Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 33

Thread: Which is cheaper??

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    EFR, NC
    Posts
    288

    Default

    Well, I've been married for more than 6 months now and I need the group's help again. The spirited discussions that we had about marriage versus racing have let me to pick the community brain about the expense of racing versus kids. I got my wife a kitten hoping that it would do the trick, but her biological clock just keeps ticking. I wonder if Al Qaeda hasn't planted a bomb in her womb!! Well, I'll be 40 in about four weeks and she'll be 37 in about 11 weeks. Since my argument that puppies and kittens can be taken to the humane society has fallen on deaf ears, I need your help with the question of which is cheaper and/or more rewarding, racing or children?
    Racing make heroin addiction look like a vague longing for something salty - Peter Egan

    ITA/IT7 Rx7
    SPU Baby Grand "clown car(s)" 1 stock, 1 with Hayabusa
    CCR BoD
    SWC of CCR Road Racing Liaison
    F&C

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    7,381

    Default

    I'm not touchin' this one with a ten-foot pole...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Frederick Maryland
    Posts
    109

    Default

    If you think you will EVER have kids, HAVE THEM NOW!! DO NO WAIT ANY LONGER!! It only gets harder as you get older. That's all I'm gonna say about that.


    The most expensive? paying for your kids to race. (probably the most rewarding also)
    Steve Beckley
    Walkersville MD
    MARRS #87 ITB MR2

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Nebraska City
    Posts
    223

    Default

    If you don't want kids, you don't deserve them, and they certainly don't deserve you. Sorry if that's harsh.

    But then if you didn't want kids you would have had your tubes cut by now wouldn't you?

    Have them NOW or not at all!
    Dave Webb
    Bare Bones Racing
    '84 VW GTI
    #17 ITB

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    MD, US
    Posts
    1,333

    Default

    I'm not touchin' this one with a ten-foot pole...
    [/b]
    ditto.
    --
    James Brostek
    MARRS #28 ITB Golf
    PMF Motorsports
    Racing and OEM parts from Bildon Motorsport, Hoosier Tires from Radial Tires

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Location
    Huntsville, AL
    Posts
    316

    Default

    Kids are more fun than racing :026: Seeing the look on my 9 year olds face after meeting Dan Wheldon this past Friday at Barber was priceless. You can mix kids and racing to the benefit of the kids if you do it right.

    A's = "go kart seat time" is a helluva incentive for a kid that grows up helping hobby racer dad in the garage.

    Ditto the above about not waiting, my biggest regret is waiting as long as we did, and we started in our late 20's. We had to stop at three, we'd have had more if we'd started earlier.

    You can still drive a racecar when your old, but playing soccer in the backyard with the kids when your old involves trips to the ER

    What I'm doing is "keeping my toe" in the racing water by racing a few times a year. These days, I'm there to hang out with friends more than I am there to "race".

    When the kids are older, and "too cool to hang out with dad", then I'll get serious about racing. That will last a few years until the grandkids show up, and I'll repeat the cycle again!

    Which is cheaper? Racing is, by far. But there is a much better ROI on kids!

    My .02
    Eddie
    ex RX3 and GTI driver
    "Don't RallyCross what you can't afford to Road Race" - swiped from YH and twisted for me
    "I have heard that any landing you can walk away from is a 'good' landing. I bet this applies to flying airplanes as well." - E.J.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Northeast
    Posts
    7,031

    Default

    Having kids, buying your first house, and racing - all things you can't really afford - you just DO it.
    Andy Bettencourt
    New England Region 188967

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Staying off the walls
    Posts
    1,049

    Default

    I was in a similar situation about 9 years ago except for the part being married for 6 months. It was more like ten years. Anyway, my wife wanted kids and I did not. Long story short we now have two kids. I hope this has helped.

    Seriously, as long as one of you really wants to have children and agrees to handle all the maintenance that is mandatory 24/7 with kids from conception to college while the other gets to live his, err, I mean, their life as before which shall include but is not limited to partying late, riding Harleys and racing whatever, while at the same time taking on the responsibility of providing discipline and financial well being for everyone, it can work.

    As far as being expensive, kids are a relative thing, pun intended. They are also the experience of your lifetime. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll smile and you’ll swear but in the end kids are something I wouldn’t want to have missed out on.
    Tom Sprecher

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Sterling, VA
    Posts
    734

    Default

    Having kids, buying your first house, and racing - all things you can't really afford - you just DO it.
    [/b]

    Ding Ding Ding
    Spanky | #73 ITA 1990 Honda Civic WDCR SOLD | #73 ITA 1995 Honda Civic WDCR in progress |
    ** Sponsored by J&L Automotive (703) 327-5239 | Engineered Services, Inc. http://www.EngineeredServices.com **

    Isaac Rules | Build Pictures

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Asheville, NC
    Posts
    110

    Default

    I've got to agree that if one of you are not on board with having children, then you probably shouldnt.

    Your life will not be the same AK (after kids). And, it shouldnt be either. Your spare time should include your children...even if they are working out in the garage on the car with you...or riding on you lap on the mower...etc...

    There really shouldnt be a "hands off" attitude with your children, just my opinion. You may miss the free time out with buddies at the bar that you had BK (before kids), but that is part of parenthood.

    If you want well-adjusted kids who respect and listen to their parents...then you have to put in the time and sacrifice. Just like anything in life, the product you get is related to the time you put in.

    I'm not a parent, but have some close childhood friends who are. I have seen how life changes for them. And believe me, it changes.

    None of them would go back and do anything differently though...
    But, they WANTED children too....something to consider.

    You will probably have to cut your race schedule down once the kids come along. You can probably juggle both, but it may be tough to afford/have time for a full schedule...(depends on your income and such)

    By the way,
    If a democrat gets into office in 08 you may not be able to afford either.
    Hold onto your wallets! Here come the taxes!




    there I said it... :P

    Had to get it off my chest.
    "Entropy sucks"

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Alpharetta, GA
    Posts
    73

    Default

    I have two kids now, our daughter is 2 1/2, our son is 6 months. I would trade a lifetime of racing for 5 minutes with either of my kids. There is no comparison. I'm finding that I increasingly want to spend my weekends and free-time with the kids rather than at the racetrack.

    I haven't found our kids to be expensive at all, but I'm sure that'll change as they get older! Two sets of tires pays for an all-inclusive trip for 5 days for the whole family to Disneyland. Not hard to figure out which one gets preference there!

    I'm not one of those guys who really wanted kids, I never really thought about it till I got married. Now that I've done it though, I could never go back.

    Bottom line, you can race any time, you only have a limited window to have kids!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    hampden,ma.usa
    Posts
    3,083

    Default

    Well, I've been married for more than 6 months now and I need the group's help again. The spirited discussions that we had about marriage versus racing have let me to pick the community brain about the expense of racing versus kids. I got my wife a kitten hoping that it would do the trick, but her biological clock just keeps ticking. I wonder if Al Qaeda hasn't planted a bomb in her womb!! Well, I'll be 40 in about four weeks and she'll be 37 in about 11 weeks. Since my argument that puppies and kittens can be taken to the humane society has fallen on deaf ears, I need your help with the question of which is cheaper and/or more rewarding, racing or children?
    [/b]
    gee isn't this something you should have talked about 6+ months ago.
    dick patullo
    ner scca IT7 Rx7

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    raleigh, nc, usa
    Posts
    5,252

    Default

    If a Republican gets into office in 08, your kids might be dead on the side of a road in some sandpit in the Middle East somewhere.

    There, I said it.

    Let's keep the politics off the board.

    Thanks.

    By the way,
    If a democrat gets into office in 08 you may not be able to afford either.
    Hold onto your wallets! Here come the taxes!
    there I said it... :P

    Had to get it off my chest.
    [/quote]
    NC Region
    1980 ITS Triumph TR8

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Belmont, CA
    Posts
    226

    Default

    If a Republican gets into office in 08, your kids might be dead on the side of a road in some sandpit in the Middle East somewhere.

    There, I said it.

    Let's keep the politics off the board.

    Thanks.

    By the way,
    If a democrat gets into office in 08 you may not be able to afford either.
    Hold onto your wallets! Here come the taxes!
    there I said it... :P

    Had to get it off my chest.
    [/b]
    Pot, kettle, black.
    Scot Mac - Mac Motorsports
    88 ITB Fiero #41, SFR, NWR, ICSCC

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chardon Ohio
    Posts
    238

    Default

    Kids are a pain in the ass, there I said it...lol
    But I love my 2 kids, daughter 19, son 16, they've been the biggest pain in the ass but they have also been the best thing that has ever happened to me...

    Like all things that are good in life you have to take the bad with the good...

    And later in life you can use the kid as an excuse to spend money like a drunken sailor on all kinds of racing stuff... I have 8 racing karts 2 race cars and all kinds of cool racing stuff... and it's all for the kid honey...lol
    If I keep him hooked on racing he wont have time for stupid stuff like that little jerk down the road...See how that works... It's great...spend money on something cool for your car or what ever and use the kid as an excuse and mommy can't say shit....lol

    Kids are Great...
    Bill Johnson

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Asheville, NC
    Posts
    110

    Default

    you mean the war the dem's voted for?

    Your right, politics should stay off the board :P

    lets move on...
    "Entropy sucks"

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    EFR, NC
    Posts
    288

    Default

    Seems that I may have struck a nerve between those that took this as a joke (as it was intended) and those who thought I was serious. In regard to experience with kids, I was the program director for a residential Medicaid Moderate Management program for "behaviorally challenged" kids between the ages of 6 and 18. In some ways, they were the best birth control in the world. In other ways, I'd love to have (some of) them as my own. That being said, I just worry about the $$$!! This isn't the first time I've heard "just do it", "don't worry, you'll find a way to afford it", etc. Not my personality type, but looks like one I'm going to have to adopt. PLEEZ take this as a joke, as it was intended. We haven't started trying yet. Wife is hypertensive and is going to see a "high risk OB". This alone is pretty scary. While I won't disgust/bore you with updates on progess, I'll keep everyone informed when the announcement is ready to be made. All right, everyone have fun with this topic!

    Scott Franklin
    www.NutDriver.org
    Racing make heroin addiction look like a vague longing for something salty - Peter Egan

    ITA/IT7 Rx7
    SPU Baby Grand "clown car(s)" 1 stock, 1 with Hayabusa
    CCR BoD
    SWC of CCR Road Racing Liaison
    F&C

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Orlando, FL, USA
    Posts
    2,322

    Default

    I'm not touchin' this one with a ten-foot pole...
    [/b]
    The mind reels...
    Gregg Baker, P.E.
    Isaac, LLC
    http://www.isaacdirect.com

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    newington, ct
    Posts
    4,182

    Default

    Think of all those times working on the car when your arms are just too big to fit into various locations.

    Another option you could consider is adopting - be it an a toddler or even slightly older child. We've also given thought to being a foster parent. That way you're doing something fantastic for the children, and get some finanical assistance along the way. In your case, you would be able to give them back when a permenant home is found. (Just teasing ya.)
    Dave Gran
    Real Roads, Real Car Guys – Real World Road Tests
    Go Ahead - Take the Wheel's Free Guide to Racing

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chardon Ohio
    Posts
    238

    Default

    behaviorally challenged...lol
    I find it very amusing that people having no children become an authority on how children should behave or how they should not,...lol

    behaviorally challenged children...lol there all behaviorally challenged and yours will be to...
    But if your talking about kids that act like idiots in public...look at the mother and father of the kid...the ones that set the examples for him or her, thats were the problem is, not the kid...
    All children have the potential to be good or bad it's the influences in there life that determine that, so the next time you see a "behaviorally challenged kid" smack his lazy ass mommy or daddy in the head...for screwing him up...

    Bill Johnson

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •