If you’re looking to stretch your monthly budget a little further, simply continue reading to discover 6 creative ways to save money, whilst raising a young family.
6 Family Money Saving Tips Which Will Stretch Your Budget Further:
Precook several days worth of food in advance
In order to save money, you may want to consider purchasing ingredients such as meat and vegetables in bulk and precooking several days worth of food on a Sunday evening. As you’ll be far less likely to be tempted to spend a small fortune eating out if you already have several meals, per family member sitting in your freezer, waiting to be reheated.
Always look for specials, instead of paying full price
As an example, it’s well worth shopping around to find the cheapest price on your favorite foods. Better yet, you can also find amazing deals on activities. As an example, your local movie theater may offer half-priced tickets on certain days of the week. Alternatively, you may be able to find online coupons for restaurants which offer two for one meals.
Sell your children’s old clothes, books and unwanted toys online
One way to increase your family budget is to sell your children’s old clothes and unwanted toys on a website which specializes in hosting online auctions, such as eBay.
Swap your children’s clothes and books with your friends and family members
As your friends and family members are likely to have children of varying ages, it’s well worth swapping your children’s clothes, books and toys with your friends and family members. As you’ll be able to find clothes in good condition, which your friend’s children have grown out of and may be able to pass on items, your children no longer need, to friends who have younger children.
Grow your own vegetables or visit a local farmer’s market on a weekly basis
Instead of paying a premium for fresh produce at your local grocery store, you may be interested in growing your own vegetables such as lettuce, corn, beans, and tomatoes. If you live in an apartment or your property lacks adequate outdoor space to create a vegetable garden, you may want to grow herbs such as basil and thyme on your kitchen’s windowsill.
Alternatively, if you lack a green thumb, it’s well worth visiting a local farmer’s market as you’ll be able to cut out the middleman and purchase your favorite vegetables for a fraction of the price, which you’d expect to pay at your local grocery store.
Use a carpool to transport your children to and from school and extracurricular activities
If you currently spend a small fortune on gas, you may want to team up with other parents in your area, in order to form a carpool. That way, you’ll only have to drop your child off to school once or twice a week.
So if you’d love to save money for a family vacation or your children’s college tuition, it’s well worth following the 6 money saving tips listed above.