For more than 25 years, one Maryland couple with 13 children living on a single-family income of $110,000 has never owed a penny in debt and say they live 'pleasant' and 'simple lives'.

Despite living in the city of Bowie, one of the country's most expensive regions, Rob and Sam Fatzinger are 'thriving in all ways' of life with their large family that many would suspect could have them financially deep in debt.

But, surprisingly, it's completely the opposite for the couple and their 13 children.

Rob, 49 and Sam, 46, knew from the start of their relationship that they wanted a huge family.

Simple: For over 25 years, Rob and Sam Fatzinger have lived on a single-family income and never owed one penny in debt, while raising their 13 children (family pictured above)

Despite living in the city of Bowie, one of the country's most expensive regions, Rob and Sam claim they are 'thriving in all ways' of life with their large family that many would suspect could have them financially deep in debt (13 children are pictured above)

Rob, 49 and Sam (pictured above together), 46, knew from the start of their relationship that they wanted a huge family

He explains in a opinion piece featured on Business Insider that when he proposed to Sam he said, 'who else will give you 10 kids, a house with a white-picket fence and a dog?'

Sam replied that she didn't want the dog, but instead make it 11 children and she would agree to marry him.

Not long after that, the couple was married in 1989 and expecting their first child a year later, a girl, who is now 24, married and finished graduate school after her 21st birthday.

The Fatzinger's next four children are in college, and two are expected to graduate this spring.

Two children are in high school, two are in middle school, two are in elementary school and two are pre-school aged.

Sam home-schools all of the children until college. But two days a week for the high school children, the couple uses tutors to supplement what they learn at home, which costs roughly $2,500 a year per child.

Those who have finished high school in the Fatzinger family, completed the schooling between one to two years early.

Rob and Sam shared that the first 12 of their children are natural born. They have legal custody of a two-year-old who they have had since he was a baby at 12 weeks old. They plan on adopting him in the future.

The couple spends roughly $15,120 on food per year, $465 per month on utilities, $150 per month on gas and $225 per month on medical expenses (family pictured above)

They allocate about $200 per month to activities for the children and they have $6,000 in an emergency fund. The couple's retirement, investment and savings totals more than $180,000, as Rob plans to retire within 13 years (family pictured above)

The father explained that the couple has always been frugal, and have never owed a penny of debt except, for the mortgage on their home.

HOW THE FATZINGERS SPEND THEIR MONEY The couple paid off the mortgage on their $375,000-$400,000 Maryland home in 2012 $1,260 on food per month $465 per month on utilities $150 per month on gas $225 per month on medical expenses $200 per month to activities for the children Total spend $2,300 $6,000 in an emergency fund The couple's retirement, investment and savings totals more than $180,000 Advertisement

THE FATZINGER'S MONTHLY SAVINGS Monthly Savings 401k: $867 ($346.80 is employer match) Rob's IRA: $300 Sam's IRA: $300 HSA: $500 ($200 is from their employer) Taxable Index Funds: $210 Regular Savings Acct: $300 Total Automatic Savings: $2,477 Advertisement

They've never had car loans, no student loans or credit card debt.

On top of having kids right away into their marriage, they also did not earn that much money early on in the relationship.

'We were married in 1989 and had child #1 in '90. From 1990-2000 we owned a bookstore and worked it together,' he said.

'It was our main source of income, other than side-gigs here and there. Grass cutting, odd jobs, etc… During the 90's our income topped out at $36k per year.

'Needless to say there wasn't a lot of money put away for retirement savings.'

Their bookstore closed its doors in the summer of 2000 due to people turning to the internet to purchase their reads.

After the store closed, Rob was urged by a friend to go into the computer software business.

'It has worked out well for us. Not a lot of money early on, but a steady rise from $40k a year to my current $104K,' he said.

'I also have a company that provides great benefits: health, dental and vision insurance, vacation, 401k among other benefits.'

Rob estimates that they couple probably earns roughly $110,000 a year if the earnings from the side-jobs are included.

Around 2005, he started adding money to their retirement account, which did not have much in it.

'Before that point in time our retirement accounts were so thin that they made super models look fat,' he said.

The lifelong residents of Bowie spend roughly $15,120 on food per year ($1,260 per month), $465 per month on utilities, $150 per month on gas and $225 per month on medical expenses.

Rob, who works from home, added they allocated about $200 per month to activities for the children, including sports and trips.

The couple has $6,000 in an emergency fund, and they also own their home out right, as it was a foreclosure they purchased in 2000.

The couple (pictured above), who hates debt and doesn't have any at all, says their home is worth around $375,000 to $400,000. Outside of his income as a software engineer, they both work odd jobs in the community to save the extra income

The Fatzingers made several repairs to the home throughout the years, which included adding room to make it an eight bedroom, three bathroom home.

They paid the mortgage off in 2012.

'Paying off a mortgage early doesn't always make sense from a numbers standpoint but for our mental make-up, it was the correct choice,' Rob said.

'We hate debt! And have none at all! The house is currently worth around $375-$400k.

'And someday in the future we may downsize and harvest some of that equity.

'Before the mortgage was paid off we were probably saving about 12-15 percent each year.'

The couple has used the former money in the past two years and dedicated it to increase their savings rate.

'This is an important point. We made a conscious decision to take every penny we had been paying on the mortgage and save it,' Rob said.

In terms of sending the children to college, Rob said that his children are responsible for their own funding to pay for it and started saving early on. So far, those who have attended have not taken out any student loans

'Just because we were debt free now, it didn't mean we were going to start spending money on new cars, fancy clothes, designer food or expensive trips.'

That money, which is about $1,600 a month, is now going into IRAs, increased 401k savings and their HSA account.

Rob added that he earns about $3,500 extra each summer from mowing lawns in their neighborhood. With that money, he puts it into their IRAs to max them out.

'Plus any extra money we get through the year goes into one of the various savings accounts,' he added.

'My wife does some small babysitting and tutoring jobs, about $1,500-$2,000 per year. We also sell stuff on eBay when the opportunity arises, anywhere from $500-$2,000 per year.'

By his calculations, he estimates that they should end up with $35,000-$40,000 saved each year.

Rob and Sam have implemented the concept of saving money with the children and started with each at an early age.

'My kids all start working and saving at a young age. By age 12 or so they are babysitting, cutting grass, shoveling snow and doing odd-jobs for people,' he explained.

'So far they have all been good savers. Which is a good thing because they pay for their own iPods, phones, cars, gas, car insurance, and college.

'The kids buy reliable (we hope) used cars and pay for all the maintenance, gas, insurance etc.

'We try to find cars that old people no longer need. They are usually well maintained and have low miles. All five of the older kids have cars.'

He added that his wife and he have three cars between them.

'It looks a lot like a used car lot in our driveway. I'm sure our neighbors love us,' Rob joked.

In terms of sending the children to college, Rob said that his children are responsible for their own funding to pay for it and started saving early on.

'My wife and I encourage them to go for at least two years and then decide if they want to continue on,' he said.

'So far they all have. We have a great community college so they all go there for two years, usually for free, then they transfer to a 4-year state university.

'State tuition in our area is around $8-10k per year. Some of my kids have been able to get enough scholarship and grant money to pay for all of it and some have paid up to $5,000 per year.'

Rob said that not one of his children who have attended college so far has taken out a student loan.

Of their hectic life with 13 children, Rob said: 'But in spite of all the hard work it's all worth it to my wife and me. We manage to live pleasant, if simple lives. We aren't deprived'

The father expects that he will be able to retire completely in about 13 years or less.

He noted that the couple's lives are not easy at all, as they've had to endure many late nights with sick children, thousands of dirty diapers over the years, laundry that never seems to end and expenses that can't be controlled.

'I'll admit that when half a dozen kids all have the stomach bug at one time and we seem to be drowning in puke, I wonder why I didn't become a monk and move to the Gobi desert,' Rob said.

'But in spite of all the hard work it's all worth it to my wife and me.

'We manage to live pleasant, if simple lives. We aren't deprived (depraved maybe).

'We have a nice house. We have hobbies we enjoy. My wife hits the gym for an hour each morning and I run every day.

'The kids all enjoy lots of activities. We go on vacation to the beach for a week each summer.'

The couple's retirement, investment and savings totals more than $180,000.



