DEUT976 Today, the idea of not having children because of the enormous cost of bringing up children has permeated even the observant Jewish community. Specifically, the cost of Jewish education in day school, close to $10,000 a year per child in some institutions, has caused many parents to pause and reconsider having a large family. Is there any validity to this type of thinking in Judaism? If the money issue is mainly one of selfishness, where the parents want to use the money for leisure activities, there is no philosophical or moral Jewish leg to stand on, as leisure is certainly not a legitimate Jewish value or priority. But if the money is needed for legitimate basic essentials such as clothing, food, and Jewish education, can that be a legitimate Jewish reason to limit family size? Maimonides (Hilchot De'ot 5:11) addresses this concern by laying out the order that should be followed in achieving financial stability. First a person should have a job, then he should buy a house, and only then should he get married. This is the order mentioned in the Torah when mentioning the exemptions from army service [this and following verses]. Foolish people get married first, then buy home, and only then try to find proper working. This is the order of action mentioned in the curses of the Torah [Deuteronomy 28:30] as the path not to follow. However, says Maimonides, if a person structures his or her life in the correct order, he will not have such large financial worries. This may be merely good advice or specific advocacy of a particular Jewish lifestyle by Maimonides. However, in scanning the sources, other than what was mentioned about lack of food during the famine, there does not seem to be any other valid financial reason in Jewish thought for abstaining from procreation.