How the Duggars Support 19 Kids and Live Debt-Free

[jeffrey]

It costs nearly a quarter of a million dollars to raise a kid from birth to 18, according to the most recent calculations by the United States Department of Agriculture—and that's before college tuition. Multiply that by 19 children plus mom and dad and it is a little mind bending that the Duggar family, of reality television fame, manage to support themselves without government assistance and, what's more, are completely debt-free...

How the Duggars Support 19 Kids and Live Debt-Free | Financially Fit - Yahoo! Shine

[MonkeyMama]

IT was not stated in this article, but I would also guess the parents don't "baby" their kids until their mid 20s or 30s. Probably expected to work in their teens and save their own money if they want to buy something. Learning to fend for themselves. {This is just one thing I notice in particular with society today. Clearly 100% supporting and spoiling 19 kids, well into adulthood, is not an option unless one has *very* deep pockets}.

[bjl584]

I would guess that the Duggars support 19 kids debt free because they get paid $40,000 PER EPISODE.

Duggar's Going For 20 | KerryOnWorld

[bjl584]

They're are also worth an estimated $3.5 million.

Duggar Family Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth

[riverwed070707]

They're are also worth an estimated $3.5 million.

Duggar Family Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth

True, but they were debt free before the show began. I've never watched the show and I don't take a lot of interest in their lifestyle, but I will say that its nice to see a show about a family that seems to have it together -- emotionally and financially -- rather than one that is a trainwreck waiting to happen.

[ironicone]

The health insurance the family is entitled to for life since Jim Bob was a Rep. in the House of Representatives for life helps too...

[moneybags]

MonkeyMama - the kids don't work outside the home. They are barely allowed to do anything without the family. The older girls are basically stay at home moms without having any choice or any kids of their own.

They save a huge amount of money by not allowing their children to go to college.

I'm not a big fan of the family. I think they got lucky with the tv show and would be having a hard time financially if not for the show. They had outgrown their house and TLC basically paid for their new one.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Yep the show is what saved them. They had outgrown their old house and TLC gave them a new one. They also do not send their kids to college, and the girls are just stay at home moms waiting to get married but caring for the younger kids now. They can choose from 5 careers in their "church" path but not go to school for training.

[bjl584]

True, but they were debt free before the show began. I've never watched the show and I don't take a lot of interest in their lifestyle, but I will say that its nice to see a show about a family that seems to have it together -- emotionally and financially -- rather than one that is a trainwreck waiting to happen.

I believe that the show has afforded them the ability to keep having children and remain debt free. They didn't have 19 kids before this show started, but this show has made them multi-millionares. If they had remained middle class and never had this show, then having 19 kids would probably have financially strained if not destroyed them. No millions of dollars in the bank, no free house from TLC, no free transport bus to haul them all around.

Not saying that it would be impossible, but it would be ALOT more difficult withoout a multi-million dollar production taking place on national television.

[riverwed070707]

I believe that the show has afforded them the ability to keep having children and remain debt free. They didn't have 19 kids before this show started, but this show has made them multi-millionares. If they had remained middle class and never had this show, then having 19 kids would probably have financially strained if not destroyed them. No millions of dollars in the bank, no free house from TLC, no free transport bus to haul them all around.

Not saying that it would be impossible, but it would be ALOT more difficult withoout a multi-million dollar production taking place on national television.

Sure it would have been more difficult without the reality show but I don't think it would have made them into a financial disaster. You are correct they didn't have 19 but they did have what? 16? Do those last 3 kids really make or break their ability to support themsselves?

Like I said, I'm not an advocate for them but it certainly could be worse. If 16 kids wasnt destroying them (didn't have CCs before the show either) then 19 wasn't going to make the difference. Also, pretty sure the article said they bought their bus at an auction for $2k.

Look at octomom -- she only has 8 kids and she's the definition of welfare disaster. Those are the kinds of stories I hate seeing brought into the light. The Duggars, to me, are a perfect human interest story because its a different lifestyle and yet its not surviving based on drama, cheating, stealing or lying. I would never live that way, I don't necessarily agree with some of the health risks shes taking for her self or her children but I've never gotten the impression that they are having kids for the fame/shock effect which at least gives them a little bit of decency in my book.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

The health insurance the family is entitled to for life since Jim Bob was a Rep. in the House of Representatives for life helps too...

True?!?!?

That is one heck of a benefit!

I had never seen the TV show, but looked at some clips on the link Jeffrey gave. Apparently one of their youngest was in neonatal ICU for six months. So, for that alone, any lifetime health insurance would have been a financial life-saver to the whole family. I mean, assuming the insurance actually covered the ICU substantially.

[bjl584]

Sure it would have been more difficult without the reality show but I don't think it would have made them into a financial disaster. You are correct they didn't have 19 but they did have what? 16? Do those last 3 kids really make or break their ability to support themsselves?

Like I said, I'm not an advocate for them but it certainly could be worse. If 16 kids wasnt destroying them (didn't have CCs before the show either) then 19 wasn't going to make the difference. Also, pretty sure the article said they bought their bus at an auction for $2k.

Look at octomom -- she only has 8 kids and she's the definition of welfare disaster. Those are the kinds of stories I hate seeing brought into the light. The Duggars, to me, are a perfect human interest story because its a different lifestyle and yet its not surviving based on drama, cheating, stealing or lying. I would never live that way, I don't necessarily agree with some of the health risks shes taking for her self or her children but I've never gotten the impression that they are having kids for the fame/shock effect which at least gives them a little bit of decency in my book.

They probably would not be a disaster, but they would be strained. I think that there is an overriding belief that the Duggars are a traditional down home family with good values and a simple life. And, they may very well be good people. I know that they are devote Christians. I just wonder how much of what you see is for television? What happens when the cameras stop rolling? The childred are not allowed to watch tv, but the parents inked a multi million dollar multi season deal with TLC. Is that hypocritical? This show is almost like some sort of spectacle akin to a circus side show. It's almost like they keep having kids to keep the show going and keep the money rolling in.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Before they started doing the show they had 12 kids. Then they began to do tv specials and get paid for it.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

You couldn't pay me a bazillion-gazillion dollars to have that many kids. Even withoout having watched the show or knowing this family, I really doubt that TV and/or money is their motivation to continue having babies. Sure, there might be some pathology behind it, but I doubt it is immoderate fame or fortune motivating their uber-reproduction.

[mom-from-missouri]

Yep the show is what saved them. They had outgrown their old house and TLC gave them a new one. They also do not send their kids to college, and the girls are just stay at home moms waiting to get married but caring for the younger kids now. They can choose from 5 careers in their "church" path but not go to school for training.

Incorrect.

They built their home and it was built with cash as they went along. TLC did not "give" them that home, in fact it was built before their weekly show even started, and if you had watched one of their early specials, it was all about building the home themselves, with few contractors. The contractors they did have taught them their skills so they could do it, instead of the contractors crew doing it. I'd have to look, but I think they only spent around $65,000 to do it, which they had saved for almost 20 years in cash to be able to do it. Many of the building materials were actually used or cosmetically 2nd's.


The kids who have graduated from highschool DO attend college. They take online classes from College Plus, the same accreditted college that a large majority of homeschoolers use. They do this for the flexibility, just as our family does. That way you can travel, volunteer, and not be tied down by a traditonal classroom schedule. Duggars' College Choice | CollegePlus

Read their blog, TLC website, or their book for the correct information.

Met the family several times, as they were working in Joplin when we were, attend some of the same homeschool confrences and church confrences.