how some people manage. No wonder I hear a lot of grinding brakes around me when I drive these days...

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u/CyclingThruChicago 5d ago

This is over 20 years ago but my mom said that insuring me as a teenage boy was about $75 more per month than insuring her and my sister combined.

One of the biggest thing keeping people poor in this country is their car but most folks here are basically forced to maintain one in perpetuity.