Easy ways to save your family money
From blog sponsors to friends, when I tell people I’m “on a budget”, they seem to think it’s just for fun, or just happens to be my blog niche. Unfortunately, while my family is well provided for, I can’t afford not to be frugal. There are a lot of things that we do to save money in our household. Some are harder and some are ‘crunchier’ than others. This list is a few of the easiest, more mainstream ways that you can save money for your family.
1. Keep an eye out for coupons
I don’t extreme coupon because the majority of items you can buy for pennies are crap. Yes, I do sometimes buy $3 shampoo or $1 dog food between paychecks, but I would never stockpile low-quality items. Safe & healthy food & beauty products are worth paying full price for, even if you have to cut money from your budget in other places. My husband Donny does the majority of our household shopping and he does clip things like Walgreens and Sears coupons. Clipping coupons is an obvious way to cut costs, but our biggest savings come from in-store coupons. Sebastian loves to help us grab the ones you find in the grocery aisles, many of which are good for healthy, organic items. Having a rewards or club card where you shop can also result in dramatic savings over time, and many of those programs will give you cents off the gallon on gas as well.
2. Try New Brands
It’s great to have brand loyalty when you find a company whose products and values you really love, but branching out can save you major cash. We usually buy Yes to Carrots baby wash but last month we took a gamble on Babyganics because it was the same price and buy one get one free. BOGO! You save money and have an excuse to try something new.
3. Shop secondhand first
Posts that talk about thrifting make up about 50% of my blog for good reason. Most of Sebastian’s most favorite toys? Secondhand. And the toys aren’t junk. I really do prefer wooden toys and blah blah blah but we have a name brand play ‘house’ (one wall with a swinging door, window, working radio and light switch) that cost a grand total of $4. We found his beloved Jumperoo (in perfect condition) secondhand, and his cutest outfits always include unique secondhand pieces (so do mine). I have a rockin new pair of Michael Kors studded pumps, bought last month, that ran me less than $15. Need more proof? Just check out all of my previous thrift shopping blog posts.
4. Swap & share with friends and family
Before my mom, sister or I donate anything, we offer it to each other first. I do the same with some of my friends. One of my besties and I did a mostly-swap Christmas last year. We often trade work and blog perks, and even services. She cuts my hair, I maintain her Facebook page. Sharing clothing isn’t uncommon when you’re a teenager, but a lot of us stop swapping as we get older. Bring back the sisterhood and ask around before you buy something new – You never know who has one that they are trying to unload. Of course, you can also try websites that offer swaps, and even the free section on Craigslist, but for some items (like makeup, or a used nursing bra) it is nice to know exactly where it came from.
5. Downsize your entertainment
Entertainment can be a real money suck, and oftentimes you end up paying money for services you aren’t even crazy about. If you don’t watch much TV, consider canceling cable and signing up for Netflix instead – You’ll see a savings of at least $200/year depending on your provider. If you love the movie theater but don’t care if you’re watching the latest blockbuster, find a venue near you that plays older films (usually ones that are out of the big theaters but not yet released to DVD) for a fraction of the cost per ticket. Our favorite theater shows slightly older movies for just $4 per person for a double feature. Smaller theaters often have cheaper concessions as well, or grab your biggest handbag and smuggle in your own snacks. For entertainment like museums and zoos, check for special days with discount prices. Our local zoo has cheaper admission in the colder months and on Tuesdays, for example. If you really look at your ‘fun’ budget, there are probably a lot of ways you can shave down your expenses.
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Whatever tips and tricks you use to save money for your family, the biggest piece of advice I can offer is to really know your priorities. If it makes you happy to splurge in one area, do it – Then make a specific, concrete plan to cut down spending in other areas. Online tools like Mint.com and Credit Sesame can help you manage your spending, debt and credit. I especially love that Mint allows you to sort every payment transaction by category, helping you set concrete goals for saving money in specific areas.
I find that cutting back on spending is a lot harder now than it was when I was young and single — It’s not like I can just feed the toddler ramen every day. What are your biggest tips for saving money as a family?
It’s like you read my mind about what I’d like to be reading about! So relevant to me right now.
All of Holden’s favorite toys are secondhand. With kids it makes so much sense they just go through everything so fast. I have a basement half-way filled with baby things in perfect condition that I can’t quite part with yet…
For us the WORST money sucker is eating out. It’s hard to plan ahead to get breakfast, lunch and dinner covered when working full time but it’s ridiculous how much we save when we do!
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If I ever make it to Portland again, expect to have me begging for a thrift shopping date. You really do find some amazing things! Love the rest of these suggestions, too, and I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t get into extreme couponing. I feel the same as you – it may be practically free, but it doesn’t matter if it’s not something I want in my house!
Swapping clothing, and anything really, is an awesome way to save! A girlfriend once organized a get together where a dozen or so cleaned out our closets and put everything we didn’t want out for the taking. Everyone got rid of unwanted stuff, and left with a few cute new things. It was brilliant, and I really want to do it again one day!
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