How much do you need to earn for 3 kids?

Household income of 130k and absolutely stopping at two. It depends entirely on your lifestyle; for me there are too many things I would not want to sacrifice in my life to ever have a third.

Covered under work private health, that’s incredible

what insurer? Going to mention to my sis!

Did you factor ivf costs in to all your calculations?

How long is a piece of string? Some people have 3+ kids on benefits.

@Allthegoodnamesaregonegone what did you decide in the end?

Really don't understand why people seem to think teens having a job at uni is a bad thing nowadays.
I had a job at 14. I had two when I got to 16. Had a job by the end of September when I started uni. I've always worked. I also got 3 good a levels, into a very good uni in London and then a 2.1.

When my kids are teens they can have an allowance and any expensive skincare or clothes they want over that they need to get a job like I did.
Working from a young age has meant I've been good at keeping track of my finances even though I've never earnt that much and I've always managed to save.
I went to uni with lots of people from very privileged backgrounds who didn't need to work and most of them were well into overdrafts by the end of term and constantly blowing money on one night out/expensive purchase.

But why can't she have a £10 coat off marketplace now?
£99 on a coat?!? You don't need to spend anything like that, especially for a 12yo!

So my eldest was 2005 so started saving for her for uni from 2011, with my other two started saving for uni since they were born (just in case).

also lucky eldest will be there on her own where as if other two go they would be at uni at the same time.

my eldest is doing a degree in a subject that is my line of work that I do not believe you need a degree for and I offered to hire her as an entry level. But she insisted on going to uni. I hope when the loan payments start she doesn’t regret it. She seems to be having so much fun so I’m happy she is happy.

Yes there are more apprenticeships even in law: I would be slightly sad if mine didn’t get to experience university though.

I would implore anyone, wether they have one or five kids to prioritise life insurance while they are under 18. I’m always amazed how many parents don't plan for the worst disaster. It should be top of any financial necessity list.

We’ve been to two funerals of parents in their 40’s this year, one parent of two with generous life insurance. His wife though devastated, isnt worrying about paying bills. The other, unfortunately had none, Dad of three, his wife is having to move closer to family in a cheaper area, kids moving schools, she’s having to leave her job and friends. So sad.
Plan for the worst, hope for the best!

I’ve started a business and upped my earnings so can cover uni otherwise we would have had to put on stop on holidays for 6 years probably .

The job market is TOUGH atm post university those without a degree get sifted out.

Homestly the other reason I’m glad we stopped at 2 is I only have to worry about 2 going into young adulthood. It’s not just the money.

We’ve saved £250 a month per child specifically for university since I think 2011 when the Conservative government brought in the new tuition and maintenance fee prices

@Allthegoodnamesaregonegone I had my kids young so I have to put my hands up that it wasn't something I pre planned, but suddenly panicked about as we hit the teen years 🙈 (but did then play a part in our decision to stop at 2, though not entirely of course). For me I am paying over £400 a month on my student loans (didn't pay much in my 20s due to being low income, part time with kids etc) higher earner now so paying it down very fast, due to stop paying it soon and going to put what I was paying straight into savings for the kids. Basically if we keep paying that £400 a month (that we won't miss) into savings (or directly to them them when the savings dry up in use) right through to the youngest being 21/22 it'll cover the c£36,000 deficit for 2 kids doing a 3 year degree.

Not yet sure if either will go to uni, but I don't my finances to be a reason they don't go, but I do feel similarly to you about uni and won't support a piss up degree without any thought, a degree should be a necessity for the career they want, not a doss when they're not sure what to do.

but uni fees is ridiculous.

It is not ridiculous. If it is not important for YOU that is absolutely fine, but for some people, they have a clear idea of what they want to provide their children into adulthood and they will size their family accordingly, that is not ridiculous, it is entirely sensible, raising children is about a lot more than just nappies and you'd know that if you had a child over 10. People are obsessed with early costs but rarely consider the time and money it takes to raise teens in this generation, that's not to say it is NECESSARY, but we should all think about what we want to provide.

It is free will, what we all have. OP asked people's opinions, some have said much lower incomes, others have said higher incomes, there is no right answer.

Did you trawle through other threads to find personal comments to make?
Most of the people I know who went to uni went to one nearby and stayed at home or they got a job and rented a flat that they shared with other uni students and split the rent. And not everyone even goes to uni.

All I'm saying is basing your decision to have a third child on whether you can afford their uni fees is ridiculous. Food, nappies, rent and bills are of course reasonable but uni fees is ridiculous.