Excellent points on this thread, Larc, Just a Thought, Waiting, Andee, ALamb and Java.
BigBoi, please don't have any children until you CAN set aside about $1,000 per month. Can you do it for less? Yes. Many on welfare do it on hundreds a month. But those children are never exposed to a higher standard of life. It's your call whether you want your kid watching cable TV 24/7 or learning an instrument etc etc. I'm glad I ain't your baby's momma, no joke.
COMF, you mentioned that I was speaking from the perspective of the 'payor, not the recipient.' Well, ummm, YEAH.
There is something both you and Bigboi seemed to miss. I, for one stated myself and my husband sock away about $700 month for collegefor my daughter (PS she is also on my husband's health insurance not her father's). That's NOT covered by CS. You both seem to insinuate I can eat bon bons all day, while getting rich on my CS payment. I'm telling you bullshit.
In addition, there is another factor to this equation which neither of you ever mention. In my situation, I have been granted SOLE custody, no visitation rights for the CP (think about it, he must've done something to piss the judge off.)
Now this means, for the last 11 years, I have had 24/7 responsibility for my daughter. Why didn't either of you mention, the most precious commodity of all, which is time, not money. Yes, I have given of my time freely (to say nothing of the money aspect) for 11 years, and for the next 7 at least I will be giving constantly.
You both insinuate that it costs me or any other CP anything at all, and we just sit back and suck money from the NCP.
Guess what? That's why neither of you wrote the law or pass judgement on it.
PS Larc, Thanks for reminding me I'll also have to pay for a wedding. [8>]