The Frugal Mom’s Guide to Raising a Family
Being a money savvy momma is a lot of work, but all the extra savings make it well worth the effort. If you pride yourself on scoring great deals and relishing in discounts, this guide is for you. With the cost of living gradually climbing each year, it’s only good sense to pick up some frugal living tips that will still provide well for the whole family.
Start a Family Garden
If you can grow some of your own produce, start gardening in the fall. Growing your own food is also a fantastic way to have fun and pass time while you teach the kids about life science and get them involved. Hands-on activities help children learn more easily, and kinesthetic learners will especially thrive helping you till the soil and plant seeds to turn into yummy meals.
Download Store Apps for Better Discounts
You likely already know about loyalty cards, but there are more modern ways to save money at your favorite stores. Target, Walmart, Acme, Shoprite and more all have their own apps that offer exclusive digital coupons. Use these apps to browse weekly sales, time your shopping and take advantage of app-only discounts. You can also clip digital coupons to apply to in-store purchases for bonus bucks.
Choose Free and Affordable Entertainment Options for Children
We all know how going to theme parks or hitting the mall for movie night can put a severe drain on your financial resources. Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to help your kids with their quota of entertainment options. One great way to help them catch the latest movies and animation shows would be to download the same from platforms like the pirate bay. You can download everything and keep it in offline mode. When your kids want to have a Marvel movie night, you can simply use the pen drive and plug it into your television or computer.
Ask Relatives for College Donations
If the grandparents really want to spoil the kids, ask them to invest some gift money into a 529 savings account. College costs are likely to only get higher as time goes on. Your own debt may pale in comparison to what your kids face by the time they’re young adults. You can also look into different financing options now that will make saving up easier. Borrowing a low-rate Private Parent Loan can help you pay for their education without compromising financial security in your life.
Make a Wants vs. Needs List
On your phone’s Notes app or digital planner, make a list that separates wants versus needs. Add your kids’ respective wishes and necessities to the list throughout the year. When you go birthday or holiday shopping, you can refer to the list and buy things that have more than one-time value. By separating wants from needs this also helps you and your children recognize and appreciate the value of a dollar. It’s easy to overspend when you’re good at finding deals, but that doesn’t automatically mean you should purchase every discount you find.
Pay With Cash
Cards are convenient, but they also lead to overspending. You may realize you went a bit over budget at checkout only to figure it’s fine and ring it up anyway. When you only have a set dollar amount to work with, you’ll be more conscious about what you put in the cart. What should you do with the change? There are two great options. You can either put it back in the bank, or you can place it in a special savings jar that the whole family contributes to. Set a goal that everyone cares about, and keep the jar someplace you’re likely to see often. Maybe you are all budgeting for an epic summer vacation, or maybe it’s a puppy fund for the future family pet.
