[PinkPetunia]

Originally Posted by nwbrfc

Like a lot of people I found myself questioning how they could afford this lifestyle on just £160 per week child benefit and his bakery.

But actually, using the stats they gave in the programme, it is actually possible if he earns £20k+ from the bakery - which is possible on the basis he owns it and it appears to be a pizzeria as well (according to google maps).

Amazing I know, but if the level of frugality they preach is true (£9 per evening meal) and bearing in mind how cheap property is in Morecambe, then it is possible. And this was after allowing for the holiday, 4 TVs, 2 game stations, a SKY subscription, 5 bikes, 2 mobile phones etc.

My first thought was when he was making a cheap dinner that you could buy an awful lot of fruit and veg and good meat for the cost of that holiday . No way would I spend that kind of money to bring 16 kids away to France if I had to scrimp on their nutrition .

[elmerfudd]

Originally Posted by Cissy Fairfax

I wish they went into that a bit more. It must be hell of a bakery to support that amount of kids and one working there, presumably employees too.

Is there good money in bakeries then?

Is it one which provides for retailers or at they the retailer too?

What do you need employees for with that many kids, it did show at least one of the daughters working there.

[elmerfudd]

Originally Posted by Inspiration

Bakery businesses can do quite well for themselves if they have their own shop selling pies, pasties etc and also supply bread/barms etc to the local area daily. And if you can get well established in the area and get some good contracts it can be a good business model. He clearly works hard at the business.

Plus it wasn't like they weren't having to budget responsibly too. They pointed out how they use cloth nappies to save money.. and don't drink, smoke or go out socialising.. and also do things with food to make it stretch etc. No expensive car on the drive etc. No loans or credit cards either. I saw no evidence they were living beyond their means.. just two adults making difficult decisions to support the large family they've decided to have.

It was a refreshing change from what we're usually shown. Good on them I say.

I agree but where do you get the finances for an ex 10 bedroom retirement home, not to mention was it £3500 for the annual holiday, plus the spending money, plus having the money to spend over £1000 on passports the have the additional money required to get them fast tracked!!!!! Something doesnt quite add up - but i do take my hat off to them. I was expecting to watch a programme about a family of scruffs but was pleasently suprised.

[walterwhite]

Originally Posted by InTheLoop

Did they inherit a lot of money? How can they afford all this?

He owns his own business and obviously earns a good amount from it.

[DeelyBopper]

Originally Posted by nwbrfc

Like a lot of people I found myself questioning how they could afford this lifestyle on just £160 per week child benefit and his bakery.

But actually, using the stats they gave in the programme, it is actually possible if he earns £20k+ from the bakery - which is possible on the basis he owns it and it appears to be a pizzeria as well (according to google maps).

Amazing I know, but if the level of frugality they preach is true (£9 per evening meal) and bearing in mind how cheap property is in Morecambe, then it is possible. And this was after allowing for the holiday, 4 TVs, 2 game stations, a SKY subscription, 5 bikes, 2 mobile phones etc.

I don't know, £20k seems an awefully small amount for that many kids.

Even if you factor in them maybe using pass me down clothing all the way down the child line and discount the TV etc as people on the dole these days have tellies, mobiles, etc. Though they did buy a bunch of holiday clothes (albeit from Primark).

I have a few friends who have 3 and 4 child families who feel the pinch with a household income of around 20k. Obviously factoring in their mortgage (I guess most of them could buy a cheaper house) and it wasn't clear from the programme if they had a mortgage or not.

[Mrs Mackintosh]

Apart from all the money it must cost, I simply don't understand how there are enough hours in the day to look after that many people in one household. All the washing, cooking and cleaning, even doing everything at a very basic level would take ages. I take my hat off to them but I think I'd be doolally!

[walterwhite]

Originally Posted by DeelyBopper

I don't know, £20k seems an awefully small amount for that many kids.

Even if you factor in them maybe using pass me down clothing all the way down the child line and discount the TV etc as people on the dole these days have tellies, mobiles, etc. Though they did buy a bunch of holiday clothes (albeit from Primark).

I have a few friends who have 3 and 4 child families who feel the pinch with a household income of around 20k. Obviously factoring in their mortgage (I guess most of them could buy a cheaper house) and it wasn't clear from the programme if they had a mortgage or not.

Have I missed something? Where are people getting £20k from?

[DeelyBopper]

Originally Posted by walterwhite

Have I missed something? Where are people getting £20k from?

I don't know, I'm just quoting the other guy.

[nwbrfc]

We know the following from the programme and also looking up prices:
Holiday

• Cost £5,000
• Passports £1,150 (including fast tracking costs)
• Petrol £322 (1,400 miles @ 28mpg @£1.30 per litre)
• Van hire £400 (18 seater, 1 week abroad)
• Clothes £216
• Packed lunches £665 (200 loaves, 1,400 bags of crisps, 27kg biscuits, 59 gallons fruit juice - bought at Asda) - plus 133 kg of fruit and veg - unknown cost

• Shoes £1,000
• Uniform £700
• Birthdays £3,000
• Evening meals £3,580 (£10 per night, 358 nights - after 1 week holiday)
• Laptop £300
• TVs £1,200 (4 TVs seen - average £300 each?)
• Mobile phones £648 (2 seen, assume £27/mth contracts each)
• Game stations £200 (2 seen, assume bought 2nd hand)
• Sky subs £420 (assume basic level)
• Mini bus £3,000 (Y reg 16 seater on today's prices)

Sub-total outlay £21,301

Plus unknowns:

• Mortgage payments - property is cheap in Morecambe, can get huge old B&Bs under £200k and interest rates are low if on a variable rate loan
• Utilities - lots of washing, ironing, TVs, humidifiers, gas heating etc
• Home and content insurance
• Health insurance
• Minibus tax, service, insurance, petrol
• Holiday spending money
• Total grocery costs

Assume this all adds up to £10,000 pa

Total Outlay = £31,300

Income
Child support £8,320 (£160 per week)

Therefore needs to find 31,300 - 8,320 = £22,980 pa

Gross income - assuming 20% income tax = £28,725

His bakery and pizzeria could easily provide that(?).

PS by no means an exhaustive or accurate I&E, but it gives an indication.

[able1]

You've left out the cost of condoms.

[walterwhite]

Originally Posted by DeelyBopper

I don't know, I'm just quoting the other guy.

Fair enough. I'd have thought a bakery could quite easily earn someone a lot more than £20k.

[Chazmaxi]

Originally Posted by nwbrfc

We know the following from the programme and also looking up prices:
Holiday

• Cost £5,000
• Passports £1,150 (including fast tracking costs)
• Petrol £322 (1,400 miles @ 28mpg @£1.30 per litre)
• Van hire £400 (18 seater, 1 week abroad)
• Clothes £216
• Packed lunches £665 (200 loaves, 1,400 bags of crisps, 27kg biscuits, 59 gallons fruit juice - bought at Asda) - plus 133 kg of fruit and veg - unknown cost

• Shoes £1,000
• Uniform £700
• Birthdays £3,000
• Evening meals £3,580 (£10 per night, 358 nights - after 1 week holiday)
• Laptop £300
• TVs £1,200 (4 TVs seen - average £300 each?)
• Mobile phones £648 (2 seen, assume £27/mth contracts each)
• Game stations £200 (2 seen, assume bought 2nd hand)
• Sky subs £420 (assume basic level)
• Mini bus £3,000 (Y reg 16 seater on today's prices)

Sub-total outlay £21,301

Plus unknowns:

• Mortgage payments - property is cheap in Morecambe, can get huge old B&Bs under £200k and interest rates are low if on a variable rate loan
• Utilities - lots of washing, ironing, TVs, humidifiers, gas heating etc
• Home and content insurance
• Health insurance
• Minibus tax, service, insurance, petrol
• Holiday spending money
• Total grocery costs

Assume this all adds up to £10,000 pa

Total Outlay = £31,300

Income
Child support £8,320 (£160 per week)

Therefore needs to find 31,300 - 8,320 = £22,980 pa

Gross income - assuming 20% income tax = £28,725

His bakery and pizzeria could easily provide that(?).

PS by no means an exhaustive or accurate I&E, but it gives an indication.

Geez someone was bored ! They seemed like a lovely family, they must have so much patience. The house seemed clean ànd tidy so did the kids.

[PinkPetunia]

Originally Posted by Chazmaxi

Geez someone was bored ! They seemed like a lovely family, they must have so much patience. The house seemed clean ànd tidy so did the kids.

Thats struck me too , the kids were spotless and nice kids .It cant be easy to keep an eye and any one childs behaviour though or if one is feeling left out .But they didnt seem to have an issue .

[rkid]

Originally Posted by Inspiration

I shall admit.. I was sat patiently waiting for the B word.. but was pleasantly surprised to hear another B word instead.. business.

I will however use one more B word.. bonkers. That's what this couple are. Bonkers! And they've clearly bonked too much, too.They seem like a really nice family.

Aye, I bet she got a f*nny like a bucket

[nwbrfc]

Originally Posted by PinkPetunia

Thats struck me too , the kids were spotless and nice kids .It cant be easy to keep an eye and any one childs behaviour though or if one is feeling left out .But they didnt seem to have an issue .

And actually, that was the one thing that really grated on me. It wasn't so much what we saw, it's what we didn't see.

16 children and not one of them misbehaving? Hmmmm, something doesn't quite ring true there. No matter how hard you try, with that many kids, there's going to be one or two bad apples.

The whole programme was a feel good show, even the passports and possible caesarian worked out in the end.

[Madmissi12]

Looks like it's now a series with more families

[chuffster]

Well, I'm fuming at the second family!!

[LaceyLouelle3]

Originally Posted by chuffster

Well, I'm fuming at the second family!!

Same.. £680 a week in benefits

[Muze]

Originally Posted by chuffster

Well, I'm fuming at the second family!!

Don't think they could have chosen a family to cause more outrage!

Unemployed, on benefits (and yet apparantly fit and healthy), Asian and Muslim.

They will struggle after the benefits cap!

[chuffster]

He is a Dr of philosophy yet can't get a job in 7 years??

[rikstan87]

And he wants more kids the cheek of it

[chuffster]

Originally Posted by rikstan87

And he wants more kids the cheek of it

His wife doesn't though!!

[rikstan87]

Originally Posted by chuffster

His wife doesn't though!!

her fanny must be like the dartford tunnel

[Madmissi12]

That'll be them making the next baby then

[enfant_terrible]

The last thing they need is a romantic weekend away.