I’m a mum-of-13 & start my 18-hour day at 5.30am – I vacuum the house 4 times a day & splash £15 daily on crisps alone
ONE of Britain’s largest families has laid bare the family’s military-style routine – and revealed the extortionate cost of keeping a household of 15 running after recently adding a thirteenth child to their household.
Super mum Alexis Brett manages a mountain of washing and drying, vacuums the family’s five bedroom home four times a day and forks out £15 a day on crisps to feed her brood.
Her 18-hour daily routine starts at 5.30am before she finally collapses into bed at 11.30pm – and barring any children waking in the night, she starts all over again the next day at their home in Dingwall, Inverness-shire.
But she and husband Davie say they wouldn’t be without their huge family – although they’ve finally agreed after their thirteenth child, Scarlet, was born last August, they won’t be having any more.
The couple are parents to Campbell, 20, Harrison, 19, Corey, 17, Lachlan, 14, Brodie, 12, Brahn, 11, Hunter, nine, Mack, eight, Blake, six, Rothagaidh, five, Cameron, four, Orran, one, and Scarlet, five months,
The family can easily spend £120 on a daily top up shop in Tesco – and go through seven litres of milk, three loaves of bread, one giant box of cereal and two multipacks of crisps every day.
Even a trip to the shop for an after school snack can set Alexis back £20 a time.
The family’s endless supply of washing means they’ve had to form out for a giant 14kg washing machine – which still gets used three times a day.
Their two tumble dryers go on at least four times a day – and even keeping on top of the washing, Alexis can struggle to identify which clothes belong to which child.
Alexis, who is preparing to return to work as a gym instructor after having youngest daughter Scarlet, said: “We’ve said no more children for a long time now, and then another one just comes along.
“I think this time we have to mean it though, we’re at capacity.
“We’ve had to buy triple bunkbeds so everyone has somewhere to sleep.
“And we’ve shelled out for two huge corner sofas so we can all sit down at once.”
The family’s bills now top more than £5000 a month, after rising costs meant they face paying £750 a month for their energy supply – mostly down to the washing and tumble dryers, which are on constantly.
Their food bill alone can top £3000 a month.
And despite the family’s stretched finances, Alexis refuses to allow the children to wear hand me downs, and makes sure the younger members of the clan all have new clothes and shoes – even if it does set them back at least £600 every month.
The family proudly say they don’t claim benefits from the state, and rely on Davie’s career as a train driver and Alexis’s part time work to fund their outgoings.
We’ve had to buy triple bunkbeds so everyone has somewhere to sleep
Alexis Brett
Alexis said: “Things have got significantly tighter with the cost of living rising. Every penny that comes into the house goes out again, but we do try to be careful with our money.
“We don’t really have a lot of meals out, I tend to batch cook big meals like spaghetti bolognese, and we don’t do big family holidays.”
The keep costs down by walking to most places – Alexis doesn’t drive – but husband Davie spends at least £300 on petrol driving the children around in their Land Rover.
Alexis said: “Once you hit about five children, you really don’t notice the extra ones. There’s just a lot of people everywhere and a lot of noise.
“We have to be quite regimented about things like homework – we come in from school and they all sit down and get on with it, and they’re pretty good at putting themselves to bed, too.
“Luckily, we’ve been blessed with good sleepers, so we do usually get a full night’s sleep.
“We wouldn’t change it for the world.”
THE BRETT FAMILY'S MONTHLY HOUSEHOLD BILLS
FOOD: AROUND £3000
ENERGY BILLS: £750
RENT: £500
NEW CLOTHES AND SHOES: £600
TRAVEL: £300
TOTAL: £5650