I have an 8.5 year gap between my two sons and I like it that way. Having kids closer together wasn't really an option for me though. DS1 is fantastic with his little brother and is a big help. People often ask me if it was hard to adjust to having another baby in the house after all that time but it wasn't hard at all. Always thought that was a bit of a strange question anyway! Good luck with making your decision.
Having kids closer in age isn't obviously an option for us either. Did you find that it had less of an impact financially or more? Do they get along well?
NervousMum