by Madison Linnihan
Raising children can be a daunting and expensive task for all parents. However, not many parents can say that they are raising seven kids — much less, five three-year-olds — all before they turn 30.
But that’s just what Air Force couple, Michael, 28, and Roxanna Hoffman, 27, are doing though, and they’ve accumulated quite the collection of money-management tips, from saving during a PCS to everyday grocery savings.
The Hoffman Family’s Story
The Hoffmans never imagined having seven children, but they feel blessed to have such a unique family. In 2006, Michael and Roxanna had their first son, Connor, while both were serving in the U.S. Air Force. In 2011, they decided that Connor needed a sibling. Unfortunately, adding to their family proved to be more challenging than expected and they struggled with a miscarriage and infertility.
After fertility treatments, the Hoffmans finally got pregnant again. Early on, the doctors told them that it looked like they would have twins based on the ultrasounds. One can only imagine the young parents’ surprise when they learned that they were actually having quintuplets!
At the same time, the Hoffmans were also in the midst of preparing for a PCS move to Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska. However, with such a high-risk pregnancy, their plans quickly changed. The military canceled their orders and the Hoffmans stayed in New Jersey. Roxanna transitioned from her job as an EMT/medic to Inactive Ready Reserves after preterm labor at 20 weeks. She then moved to Arizona to be treated by a quintuplet specialist while Michael and Connor stayed in New Jersey.
Thankfully, Michael soon followed with a PCS to Arizona and he and Connor arrived just two days before the quints’ birth. This PCS presented many new challenges, as the Hoffmans had to move into their new home in a new community along with five newborns. That’s clearly not a small feat, especially for a military family, considering Michael works long hours.
However, their family wasn’t quite done growing yet. Shortly after the quints’ birth, Roxanna got pregnant unexpectedly with their son, Gideon, who is now a year old. The quints, Aurora, Briella, Delilah, Elias, and Felicity are all active three-year-olds. And as if they didn’t have enough on their plates, shortly after Gideon’s birth, the Hoffmans received orders to move back across the country again.
Tips for PCS Moves With Little Ones
PCS moves are never easy, but the Hoffmans successfully moved across the country with seven kids — six of them under the age of three. Roxanna has some tried-and-true tips for any families undergoing a move with little kids — especially when it comes to cutting costs.
She explains that planning in advance is the most important thing you can do to save money. The military has weight limits for PCS moves and every pound over the limit means extra money out of your pocket. Her family reuses the same plastic storage tubs they purchased on their fi rst PCS for every move, so they don’t have to repurchase cardboard boxes over and over again.
Lodging especially can be a challenge for big families in a PCS move, but Roxanna has some tricks up her sleeve to save money. She says that they use credit cards during their PCS moves that offer rewards or hotel points to help minimize travel expenses, since they obviously couldn’t go camping with so many babies.
Roxanna also advises military families to ask for gas and VISA gift cards for the holidays, so that they can stock up on them and use the money when they need it during a move.
She advises it’s always helpful to set money aside in a savings account just in case of an unexpected PCS.
How to Save Money on Food with a Big Family
Every large family knows that the cost of restaurant meals and groceries can add up very quickly. Roxanna says that they usually only eat out as a family once a month. However, choosing a restaurant takes a little bit more prior planning when you have seven kids.
Michael and Roxanna pick restaurants with kids’ specials — to include Texas Roadhouse — to help minimize costs. She also stresses the importance of choosing a restaurant that has food out on the table while they order. She explains that having chips or breadsticks helps keep the little ones occupied while she and Michael figure out what to order for everyone.
When it comes to grocery shopping, Roxanna likes to look for special deals and uses coupons to save money. It helps that she can buy food in bulk at some stores. Overall, she explains that planning, again, is key.
Roxanna’s Everyday Savings Tips
Utilize Facebook swap pages, especially pages for Military families, because people are often trying to get rid of things before a PCS
Bargain hunt for clothes
Use coupons whenever you can, because the savings will add up over time
Take advantage of military appreciation days to be able to go to zoos, aquariums, national parks, etc. for free. Always ask for a military discount everywhere
Only order water at restaurants
Always have a savings account to cover any extra expenses during PCS, travel, or emergencies.
Cutting Costs on Vacations
Even though traveling with so many young children can be a challenge, the Hoffman family still goes on at least one family trip every year. For example, they recently took a trip to Disney World. Just as with PCSes and dining out, Roxanna’s biggest tip for large families is preparation and planning. She explains that she’s able to get deals at vacation destinations over the holidays by scoping them out months in advance.
Additionally, she says they rent houses when they take trips instead of staying in hotels. Roxanna explains, “You get a full kitchen usually, so can prepare meals — saving money and it is healthier when vacationing. This past summer, we stayed in Orlando for eight nights in a four bedroom, fully-furnished house with a pool and game room for under $1,000. Hotels wanted us to rent two rooms because of our family size and that was more expensive with fewer amenities.” This is a really helpful tip for big families who are looking to cut hotel costs.
Lessons Learned
Michael and Roxanna learned the importance of saving money and budgeting when they became parents of seven. Roxanna admits that she’s always been budget conscious, but having a large family has helped her learn even more about saving money.
Both Michael and Roxanna learned quickly to make conscientious purchases instead of impulse buys. Overall, the Hoffmans know the importance of planning and budgeting and they’ve collected quite a few money-saving skills since the quints’ birth.
Madison Linnihan is a contributing editor with AmeriForce Media. She currently writes weekly blog posts for Military Families Magazine and Reserve and National Guard Magazine, as well as contributing feature articles to both print magazines. She is a senior at Troy University with an English major and a dance minor.
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