The Duggar Family

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

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These days, the family earns its money from their popular TLC program, 19 Kids and Counting as well from real estate investments (both dad and mom are licensed real estate agents). Neither parent attended college. E!Online estimates each episode makes them a cushy $25-40 thousand. However, even before the brood hit the big time on television, they were self-sufficient and lived comfortably. How did they do it?

Duggar Family Home Economics 101

1. Get out of debt. Dad Jim Bob says the "Financial Freedom Seminar" by Jim Sammons, which preaches independence and thrift, inspired him and wife Michelle to live debt-free. It took years of lean living, but they were able to completely wipe out their debt and start making the investments that led to Jim Bob's success in commercial real estate.

2. Buy your home with cash. After seven years of living crammed into in a 900-square foot rental, the family bought their first home with all cash.

3. Buy used-everything. The Duggars have never owned a new car. One of their vehicles is a 21-seat bus that once belonged to a hockey team. It cost just over $2,000 at an auction. Mom Michelle shops at garage sales and thrift shops for the kids' clothing and shoes. Jim Bob told MSNBC the family motto is, "Buy used, and save the rest."

4. Buy in bulk. With twenty-one mouths to feed, the family spends a significant portion of its earnings on food. They do a monthly bulk-shopping run for essentials.

5. Use energy efficient products. The Duggars outfitted their home with energy efficient light bulbs and appliances.

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6. Make what you can at home. The Duggars make their own laundry soap costing about $2.00 for 10 gallons. Although they purchase diapers, they make their own wet wipes. They also bake their own bread from 50-pound bags of wheat.

7. Scrutinize your bills. Jim Bob and Michelle ask for their all bills to be itemized. They once noticed that a hospital had erroneously charged them for eighty-six bars of soap.

8. Trim the budget of "extras." The Duggars limit their monthly entertainment budget to $100/per month. On weekends they play broomball (a form of hockey) and take the kids the playground or a park.

What are your favorite money-saving tips? Please share in the comments below.

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