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Find out all about large family cars, holidays and more right here.

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Find out all about large family cars, holidays and more right here.

Larger families

Are 3 kids much more expensive than 2?

46 replies

Jojay · 30/03/2009 14:19

I'm kind of broody for no 3 but I'm still trying to work it out in my own head.

DH's main reservations are financial, ie we'd be broke with 3, but ok with the 2 we have.

We have a 3 bed house that would be ok for 3 kids - the bedrooms are a fair size so 2 could share, but we'd need a new car.

Those sort of one off costs we could cope with, it's more the ongoing costs.

What do you think?

OP posts:

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ahfeckit · 03/04/2009 15:34

thanks for putting me right off having 3 kids (and I've only got the one just now!!lol).

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mumof3tobe · 02/04/2009 19:07

I think i'll just stay in denial!! I've got a DS 5 DD 3 and 19 weeks pregnant with #3, we have just moved to Canada last summer so have just bought a bigger house here since the house prices are coming down, DH wanted a truck and the prices here are a bit cheaper. My DS and DD are slim so have just sorted out the summer clothes and found out they still fit from last year.

Food is going to be more expencive, we do take picniks and take snack for trips in the car.

Before coming here we went on holiday to menorca with my Parents so he hired a villa with a pool and it was a lot cheaper than going to a complex plus we had built in baby sitter's!! So I would do the same again if we were going on holiday again.
For clothes and shoes I buy Tesco's or Asda's best and for all the time they are in them they last. We now go for Walmart and Zellers best as they are the same make.
For day's out I try to go to the park as much as possible (free entertainment).
I think that you will do without some stuff that you are used to but time passes so fast that before you know it they will all be out the house and you can then get all your luxeries back. You just make do with what you want and I'm also a regular lurker on the moneysavingexpert website!!
That's what keeps be going on the day's that the kids are driving me crazy and am wondering where the money went!! lol

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frogwatcher · 02/04/2009 16:35

Way more expensive! I have honestly found it such a shock and find that although we have two incomes, we are restricted on outings, holdiays etc compared to our friends with one or two children as we simply cannot afford it. I never expected it to be the case but as others have said there is the cost of clothes (all my children are same sex but out of season with each other!), shoes, bus fares, entrance fees to things, swimming lessons, birthday party presents etc - all half the price again compared to two. But the biggest thing for us has been childcare and the loss/reduced earnings from me due to the third maternity leave and the fact that the toddler/small child stage has lasted so much longer than it would with two children resulting in restrictions on how many hours I can work. Also friends and relatives are so much more reluctant to help out and look after three compared to two so childcare in the holidays for one day is £80. Nightmare.

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happymango · 02/04/2009 16:16

Gulp from me too 2HCBuns! I've got two already and preg with 2 more. However, so many people have given us stuff. I've spent nothing on maternity clothes and have been given more than I will ever wear in the whole pregnancy.

So many of our friends and neighbours have just had their third and have sworn to have no more that we're being offered newborn clothes from loads of different people.

Although food is going to cost a lot more in the long run - we're relying on the local primary school to provide a good education - and hope to win the lottery by the time it comes to thinking of secondary/university!! Hmm, perhaps that's not the best plan...

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2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven · 02/04/2009 13:42

Gulp at this thread. Am currently pg with no 3 (DD1!) having assured my DH that she will only cost us nappies for the first 6 months... and then very little after that... might be kidding myself oh well, too late now!

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nickschick · 30/03/2009 23:34

when they were smaller I used to hate not having enough hands to hold them all as we crossed a road .....

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madlentileater · 30/03/2009 23:33

I have one thing to say

university fees

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Plonker · 30/03/2009 23:32

Yes. Much More Expensive.

Wouldn't change it though

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FAQinglovely · 30/03/2009 23:30

none of my arm teens yet (none yet in double figures) should I take out shared in Dairy Crest now do you think??? and we regularly go through 2 packs of cereal a week - I don't eat breakfast, and DS3 only has a small handful .

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nickschick · 30/03/2009 23:29

Lol faq ds3 is allergic he doesnt 'do' dairy but its a dear old game isnt it ......

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FAQinglovely · 30/03/2009 23:28

nicks - that's only about 2 more pints of a milk a day than I currently go through

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nickschick · 30/03/2009 23:26

Our ds3 was unplanned (not unwanted)

3 children are ok when they are small but when they are almost 6' teens and 5 boxes of cereal doesnt last a week 6 pints of milk a day goes......shoes in a size 10 dont come vat free.......a 'snack' on maccy ds or kfc costs £25 for you all.......I wouldnt be without my ds's but they are v expensive ......

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FAQinglovely · 30/03/2009 23:20

well we didn't have to replace the car, as yet no - not really that much more expensive that 2 and they fit in so much easier with family life than number 1 or 2

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Sorrento · 30/03/2009 23:10

£10.50 child benefit hardly covers it though does it ?

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chipsandtart · 30/03/2009 22:46

food is more expensive as in you get through packs of things alot quicker, a packet of 6 yogurts is gone in two days for example. but really you spend more on shopping etc but you get more child benifit and tax credits so it counter balance's its just the things like shoes clothes and days out that can seem heffty when there is 3 of them, not to mention christmas

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Sorrento · 30/03/2009 22:41

And of course, just to make it harder for you to decide, my third is the most delightful child, the cleverest and the prettiest and funniest of the three, but yes we had a pretty perfect existence with two children and I do sometimes think my wanting the third changed so much, most of which hasn't been for the better.
I do actually now want number 4 because it's a case of in for a penny and the "damage" has been done, we can never return to that life so it doesn't matter any more.

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ilovemydogandMrObama · 30/03/2009 22:36

wow - Sorrento. You'd go back to to just the 2? (obviously understanding that you love your children...)

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Mummyfor3 · 30/03/2009 22:32

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Sorrento · 30/03/2009 22:29

It is the loss of earnings that makes the difference and the piano lessons and paying for childcare to do the things you physically can't like being in two places at once.

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Sorrento · 30/03/2009 22:27

Absolutely yes, however I doubt 4 is much more than 3, once you've come that far you won't be expecting anything nice for yourself for a long time.
If I could go back I'd just have the 2.

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Heated · 30/03/2009 22:23

Going through the same debate with dh.

Upgrading the car would be the big expense but I argue we'd need to replace one of them soonish anyway. We have the clothes and how much can one extra person eat anyway?(although according to this thread, a lot!)

But staying p/t for another 4 years would mean staying poor. Although I don't look forward to working f/t, I do look forward to the money it brings in. We get by now, my working f/t makes us comfortable.

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cat64 · 30/03/2009 22:10

This reply has been deleted

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Ceolas · 30/03/2009 21:46

I have 4 and expecting no. 5. Things I didn't find more expensive:

food- I mostly cook from scratch so day to day no more for 5 than 4. Eating out yes but we do that only a few times a year.

washing - machine was on all the time anyway when we had 2.

holidays - we have self catering holidays in UK. Still affordable for us with 4.

Things I did find more expensive:

car - we bought a bigger one just before having no.3 but only because they were close in age and the car seat issue dictated.

Christmas/birthdays - I like to spoil them on these occasions and tend to spend the same amount regardless of how many there are.

shoes/clothes - I had a boy after 2 girls so hand me downs weren't an option any more. Shoes, yes but now they are all at school and need max. 2 pairs of school shoes a year. It's a lot when you all troop into Clarks at once but as an annual cost it's not massive.

Hth a bit

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MorocconOil · 30/03/2009 14:53

We end up spending at least £100 on a birthday party, so times by 3 it is a significant amount. The same goes for birthday presents, stocking presents, christmas and easter eggs.
I also find going out for a meal, to a cafe or the ice cream van mounts up when you have 3 DC.

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Egg · 30/03/2009 14:39

Three children is definitely more expensive. It just all adds up. As others have said holidays etc are much trickier and more expensive, and if you would need a new car that's a big spend!

I don't think one extra child makes food bills much more (as long as they don't need any specialist diets etc) but saying that we do go through 30 pints of milk a week with our three which mounts up. Things like nappies etc cost a fortune though.

As Orm says, shoes get expensive! We had to buy all three in one go last month and will need to buy another lot within a month or two, esp as will need summer type shoes as well as cold weather type shoes. Grr.

We have two sharing a room but they are only little still so not a problem. All are close in age so hopefully it wont be a problem at all until they are much older. Not sure what age or gender your older two are.

And don't presume you will only get one baby . I had no idea I would end up with twins.