- When I learned I was having twins, I worried more about having healthy babies than healthy finances.
- Having two babies the same age can be simpler for school, interests, and activities.
In 2015, when I found out I was pregnant, I had already planned to take a year off from teaching; knowing we would be reduced to one income meant we were anticipating tighter finances. What I didn't anticipate was finding out at eight weeks that I was having twins, which would make our budget even tighter.
But finances and logistics weren't my main concern — at first. As someone who has faced two miscarriages, on top of infertility issues, I was more concerned about birthing healthy babies. I figured if I could just get through the pregnancy without any issues and deliver them safely, the rest would take care of itself.
I went from not loving babies to falling in love
As I thought about the future, I knew some moments would be more stressful with twins than with just one baby — including feeding both of them in the middle of the night, moving them from the house to the car, and putting them both down for a nap.
Despite the extra work and fatigue, I didn't expect how smitten I would be with my children. Before having kids, I had never been a "baby person." When I became a teacher, I decided to teach high-school students because I preferred being around older kids.
Finances with twins don't have to be overwhelming
If you're a parent of twins, you know that finances can be a worry.
As a newly one-income household raising twins, my husband and I had to be creative. While we faced some financial constraints — we didn't go to restaurants as we often used to, we bought household items and baby gear secondhand, and we limited our spending on vacations — the first year with them was magical.
We found managing expenses with twins doable once we started keeping a few things in mind.
First, having identical twins has its advantages. Since they're the same age, they're the same size and can share clothes. Many people like to have their twins match, but we felt like this could add up quickly. Rather than buying two sets of clothing and shoes, we bought one of each outfit and pair of shoes we liked for them, and they just took turns wearing them. They constantly shared clothing.
Since they were also at the same developmental stage, they often liked the same things. They played with the same toys, used the same crayons, and often even craved the same snacks.
For Christmas, instead of separate gifts, we bought gifts for them to share.
Contrary to what many people think, with twins, you don't need two of everything. We had one swing, a glider, a bouncer, and a walker — we just didn't need two of each.
The babies were content to take turns. They were even happy to just play on the floor with their toys. While it's not necessary to have all the big baby items such as swings and bouncers, it was helpful to have a secure spot to place one of the babies while I was changing a diaper or feeding the other.
Finding ways to save makes a difference
Adding another member or two to the family obviously increases expenses. But you can find ways to manage creatively.
We scaled back on nonessential baby gear. Instead of high chairs (which would take up a lot of space in our small house), we used booster seats, which were much cheaper. For many years, I used a double umbrella stroller that I found at a consignment store. It was lighter and easier to steer than a typical double stroller, which can be pricier.
Having two babies at the same stage can also simplify your life when it comes to sports, school, teachers, events, interests, and activities.
While it's good to plan and budget, we never wrote down every line-item expense and matched that against our income. I knew I would get overwhelmed by how things looked on paper. Instead, we just did our best to be frugal, cut costs where we could, and tried not to live above our means.
We were grateful for people who offered us hand-me-down clothes, and we weren't afraid to shop at thrift stores. I also tutored at night for a little extra cash.
My twins are now eight years old. Though it can feel overwhelming, I encourage soon-to-be parents of twins not to let financial worries crowd out the enjoyment of the whole experience. It's special to watch a set of twins grow and develop. There will always be money concerns, but we get only so many years to enjoy our kids.