View Full Version : Retired Minimalists with 5 young kids (had a baby this week) currently living in Oz
I am David, 43. My wife (39) and I retired a few years back. We have 5 kids, 10, 8, 7, 4 and a newborn born on Tuesday. We have been able to travel and live in a a few different countries over the years. We were able to retire because we live frugally and have passive income through property and term deposits. We did have a few businesses, but did not make huge money through them. They were very useful though for paying for expenses that were for both business and personal use and personal tax we needed to pay.
I really want to help people with their finances. I have written a book (not for sale) which is in the beta reading stage. I hope to help people by sharing my experiences and I am sure I will learn from others around here as well.
Ultralight
6-19-17, 9:10pm
Welcome!
Williamsmith
6-20-17, 12:08am
Welcome. I am interested in how you pay for healthcare and how you plan on paying for college for the five little ones. That's at least a half million right there. Pick a forum and start a thread.
ToomuchStuff
6-20-17, 1:58am
OZ as in Kansas, or OZ as in Australia?
Ultralight
6-20-17, 6:32am
Welcome. I am interested in how you pay for healthcare and how you plan on paying for college for the five little ones. Socialism.
TooSweetForMe
6-20-17, 7:46am
Hi David and welcome to the forums.
5 kids.... wow...... I think I would have gone nutty if I had 5 kids. I have always admired the big families, though. They seem to pull together for each other in a crisis.
BikingLady
6-20-17, 12:12pm
welcome and like others look forward to hearing of your frugalness and how you are doing with all those kids!
:welcome: from another Canadian. Are you homeschooling the children or a blend of public and private? Tell us about your area's climate, primary industry etc so that we can get a context for the minimalist lifestyle in your part of the world.
IshbelRobertson
6-20-17, 4:09pm
G'day, from the Mother country!
Welcome. I am interested in how you pay for healthcare and how you plan on paying for college for the five little ones. That's at least a half million right there. Pick a forum and start a thread.
Thanks. We live in Australia at the moment where healthcare is cheap and free for kids.
College would be $100,000 each in the US? That is crazy! That is a terrible ROI. Luckily we are not in the U.S and if our kids decide to go to college/uni we would help them to find ways to pay for it themselves, like we did.
Hi David and welcome to the forums.
5 kids.... wow...... I think I would have gone nutty if I had 5 kids. I have always admired the big families, though. They seem to pull together for each other in a crisis.
I never would I thought that I would have had 5 kids. But now I can't imagine life without them.
Ultralight
6-20-17, 8:22pm
Thanks. We live in Australia at the moment where healthcare is cheap and free for kids.
College would be $100,000 each in the US? That is crazy! That is a terrible ROI. Luckily we are not in the U.S and if our kids decide to go to college/uni we would help them to find ways to pay for it themselves, like we did.
Yeah, free healthcare and affordable education sounds all fine and dandy but you Australians don't have freedom! We Americans got you beat big league when it comes to that!
Yeah, free healthcare and affordable education sounds all fine and dandy but you Australians don't have freedom! We Americans got you beat big league when it comes to that!
Actually I am from New Zealand. What are talking about in regards to freedom? I am unsure of your meaning.
Yeah, free healthcare and affordable education sounds all fine and dandy but you Australians don't have freedom! We Americans got you beat big league when it comes to that!
haha.. Funny--big league funny, UL. But cheap healthcare? And free for kids? And you Aussie's are still on the map? Amazing! (sorry for the sarcasm, Cossack.. it's not directed at you!!)
Ultralight
6-20-17, 8:42pm
Actually I am from New Zealand. What are talking about in regards to freedom? I am unsure of your meaning. I thought New Zealand was part of Australia. ;)
You certainly aren't a minimalist where children are concerned.
I thought New Zealand was part of Australia. ;)
You know what thought did
You certainly aren't a minimalist where children are concerned.
touché
:welcome: from another Canadian. Are you homeschooling the children or a blend of public and private? Tell us about your area's climate, primary industry etc so that we can get a context for the minimalist lifestyle in your part of the world.
We homeschool mainly because we have moved around so much. Brisbane is sub tropical. We are in winter at the moment and it is beautifully sunny. It is too hot in summer, so we go back to New Zealand at that time. I am actually not sure about primary industry and all that. The standard of living here is pretty good. Living costs in Brisbane are much cheaper than where we used to live in Auckland, NZ.
TooSweetForMe
6-21-17, 7:43am
I never would I thought that I would have had 5 kids. But now I can't imagine life without them.
That is another thing I have heard. By chance, did you have a large family growing up? It was just my mom, my sister, and me until we were both grown. My ex and I wanted 2 or 3, but when I had my 2nd c-section (pre-eclampsia both times) we decided 2 was enough (boy 1st, girl 2nd) and I had my tubes tied when I had my 2nd.
I thought New Zealand was part of Australia. ;)
Not quite. New Zealand is to Australia what Canada is to us.
catherine
6-21-17, 11:03am
I never would I thought that I would have had 5 kids. But now I can't imagine life without them.
I don't have 5, but I do have 4, which is also considered big these days, but was actually pretty normal in the 50s & 60s. I remember someone stopping me in the supermarket shortly after we moved in and saying "Aren't you the woman with ALL THE KIDS??" Gee, it was only 4!! And in order to avoid paying child care for my two babies (Irish twins), I took in kids as a family day care provider.
I also wouldn't trade it for anything. We are extremely close, and they are all extremely close with each other. I am truly blessed--and I'm sure you feel the same way!
That is another thing I have heard. By chance, did you have a large family growing up? It was just my mom, my sister, and me until we were both grown. My ex and I wanted 2 or 3, but when I had my 2nd c-section (pre-eclampsia both times) we decided 2 was enough (boy 1st, girl 2nd) and I had my tubes tied when I had my 2nd.
I am one of 3. My wife has a brother. So, we were not from large families. My wife used to have friends call her by name and say she had a million kids. That was when we only had 3!
I don't have 5, but I do have 4, which is also considered big these days, but was actually pretty normal in the 50s & 60s. I remember someone stopping me in the supermarket shortly after we moved in and saying "Aren't you the woman with ALL THE KIDS??" Gee, it was only 4!! And in order to avoid paying child care for my two babies (Irish twins), I took in kids as a family day care provider.
I also wouldn't trade it for anything. We are extremely close, and they are all extremely close with each other. I am truly blessed--and I'm sure you feel the same way!
Both of my parents came from large families. That was common in their generation. Here in Australia we don't get as man comments about our large family like we did in NZ.
TooSweetForMe
6-22-17, 7:40am
I am one of 3. My wife has a brother. So, we were not from large families. My wife used to have friends call her by name and say she had a million kids. That was when we only had 3!
My ex was 1 of 3 also, through 2 different marriages. His sister and brother were at least 15 years older than him, and he had a nephew that was 5 years younger than him.
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