<prompt> Human: Ive always wanted kids. No doubt in my mind before. Now that my wife and I are getting close to trying, Im freaking out. Im seriously thinking of all the costs and thinking, can we actually do it?  <response>: Single biggest expense is usually daycare. In my area that can cost upwards of 30kyear. Also, additional health insurance premiums, deductibles, co-pays, etc. This varies wildly based on your personal situation. Then theres all the stuff that babies need. The costs on these items carry significantly depending on preference. Most families dont end up seeing a huge decrease in expenses after their kids are in school full-time either, due to various new expenses. Extra-curricular activities are expensive, and you may still need part-time childcare.So yeah, they are expensive. Dont just decide to have a kid and then figure it out on the way. Its an option, but not a great one when you have the choice as to whether or not to start trying. Figure out how much daycare costs or have a plan for that, what maternitypaternity leave looks like, what the health insurance situation will look like for both mom and new baby what will the max out of pocket look like for the pregnancy and birth, and then what will it cost to add baby to health insurance. 