You don’t need anyone to tell you how expensive it is to raise children. From food, clothing, shelter, education, among other things you need to raise a child, it’s not surprising how our salary can seem to vanish in a blink of an eye.
But here’s the deal, you can find lots of advice on how to save money. But the problem is lots of families have a hard time in keeping up with those suggestions. As your family grows, so do your needs, and figuring out ways to save whilst raising kids becomes a difficult feat.
The good news is, there is a better way to live frugally without feeling deprived. Being thrifty doesn’t mean you’re cheap. It only means you are much more sensible when it comes to your finances than others.
To help get your family in the right money-saving mindset, we’ve collaborated with Alpha Car Finance to come up with no-frills, common sense tips about saving, as well as spending money.
Budget, Budget, Budget
If you don’t set and follow a budget, you can’t save money. Have you ever tried doing something new? It’s always hard to do it at first. There’s a learning curve involved. That’s how it also works when it comes to budgeting. Get a clean sheet of paper. Write all the things you spend money on each month. Include how much money comes in. This will help you keep track of all your expenses.
Shop Wisely
You don’t have to go all hard core when it comes to coupons. Sometimes, all it takes is to play it smart before you head out to the grocery store. Make a list of items that you need. You can go shopping once a week.
This will also save you time and gas by not going back and forth to the store because you forgot to buy something. Also, having a list will help you stick to your budget and reduce the chances of spontaneous purchases.
Buy Pre-Owned Items
It may not be as sensational as buying brand new items but purchasing second-hand stuff can save you a lot of money as they are way much cheaper. If you want to buy bicycles or other types of big items for your kids, you can go to thrift stores or maybe visit a neighbor who is having a garage sale to get a good bargain.
Conserve Energy
Observe how your family uses electricity and water. Do your kids leave the lights or the telly on even when no one is using them? Are they leaving your refrigerator door open or forgetting to close the faucet properly? These bad habits can cause our utility bills to skyrocket.
Have a family meeting and discuss these things with your children. Explain to them the value of conserving resources. You will not only help save Mother Earth in the process, but will also instill good values in your children which they will carry throughout their adult life.
Make Staycations Great Again
Whether it is summer or a typical weekend, you don’t always have to go out to keep your kids happy. Going out to the movies or to the mall all the time is expensive. Instead, be creative. There are plenty of fun and exciting activities you can do in the comfort of your own home. if you really need to go outside, you can go to the nearest park and take your kids there to play and have fun with them.
Being prepared and organized are sure-fire ways to help your family save money. Your family does not have to go through a drastic lifestyle change just to become frugal. Sometimes, developing the right mindset and good habits will help steer you and your family into a more practical lifestyle. It may take some getting used to, but it will all be worth it in the long run.
Do you have some money-saving tips to share? We’d love to hear them. Please leave us a comment below.
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6 Comments
Another tip I could add is selling extra stuff. Like clothes you don’t wear anymore, old gadgets and appliances, and the like. It might not fetch a lot of extra money, but every extra peso still helps. Also decreases the clutter in the house.
On that note, I should follow my own advice and sell half my stuff just to get rid of the clutter in my room. 😀
I love that idea! I also sell some old stuff which others might still find useful. Planning to have a garage sale over the summer. This will solve my storage and clutter problem, plus I can earn a little amount to add to the family savings or buy a little something for my little man.
I always remind our family members to be green. I even bought a children’s book with the same title. Being green not only helps us save money but also helps us save planet Earth.
I also love staycations. I believe that family bondings need not always be costly or outside the house.
Yes, being green is always a good idea!
This is true. Once you have a family of your own, you need to take control of your finances and learn how to budget. In our family, we utilize online movie streaming and rarely watch at the cinema house. Saves us a lot considering the price of movie tickets now plus snacks! I also print coloring and activity sheets for the kids to keep them busy and entertained instead of buying toys.
Indeed. We’ve also been skipping the movies, unless there’s a Marvel film out.