My cousin's wife is from a family of 12 kids. Every one pitched in. They kept their cost of living down and they still do to this day the old fashioned way. They do have all the latest appliances to save energy. They have a large family garden and all the girls sew and do other crafts. They have freezers filled with meat from their animals. They hunt for venison, rabbit, quail, and they go fishing a lot. They go to SAM'S CLUB and shop in bulk. They harvest and can their own vegetables. They know no other way to save money. Most of the homes they live in have wood fireplaces and their own wells. They still have the other amenities but are so used to the way they grew up, it just works for them. They have so many quilts in their houses you just really can't imagine. Their family size ranges from 5-8 kids and last I saw and heard there were 5-6 more on the way. Many of them work and are Grandparents. One was off work for 2 years due to a work injury but they still got by because family helped.