‘Doubling Down With the Derricos’: The Derricos Spend $3,500 a Month on Groceries
Think you spend a lot on groceries? Try feeding a family of 16. Karen and Deon Derrico of TLC’s new series Doubling Down With the Derricos say they spend more on food every month than the typical American family spends on a mortgage.
The Derricos grocery bill can be as high as $3,500 a month
Karen and Deon are the proud parents of 14 children, including a set of quintuplets, a set of triplets, two sets of twins, and two singletons. The kids, who are between 1 and 14 years old, are named Darian, Derrick, Dallas, Denver, Deniko, Dariz, Deonee, Daician, Daiten, Diez, Dior, Dawsyn, De’Aren, and Dyver. Another child, Carter, was born at the same time as Diez and Dior but died shortly after birth. Multiples run in both Karen and Deon’s families, and all their children were conceived without the help of IVF.
With so many mouths to feed, the family’s monthly food budget runs into the thousands.
“The amount of money that we spend on groceries? Oh my god. $2,500 to $3,500 a month, easy,” Karen said in the first episode of the family’s reality show.
In a week, the Las Vegas family can go through 15 boxes of frozen waffles and 20 rolls of toilet paper and wash 18 loads of dirty clothes. And that was before the arrival of the family’s triplets, who were born in 2019.
How the Derricos support their family
Karen is a stay-at-home mom, while Deon supports the family with his work as a real estate investor.
“We chose to have a large family. We also chose to make sure we can provide for our large family,” Karen says.
The family also has some tricks for saving money. Deon has recreated a barbershop in the family’s garage where he cuts his sons’ hair.
“I cut their hair at home for two primary reasons: money and time,” Deon explained. The barbershop also gives him a chance to bond with each of eight sons.
Deon shares financial advice with his kids
While giving his kids haircuts, Deon also imparts some lessons in money management, as seen in the show’s premiere.
“What are the four quadrants, Deniko, of financial literacy?” he asks one of his children.
The 5-year-old quickly responds, listing money management, insurance, savings, and investing. Deon even has his kids investing already, as he revealed in an Instagram post.
As for finding a house that’s big enough for the whole gang. It sounds like it’s been a challenge. Right now, the family lives in a four-bedroom, 2,400-square-foot house that’s also home to Deon’s mother GG, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. It’s definitely a bit cozy but that should change soon. The Derricos are currently in the process of buying a larger house.
Doubling Down With the Derricos airs Tuesdays at 10/9c on TLC.
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