Smart Money

May 9, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

Making More Time

Does this sound familiar?

You wake up, get dressed, prepare the lunches and coffee for the day. Feed the kids, pack a few things and you are out the door.

Maybe you started some laundry or did some tidying in the few down moments you had between putting on makeup and doing your hair.

Now it is off to work, or maybe you are a stay at home Mom and the to do list is a mile long and you have a newborn or two children under three to take care of.

As the day moves along it’s time to prepare dinner, give baths, tidy up the house, fold the laundry and maybe just maybe have a few moments to gather your thoughts.

If you ask anyone of your Mom friends does this sound like a typical day. My guess is on average the answer would be yes. Let’s face it Mom’s we juggle A LOT!

To be honest my husband is surprised with what we as Moms get done in a day. But what happened to finding time for ourselves?

Trying to balance it all.

As women and Moms we over extend ourselves in trying to get it all done. We expect more than is expected of us. Between household duties, kids, cooking, striving for healthy relationships and everything in between it can be very difficult to find the time for ourselves.

Have you seen all the articles popping up on self care and how important it is to take a few moments for yourself. And to be very clear it is important to take care of yourself.

Taking care of your health is important. Be grateful for what you have. Extend grace to yourself and to others. I made a point of this in the weeks leading up to my second child’s delivery.

I posted to my family that I needed to be granted some grace during the upcoming weeks, if I was to miss a birthday or as it was Mother’s Day I was sorry but my health and my child’s birth was my primary focus.

I gave myself permission to not balance it all and focus on the important. Sometimes you need to step back and focus on the important instead of balancing it all.

What would you do with 25 hours in the day?

If you got one extra hour what would you do with it? It’s all yours to decide. Would you sneak away some Mommy time and read a good book? Would you take an uninterrupted shower or bubble bath?

Or would you clean the house? Plant a garden? Spend some extra time with the kids? Start a side job from home to help pay the bills?

What if both yourself and your other half got an extra hour in the day would you spend it together sleeping in or talking over morning coffee?

Productivity and having it all!

You can have it all and make more time. You can feel less stressed. Discover how to create a plan so you know what you are doing and when. Start feeling satisfied with how you are spending your time.

Learn how to set goals and complete them. Start making more time for you.

What if I told you, you didn’t need that extra hour in the day?

What if you could accomplish all your to do’s plus your want to do’s in the time you have? Learning to balance it all is key. In business they talk about return on investment or ROI.

You can apply this to your daily life to. Sometimes it’s about taking out and getting rid of the stuff that isn’t working. Maybe volunteering for everything or trying to get everything done now is holding up your productivity.

Maybe you like most Moms are trying to do the job of ten people on your own. There is nothing wrong with asking for help or delegating jobs. Get your family involved in the cooking and the cleaning.

Step back and figure out what will work for you. What do you need to be able to balance it all?

If you need more direction in figuring out a productivity plan or schedule that will work take a look at this. I stand behind this product and the women who have made it.

They are ordinary Moms like you and me. No assistants and they don’t have the budgets to hire extra help. But they have created plans, programs, printables, e-books and so much more to help Moms like you and me succeed.

Because that’s what it is all about right? Seeing and helping other Moms succeed in raising their families and supporting themselves in health and wellness.

You can have more time. You can learn to balance it all. You can take a few moments to yourself.

Again if you want to learn more about Personal Productivity click here.

May 6, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

7 Habits Of Successful Debt Free Families

It’s true! There are families out there living the debt free lifestyle.

Even with the current cost of housing, groceries and vacation travel on the rise. It is possible and not just for those who bring home the big pay checks.

Living the debt free lifestyle is more than possible for the average person with an average income.

Think about it those who are really living the debt free lifestyle are families just like yours and mine. They don’t go on crazy flashy holidays fours times a year.

They don’t buy new homes every time they turn around. Their closets are full of basic wardrobe pieces. Some of them may even be thrift store items.

You need to understand that most debt free families are average and blend in.

Those who want you to think they are debt free and making it are the families with the new cars, the new vacation homes and planning their next holiday. These families may be debt free but nine times out of ten they are living on credit.

So what makes a debt free family so successful?

Daily habits and smart choices. Debt free families come in all shapes and sizes. Some may be single income or double income households. Others may own their own businesses.

So there is no direct blueprint that is the same. But their habits are similar.

7 Habits of Successful Debt Free Families:

1. They live by a budget.

I know budgets sound big and scary so start small. Gather up your receipts and bills from the past two weeks. Figure out how much money you have coming in, in the next two weeks.

Take all of this information and create a budget for the next few weeks. How much goes to this bill or that bill? What can you budget for groceries? Does your income cover your rent or mortgage?

Creating a budget is simply directing your money and making it work for you. If you would like to learn more about budgeting this book is really great.

2. They have patience and they think and do long term.

Nothing worth doing or having happens in an instant. There is planning, creation and action. Debt free families have patience in building their wealth and created a plan to pay off their debt.

Nothing happened over night.

3. They make smart choices with their money.

This beautiful house came on the market and it tops our budget but… Do we want to live debt free or owned by our house and mortgage?

Successful families know that you need to make smart choices with what you have. It’s not about the here and now, it’s about a month from now, a year from now or ten years from now.

Simple smart choices like shopping for items on sale and creating a budget will help you live debt free.

4. They generally pay in cash or with money they have.

Do you know the balance on your checking account? A debt free person does. They know how much they have to spend and generally what it will be spent on.

In a world run by debt cards, credit cards and money transfers how do you really know what you actually have? Paying in cash allows you to place a value on goods and services. Parting with $100 cash is harder than parting with a button click for $98.00.

Try it. Next pay check take out the cash for your expenses. Pay everything with cash and see how you handle your money.

5. They value a home cooked meal.

Home cooking is cheaper than dining out. You can make an average family meal for less than $20. But take a family of four for dinner at your local restaurant and the bill may be $80 to $100.

Meal planning and home cooking are great ways to save money. With doing both you save time and money on your grocery shopping and you know what’s for dinner.

This meal plan is the one we use and love it.

6. They know the value of a dollar.

A successful debt free person knows how hard they worked for their income. They know the value of an average good or service and will not over pay for an item.

7. They know it doesn’t have to be perfect.

It’s true, life is not perfect. Do not expect a Pinterest or Instagram perfect picture from a debt free family because life and money are complicated. There is ups and downs.

You will get real and practical habits from a debt free frugal family.

Bonus. They aren’t trying to keep up or impress you.

Successful debt free people are not out to keep up or impress you. They are satisfied with what they have, their budget and their plan. Do they strive for more? Yes!

They know what works for them and what does not. Will a successful debt free person share their tips? Yes, just remember what works for one may not work for the other.

Follow these habits and you will be well on your way to paying down your debt, saving money and living debt free.

May 2, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

50 TV Free Activities For Kids

Are your kids spending to much time in front of the television?

Or on their electronic devices. Kids today are smarter and quicker when it comes to computers, using the internet and even searching things up on Youtube. But what happened to good old fun?

It’s time to put away the devices and turn off the television while still keeping the boredom away.

We have found an amazing collection of 50 TV free activities for kids. And honestly these activities aren’t just limited to the kids they are for the whole family.

Enjoy!

50 TV Free Activities:

1. Race cars. My sons favorite activity is to race cars down the slide at the park and see which is faster.

2. Park playtime.

3. Get out an go for a walk or a family bike ride.

4. Build a fort. Who doesn’t love building a fort out of sheets, boxes, furniture and other items.

5. Make a homemade pinball box. This one is made of cardboard, crafting sticks and a ball.

6. Play with cardboard boxes. Give a child a toy and the box seems more interesting. Add in balls and stuffed animals and the play could last for hours.

7. Make your own kinetic sand.

8. Add some dinosaur toys to your kinetic sand and you have your own dinosaur dig adventure.

9. Create paper dolls to dress up and play pretend. You can also search printables in subjects like robotics and other characters. You are only limited by your imagination.

10. Make a batch of play dough and you have hours of play.

11. Create a sensory bottle.

12. Have a tea party with all your toys.

13. Plan a scavenger hunt around the house or in the backyard.

14. Make a giant dry erase mat. Note this will promote hours of drawing.

15. Dress up and parade around the house.

16. Dance party.

17. Play a family board game

18. Draw and color.

19. Build a toothpick and mini marshmallow tower.

20. Have a spoon and large marshmallow race. Same idea as an egg and spoon race without the mess. See how far you can get without loosing your marshmallow.

21. Spend time in the garden planting seeds.

22. Send the kids on a collection adventure. Give them a list of items to gather or put away.

23. Make sock puppets.

24. Create your own homemade lava lamp. Oil and water experiment.

25. Play dominoes. See how long you can create the design before they all start falling down.

26. Create your own musical instruments with items from around the house.

27. Create a rain stick musical instrument.

28. Get out the paint and sponges and create a work of art.

29. Sing a song and dance around.

30. Make glitter slime.

31. Cuddle on the couch and read a good book.

32. Break out the busy bags and have some fun.

33. Get out the chalk and draw on the side walk.

34. Have a fun time bath with all your toys and some bubbles.

35. Make bath bombs.

36. Play hopscotch. If it is raining you can use painters tape to create your hopscotch on the interior floor.

37. Create an obstacle course.

38. Get busy and exercise together. Jumping jacks anyone?

39. Raid the recycle bin and create some eco-friendly art.

40. Plan a family themed dinner and cook together.

41. Get out the skipping rope and jump a little.

42. Get out the sleeping bags and camp in the living room or under the stars.

43. Create a fairy house.

44. Create ice cream in a bag.

45. Get out the art supplies and create.

46. Paint rocks.

47. Create giant bubbles.

48. Play indoor bowling with recycled bottles and a ball.

49. Create a ball pit or stuffed animal pit. Our son had a ball pit and loved it!

50. Get creative. Bake and decorate some cookies.

April 17, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

Planning A No Spend Month

No spend months are great ways to get your finances back in check.

Maybe it’s after the holidays and you over spent or maybe you just had a family vacation and your wallet needs a break. A no spend month gives you a chance to rest and refresh.

But by no means does your no spend month have to be boring. You can live really well and have a great time during your no spend month.

Setting some ground rules.

As the title implies you are planning a no spend month so your intention is to not spend money on anything that isn’t essential. So groceries, utility bills, rent, gas these are all essential and you can spend money on them during your no spend month.

But that doesn’t mean go plan a prime rib dinner with all the fixings and figure it’s okay. You are to live within your means during the month and make use of what you have.

There will be a few things you cut out like the daily trip to the coffee shop or eating out. Purchasing new clothes or toys during the month is a no go. Planning a weekend away during your no spend month is no unless you are camping and the site and activities are free.

Preparing for your no spend month.

Yes, you can plan and prepare for your no spend month and yes spending money might be a must. If your fridge and freezer are bare stock them up with reasonably priced meals that your family will eat.

Stock up on toiletries and essentials. Be frugal and make smart choices with the money you spend.

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The month may not be perfect.

Know going into your no spend month that it might not be perfect but it may be just what you need. Your kids may ask to go the movie and you have to decline a birthday invitation or family outing.

The plan is to not spend money on anything but the essentials. Note if someone gets ill or the car breaks down this is viewed as essential.

You may hear “I’m bored” echoing from your children and you may start putting items in your online shopping cart during your no spend month. Or you may not.

Your family may take this time to organize the house, sell some items you don’t need or do some spring cleaning. Or you may have a stack of books you have been looking forward to reading.

A no spend month can and will be as much fun as you make it.

Alternative ideas.

Regular Activities: No Spend Alternatives:

Night at the movies ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Popcorn and movies at home

Buying a new dress ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shopping your closet for new outfits

Weekend away with friends ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Plan a hike or activity locally with friends

Dinner out with the family ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Plan a homemade pizza night

Drive thru coffee ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bringing coffee from home

Lunch out with co-workers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bring lunch from home

Goals for your no spend month.

What are your goals for your no spend month? Are you simply looking for a quieter month without running everywhere? Is your goal more family time?

Are you looking to get your finances in order? How much do you plan to save? Do you have a plan for all the extra money you won’t be spending?

Is your goal to teach your children about money? What are your goals for your no spend month? Each persons goals for a no spend month will be different.

Personally, my goals for a no spend month are simpler living, saving money and downtime.

I look at a no spend month, weekend or week as an opportunity for family time, less get out and go shopping. More quality time and money saving. I can guarantee creative meals using up what we have and game nights.

A lot of books will be read and rest will be had. There will be visits to the park, potlucks with family and friends. Movie nights and coffee on the patio. The art kits will come out and long walks at the lake.

There will be no shortage of activities. But there will be a shortage of coffee shop or breakfast runs. There will be no eating out, but yummy home cooked meals in.

Planning and preparing.

Get your family involved. Plan your meals, stock the freezer. Create a list of no spend activities you want to do. Plan a family or friend potluck during your no spend month. Or plan a fun project.

Your no spend month can be anything you want it to be.

Have a great day everyone,

Cynthia

April 10, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

Must Have Money Books

Are you looking to make smarter money choices?

Or learn more about how to handle your debt and pay down bills? Maybe you are looking for investment advice or frugal living choices.

Whether you are looking to overhaul your budget, start a Mom business, take a money class or teach your children about finance we have the book for you.

Are you looking to master your money?

If you are looking to learn more about money, budgeting, getting out of debt and saving for your future the best book I can suggest for you is Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey.

This book saved our finances. It taught us how to budget for the unknown, save for the rainy days and how to plan for our financial future.

You work super hard for your money, make it work super hard for you.

Related Posts:

You can live well on less and be real happy.

You don’t need to keep up with the Joneses or have all the latest and greatest stuff. You can live well on much less than you think you can. Learning to live frugally is a smart money choice.

In 31 Days of Living Well & Spending Less you learn how to reset your spending habits and save money.

7 Must Have Money Books:

1. Total Money Makeover

2. Business Boutique

3. The Magnolia Story

4. Everyday Millionaires

5. Money Master The Game

6. Smart Money Smart Kids

7. More Than Just Making It

Make a difference and invest in your future today.

Invest in you! Checkout some of these great money books and learn how to live the life you want to lead. Maybe you want to run a business from home as a stay at home Mom. Or maybe you want to pay down your debt or save for your future. Pay it forward and give the gift of financial security to a friend or loved one. Smart money knowledge can change your life.

Have an amazing day,

Cynthia

April 8, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

Smart Money Saving, Green Living Products

You can save the planet and save tons of money all at the same time.

All you need to do is swap up your single use items with reusables. For example, do you use chemical dryer sheets in the dryer? You can replace these with wool dryer balls that will last for years.

Does your grocery store charge for plastic bag use? Save the money by using reusable shopping bags. Making simple changes can save you lots of money in the long run.

Learn the biggest green living, money saving tip.

Do you drink water during the day? Do you occasionally buy bottled water? What is the average price of bottled water in your area?

Where we live the average price on a medium sized bottle of water is $3.00 and most of that is profit for the store and the water company.

Plus the bottle does not breakdown and will need to be recycled. Think about all the bottles for water, soda, juice and other beverages you buy. How much money do you spend on these products?

You can save money and the planet buy purchasing and reusing a stainless steel water bottle. Which will on average keep the drink cold for up to 12 hours.

Honestly, I think it is one of the best money saving investments a person can make.

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10 Green Living Products That Will Save You Money:

1. Wool Dryer Balls

2. Reusable Shopping Bags

3. Stojo Collapsible Travel Cup

4. Aromatherapy Essential Oils

5. Stainless Steel Straws

6. Stainless Steel Water Bottle

7. Bee’s Wrap Reusable Wrap

8. Cloth Napkins

9. Reusable Cleaning Cloths

10. Reusable Spray Bottles

Smart money saving choices.

We all make choices in how we spend our money day in and day out. Simple long term eco-friendly choices can help us save more money and save the planet at the same time.

Have an amazing day,

Cynthia

April 3, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

Storage Solutions For Your Pantry

Are your kitchen cupboards, drawers and pantry in need of an organization makeover?

No matter whether you use a traditional pantry to store your household and grocery goods. Or if you use the drawers in your kitchen or maybe a cupboard or two I have the perfect organization solutions for you.

And they will all keep you organized and on budget.

Budgeting and organization go hand in hand.

When you know what you have you won’t go out and buy extras. Picture opening up the pantry and everything being lined up and organized.

Dry goods stored together. Snacks and treats all organized into bins. Dinner options lined up and ready for the making.

And organization doesn’t have to cost you your budget. The dollar store or Amazon are great sources for organizational supplies.

7 Storage Solutions For Your Pantry:

1. Airtight Food Storage Containers

These great pantry dry good storage containers come with easy to close lids. Chalk board labels and pen. These containers are see thru making storage and product use a breeze.

2. Simple Housewares Stacking Can Rack

This awesome stacking can storage rack allows you to see what you have on several different levels. No more lost cans in the back of the cupboard. Now you can easily see what you have.

3. Simple Housewares Door Hanging Storage

The key to good storage is using up every bit of space you have wisely. And making it accessible even to the little ones in the house. This door hanging rack makes snack storage a breeze.

4. Stackable Storage Bins

Anything stackable is great, it allows you to use up the open storage space in your pantry. We use a similar model to these bins in our cupboard for snack storage. They allow for easy storage and easy access for the kids.

5. Simple Housewares Expandable Storage

Most pantry’s have open unused floor space that could house lots of different items. This expandable storage shelf makes great use of that space while keeping your items up off the floor. This shelf is great for cleaning supplies and other heavy dry goods.

6. Kitchen Housewares Pantry Rack

Keep all your cookie sheets, cutting boards and muffin trays organized with this kitchen pantry rack. No more fumbling and frustration with this rack. Everything is in it’s place and organized.

7. Chalk Board Labels

Do you ever wonder what is in a jar or storage container? Wonder no more with these great re-usable chalk board labels. This kit includes 252 labels which is amazing.

Simple, money saving pantry organization solutions.

You don’t have to go crazy expensive to have a well organized pantry. Simple see thru containers. Container stackers that allow you to see what you have.

Great re-usable labels so there is no wondering what the contents are. Space savers and expandable do it all shelving. These seven organizational items will help you organize your pantry in no time.

Have a great day,

Cynthia

April 2, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

Easy Ways To Save Money

The budget is tight and you need to save money now!

A few simple changes to your daily activity and you can cut your spending right away. The first place to start is by looking at what you need or were going to buy this week.

Is grocery shopping on the schedule this week? Do you have a dinner date or plans with friends this week? Is there birthdays or children’s activities coming up?

Do you have lunches planned for the week? Do you usually eat out and grab coffee on the go?

These are all valid questions to determine how much money you might spend this week.

Let’s cover some simple day to day spending activities that can help you save money now.

It’s grocery shopping week and the budget is tight. First thing to do is make a list of what you need. Cross off anything special and you can get by without.

Then look at all the items, are there any on sale this week at the grocery store or ones you have coupons for? Can you go generic on a few items to save some money?

What about purchasing a smaller quantity to get you through till next pay day? Can you do a few vegetarian meals such as salads to make the meal plan cheaper?

If you are a drive thru and go coffee drinker add coffee to your grocery list. Bringing coffee from home during the week can save you approximately $10-$50 a week depending on the type of coffee you drink.

Do you have a date planned this week or dinner with friends what about planning an evening in and cooking a home cooked meal or barbecuing it is way cheaper than going to a restaurant.

Simple changes to your daily activities can save you money even when the budget is super tight.

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5 Easy Ways To Save Money This Week:

1. Bring coffee from home in your favorite travel mug.

Like I noted above bringing coffee from home can save you big bucks over a weekly and monthly period. And it is something real simple and easy to start doing.

2. Make a grocery list, clip coupons and look for sale and generic items.

Grocery shopping with a budget and a plan is a must. You can save on average $10-$20 just by sticking to your list and not purchasing random items. If you would like to learn more about grocery shopping on a budget The Grocery Budget Workshop is where we learned to save money while we shop.

3. Plan a no spend weekend, get outside and enjoy some fresh air.

Put down the electronics, cancel the movie theater plans and get outside. Go for a bike ride, a hike or plan a picnic in the park. Discover 75 fun activities to do on a no spend weekend.

4. Carpool or group your activities together to save fuel and time.

Cutting down on your travel expenses and time is a big money saver. Can you carpool to work or group your family activities together to cut the costs?

5. Meal plan your meals this week. Use up what you have.

Meal planning has to be hands down one of the easiest ways to save money. Knowing what’s for dinner before you get home. Having all the right ingredients in the fridge. Learning to pack cheap healthy lunches can save you money. If you have ever wondered about meal planning take a look at this meal plan. It is simple and easy to use.

Simple easy ways to save money.

It’s all in changing your daily activities for the better. Simple changes that produce bug results. You do not have to go without to save money even when the budget is tight.

Have a great day,

Cynthia

March 29, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

The Best Dollar Store Hacks

Every Mom, everywhere loves a good hack.

Something that will save her time, hassle and messes. Even better is when a hack saves you money. And you can’t go wrong with dollar store hacks.

Why? Because right off the bat you know you will be saving money when it comes to the dollar store. Give me something that saves me time and money and I am a happy Mom.

So in the name of saving money and saving time we located 21 of the best dollar store hacks.

21 Of The Best Dollar Store Hacks:

1. Linen Closet Organization by Real Coake

2. Burlap Organization Baskets by Simple Made Pretty

3. DIY Travel Activity Board by Sunny With The Chance Of Sprinkles

4. Toy Storage by DIY & Crafts

5. Command Center by Girl Loves Glam

6. DIY Car Refresher by By One Crazy House

7. Portable Homework Caddie by Simple Made Pretty

8. Gold Painted Elephant by Build Basic

9. Water Well Play by Happy Hooligans

10. Emergency Diaper Change Kit by Forks & Folly

11. Car Cleaning Hacks by One Good Thing By Jillee

12. Scarf Organization by From The Desk

13. Freezer Chest Organization by Practically Functional

14. DIY Topiary Trees by Home Made Lovely

15. Super Bubble Station by Dollar Store Crafts

16. Water Obstacle Course by Meaningful Mama

17. Sand Toys by The Idea Room

18. Bathroom Basket by North Country Nest

19. Rope Basket by Lydi Out Loud

20. DIY Water Bombs by The Chic Site

21. DIY Summer Glasses by Little Empty Room

Money saving hacks.

I love all of these hacks each and every one of them. Design, organization, decor, homeschool and so much more. Each one of these hacks is amazing. They will all save you time and money.

Plus who doesn’t love when you can decorate the house on a dime. Are you looking for kids activities on the cheap look no further than the list above and the dollar store.

I wish you an amazing day,

Cynthia

March 28, 2019 by Saving and Simplicity

Smart Ways To Save Money While Raising A Family

Raising a family is fun, exciting, complicated and expensive.

I say all this while we are expecting our second, so I am smiling. Raising a family is full of joy and it has it’s rough spots and learning curves.

But if you take the ride as a whole and I have been at ours for just over ten years it is well worth the experience.

Honestly, raising a family can be expensive add in more than one child and you need to learn to balance and save.

Let’s face it we want to give our child the world, show them all the amazing things that life has to offer but this comes with a price tag. So how do you give your child the best life without going over budget.

I am going to note one thing when I say best life it doesn’t mean all the “stuff” you can pile into a room. It means giving your child a meaningful, healthy, loving home to grow up in and experience all that life has for them.

So how do we raise our children without going over budget?

First off you will go over budget every once in a while. You may purchase too many baby items, or too many toys.

A medical bill may come up or maybe you found out you are having multiples instead of just one child.

There maybe family stuff like job loss or health issues. It happens, you are not alone. Do not take one slip of the budget as a bad thing, you have to roll with what life hands you.

I am a prime example of this my babies are ten and half years apart because sometimes biology and planning isn’t on your side 100% of the time. Life gave us an amazing miracle of a surprise and we are running with it.

Through the ups and downs, joys and lessons of raising a family you can save money, in fact a lot of money if you spend wisely.

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21 Smart Ways To Save Money While Raising A Family:

Set a budget for groceries, activities and clothes
Get your kids involved in cooking meals and packing lunches
Keep track and use items you have
Be organized – you have more toys and art supplies than you think
Use free resources like the library and online classes and activities
Take part in free crafting events
Communicate with your children about money and what you can afford
Shop the thrift store for clothing, books, accessories and crafts
Have a clothing swap with friends
Learn to say “no”
Learn what is financially sustainable for your family
Stop trying to keep up with the neighbors
Shop the dollar store for activities, toys and other items
Limit to one paid activity per child and make sure it works with your budget and time
Network with other parents regarding supplies, rides and childcare
Set up an allowance system
Set goals for your money
Limit the gifts to needed items and maybe one wanted item
Teach your children to save, donate and spend their money wisely
Plan a staycation instead of a shiny vacation with airfare and hotels
Turn off the devices, get outside and play

Saving big money while raising kids.

Coming from a large extended family some of the best ways I have learned to save money while raising a family are as follows. Hand me downs and shopping thrift is great.

Learn how to knit, sew and crochet all will come in handy when raising a family. Don’t be afraid to volunteer for sports teams and community events it will save you tons of enrollment fees.

Camping can be some of the best vacations and you don’t even have to leave the backyard. Get the family involved in the cooking, cleaning and budgeting they are all great skills to have.

Purchase a size right for you home, one that works for your family’s needs. There is nothing wrong with sharing a room or sharing toys. Value what you have, enjoy what life sends your way and save for the future.

Have an amazing day,

Cynthia