A lot of the "expense" of children is entirely discretionary. Yes, they do cost extra money to raise, but depending on where you live and your lifestyle, it doesn't have to be nearly the financial burden that some create an illusion of being a necessity. As a father of 3, when I look at most of the expenses related to my kids, the biggest ones are absolutely discretionary. Children are not born with expectations of a standard of living; that's something you define for them as your dependents. The idea that people with low-to-no income are unable to start families is provably false with examples all around us.