No matter what the reason for you don't have kids of your own, your fabulous life has got some truly fAuntastic advantages. Auntie's Day is the perfect time to celebrate them.

Savvy Aunties are thinner. A study conducted in Australia found that the moms they observed gained twenty pounds over ten years, while non-moms “only” gained ten. (hey, we’ll take what we can get!)

Savvy Aunties have more friends. For people with no children, the average number of close friends is 4.7, according to a recent study—a number that gradually declines to just 3.5 close friends for parents with three kids.

You can be more spontaneous. Feel like getting a manicure after work? Or saying yes to a drink with a coworker? Sure.

You’re saving a lot of money. I mean a lot of money. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it costs $222,360 to raise a child to the age of eighteen—and that doesn’t include college tuition. Cornell University sociologists found that mothers, even those that chose to return to work, suffered a substantial wage penalty over women without children.

You’ll never find Cheerios in the backseat of your car. Speaking of cars, you can choose the one that fits your lifestyle and yours alone.

You’ll have a happier marriage. The Journal of Marriage and Family reviewed one hundred studies and concluded that married  couples with children had unhappier relationships than married couples without children.

You can travel wherever you want, whenever you want. Bon voyage, Auntie!

Check out SAVVY AUNTIE: The Ultimate Guide For Cool Aunts, Great-Aunts, Godmothers and All Women Who Love Kids for more Auntie advantages.

Published: June 20, 2011