With the average family having just 1.3 kids (I'd like to see the .3) and 20 percent of couples saying NO to kids of any kind, the U.K. household is looking more and more childfree. According to this article in the London Telegraph, the reasons are quite simple:
The overwhelming factor for the shrinking family is said to be financial, with 89 per cent of those surveyed saying that they were under pressure from the rising cost of living.
One in five couples said they had decided not to have children at all, with 30 per cent of men preferring to stay childless compared with 16 per cent of women.
Of those planning not to have a family, 37 per cent said it was because they were unwilling to compromise their lifestyle, while a further 15 per cent were put off by the cost.
Financial pressure is also an issue for people who already have children. One in five said they would not be having any more offspring because they could not afford to.
The folks over at Dual Income No Kids are taking suggestions for their Top 50 Reasons Not to Have Kids list. They've already got some hilarious entries. A few of my faves: 23. Less formula, more beer -- Monte 41. Delay your ability to relate to the Nanny 9-1-1 show -- CFJayC 9. So my Nieces and Nephews can have it all -- Ninja [LINK]
I've just received the terrific news that "Baby Not on Board" is going to be published in Italy next spring. Although it's a Roman Catholic country, there's evidence that the childfree movement has taken root there. I hope my book can provide some much-needed moral support to all the fabulous Italians who are saying yes to birth control and no to babies.
Eating for one costs more than eating for two (but it's worth it)
This in from Spain! Families spend less on food than childfree couples and single adults. The reason? According to the article: Not everybody eats the same food, and according to the Ministry for Agriculture data published last week, families with children are the most efficient spenders. They tend to eat home-cooked meals, milk-based products and bread, and drink mineral water at the table. The younger the children, the more they cost to feed. Retired people are also efficient consumers, their reduced budgets forcing most of them to seek out the least expensive products, and their desire to live longer encouraging them to eat healthy meals. Couples without children account for 9.2 per cent of the total population, and while their spending habits are rather similar to those of retired people, they spend more on meat, fruit, vegetables, bread and soft drinks. Adults living on their own make up 6.6 per cent of the population, and they do not generally worry about issues like diet and health, spending most of their grocery budget on fish, bread, fruit and pastries. Young people living on their own make up 4.5 per cent of the population, and for them, the less time spent preparing meals the better. The result is a higher consumption of pre-cooked meals, pastries, soft drinks and meat.
So not having kids means you probably drink more wine, eat tastier food, spend less time cooking, and aren't stressed about your health? And there's nobody shoving tater tots into your ears when you're trying to make conversation? And you get to go out to dinner at good restaurants more often? Worth the extra cost, if you ask me. [LINK]
