Rock Paper Suburbs

By Danni Koko

If you’re thinking of growing your family and want to know the truth about where you could get financial economies of scale, I’ll offer up some of what I’ve experienced. In my honest opinion, there are some ways you get economies of scale with multiple kids, but some pretty big ways that you don’t. I like to be honest with people about what it’s like to have a big family because being upfront is part of my personality!

These are incomplete lists at best, but I hope they can give you a jumping off point if you’re working out your family’s budget or trying to forecast what it’s like to have multiple kids. If you have items to add, by all means, leave me a comment below!

Here are some ways you get financial economies of scale:

Play clothes – hand-me-downs are awesome!

Winter clothing items like coats and hats

Your car, if you already have a big enough vehicle

Bedrooms, if you’re cool with having your kids share rooms

Big-ticket item toys like our swingset

Sports equipment in the little kid years, like gender neutral soccer cleats

Books, if they read the same series

At-school instrument lessons, which have a family rate after two kids

Certain benefits, such as dental coverage that comes as a family plan

Here are some ways you don’t get financial economies of scale:

College tuition

Childcare

Grade school or high school tuition if your kids go to private school, even if there’s a multi-child discount – I can see why some families start home schooling

School supplies, field trips, and fundraisers

Food (but if someone invents a way for their stomachs to share food, I’m all ears!)

Medical expenses

Devices

Airplane and train tickets

Museum admission – going to a museum for a couple hours is always $100+, so we basically always have to get the membership

Camps

Sports fees, and sports equipment if they play different sports

Dance class fees and costumes

Private music lessons and instrument rentals

Christmas and birthday presents

Dressy clothing that they wear for one occasion

Shoes, socks, and any other attire that wears out after one kid

Household products like napkins and toilet paper

Toiletries and toothbrushes (if we’re sharing toothbrushes, it’s not on purpose)

And, of course, at a certain point you outgrow a hotel room

Have you found any creative ways to save money with a large family? Please share your advice in the comments below!