Guest post from Jennifer
After being a stay-at-home mom for almost 2 years, my husband and I had to make a decision of where our first child would go to school. Although we were excited about sending her to a private school, we were also a bit overwhelmed wondering if could afford it on one income.
I know there are many families out there living on one income and “affording more” of what’s important to you because of budget cut-backs in other areas of your life. And after looking at our own budget, we found several areas we could cut back to make a private school tuition work on one income:
1. Debt:
We had already purposefully eliminated all credit card and car loan debt, so we only owe money on a reasonable mortgage.
2. Entertainment:
- We use a TV with bunny ears, so we do not pay for cable, Netflix, etc.
- We check out movies and books at the local library for free!
- We do cheap dates (sometimes sharing an entrée at a restaurant to be able to eat out).
- We are blessed to have grandparents in town who babysit for free.
- We limit our eat-out budget, and drink water when we go out.
- We only have one smart phone in our family.
- We called our phone company to get a promotional rate on internet.
3. Clothing:
- I shop for my kids’ clothes at garage, consignment, and thrift store sales. I also buy ahead for the next size up at the clearance racks at the end of a season.
- I consign my kids’ clothes (and old toys) at a local sale three times a year. I price the clothes and make 70% of what they sell for and they do the work of selling them.
4. Groceries:
- I shop primarily at Aldi, with some items bought at Dillon’s with sales and coupons.
- I have started making more things from scratch, and I love using my bread machine (inspired by this blog!). My kids love “Mama Jenny’s Pizzeria”.
5. Gifts
- I make many gifts (birthday cakes, burlap wreaths, bracelets, baby blankets).
- I shop for gifts year round.
- I recycle all old gift bags and tissue paper that are in good condition.
6. Gas
- We buy gift cards at Dillon’s for specific purchases and get fuel points to get discounts on gas.
- We fill up both cars at once to take full advantage of fuel discounts.
7. School Credit for Reloadable Gift Card:
Our school offers credit towards tuition for purchases bought with a reloadable Dillon’s gift card, including money spent on gas. We make about $3.75 for each $100 spent and every little bit adds up!
8. Hair:
I highlight my own hair and cut all four of our hair.
9. Home repairs:
I am blessed to have a handy husband who can do most home repairs and lawn maintenance with only a few trips to Home Depot.
I realize that all of these tips will not work for everyone, but I hope this is inspiring to many readers who read MoneySavingMom.com for more ideas to cut back to afford more!
Jennifer is a stay-at-home mom of two children, 6 and 3, whose mom, out of necessity, taught her to be frugal growing up. She enjoys looking for more ways to save money, crafting, reading, teaching children at church, and spending time with her family.
CG says
A huge money saver for us was to ask for memberships to the zoo or local childrens science center every year from the grandparents for birthday and holiday gifts. Or a magazine subscription. If our kids asked for a large item (Like a Wii one year), we asked all the grandparents for accesories and games for that item.
Shopping secondhand can be tricky, but I would go with each child individually so that they could try on clothes that I found, and we would make a day of it, with maybe lunch if I had a coupon, or a trip to their favorite used bookstore.
Check out your local library, or maybe the one in the next town over, lol. There are always things going on and they had at least one free activity a week for kids.
Regina says
As the children get into school, there will be lots of birthday parties. My daughter and I shopped the day after Christmas in the clearance section for year round gifts. We put them in a box and when she got invited to a party she would go pick something out from the box for her friend.
Crafty Florida Girl says
I am very frugal. I shop at Aldi’s and Target with coupons and cartwheel. I cook every day my kids and husband pack lunches for work and school.
My daughter dresses mostly from hand me downs from friends daughters. I do seasonal shopping for my son if he has outgrown his clothing. For me I shop the clearance racks, when I need something. I very rarely pay full price for anything.
I do not pay for babysitting, my hubby has a day off during the week. So well have a lunch date and maybe a matinee movie with coupons( we use groupon , living social etc)
We live in expensive Miami. I am a stay at home mom. I think one thing that was not mentioned that being organized can save you money. You don’t buy things double and you take care of the things you do have.
For us having cable is part of our “entertainment” fund, and that is ok. We use it a lot. We watch family movies together. My husband unwinds from work watching his shows. I do cooking and cleaning watching HGTV. So, it all depends on what is important to you. You can cut on somethings to be able to afford others.
My hubby does all our cars maintenance. I have tried cutting my sons hair it was a disaster, so I take him once a month for a buzzed haircut.
Nick says
For gift wrapping, I use old Merchandisers that we get in the mail weekly, It’s free, plus I use a magic marker to label them right on the paper, no need for labels. It’s not the prettiest looking thing, but as far as form, fit, ant function are concerned it’s perfect. Also you can get financial books at the library as well to get even more money saving tips (For free!).
Yohana Liu says
We make laundry detergent by ourselves. It is super easy, and super low cost! Only need boiled water (10litres), 120 cc of washing soda, 2 blocks of grated soap, and containers.
Yohana Liu says
We make detergent by ourselves. It is super easy, and super low cost! Only need boiled water (10litres), 120 cc of washing soda, 2 blocks of grated soap, and containers.
Denise says
I reuse gift bags too! So easy!
But what is saving us the most right now is my husband! We just bought a house…and all the little things that need repaired/redone are costing us a small fortune BUT if my husband wasn’t able to do all of it himself it would probably cost us a HUGE fortune so I am very thankful for him. Just now he finished wiring in a dryer plug since our house was designed for a gas dryer and we own an electric one. 🙂
Rachel says
We enjoy Netflix and Amazon Prime, but we have always asked for them for Christmas and birthday gifts from the in-laws. Also, you might check out Republic Wireless for cell phones if you need a smart phone. It’s a non-contract phone that uses wifi to make some of the calls/texts/etc. which cuts down on the cost of the plans. I spend $10/month for unlimited talk/text/wifi data, and my husband pays $25/month for unlimited talk/text/3G data. There is an initial expense of the phone ($100-300/phone), but it pays for itself rapidly.
Jen says
I LOVE Republic Wireless! $23 per month for my husband and I both ($10 plans plus tax). Best deal ever!
M. says
We do many of the same things you mentioned to be able to pay $700 per month for 3 kids in Christian School. I sounds like a lot of money (as much as a mortgage for some) but we think it’s worth it and are willing to save in other areas so we can afford it. We are also a single income family.
Jennifer Meybaum says
M., we do the same thing here in Ohio: cost-cutting to afford Christian school. A trusted mentor told me a few years ago: it’s worth every penny! Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of that, especially when we think of what else that $700 (or whatever amount) could buy!
M. says
Yep! An investment for eternity instead of today!
Isabel Hernandez says
I just disconnected my cable it was very expensive. I got netflix. I also save my gift bags and tissue paper. I cut my husband hair. I havent cut my hair on a year . My sister cuts my hair for free. I try to save as mich as possible.
Janis says
Thank you for this post. We just moved from Las Vegas to Greenville, SC. My husband is attending seminary plus finally got a job with the city. I just quit my bank job so I can work with a Christian ministry. We will now be making 50% less then what we made in Las Vegas. We already do a lot of what you said and I love Aldi’s. Hadn’t had the opportunity to shop there until we moved here. We now cook everyday, and no longer eat out but once a week. My kids are homeschooled and curriculum is pricey, but worth it. We do have a car payment but no other debt. I’m considering selling my car, but that and my smart phone are my 2 only splurges. How do you get over the feeling of not driving a nice safe car? My husband is not handing and being a full time student and working full time we aren’t sure how he could help around the house anyway. I would love more ideas on frugal living from anyone who reads this! Thanks!
Brandy @ The Prudent Homemaker says
Janis, enjoy the green of your new home! I live in Las Vegas, and you have some great opportunities to garden that include some of the same benefits as you had in Vegas, as well as some better benefits: namely, real dirt and actual rain 🙂 Plus, the humidity helps the plants grow. I garden in Las Vegas, but I can only dream of the success that you can have in a place that isn’t quite so hot in the summer. I would highly encourage you to grow whatever you can; if you are renting, grow in pots!
As far as homeschool curriculum, look at buying used, using Swagbucks to purchase schoolbooks from Amazon (I have bought a lot of used books that way), and participating in curriculum swaps.
Check out garage sales (including Facebook garage sales) for some winter clothes for your family, since you’ll need to be warmer than you were in Las Vegas.
Janis says
Brandy, thank you! I actually follow your facebook page and my friend visited your garden 🙂 We were frugal in Vegas, but definitely not like here! So now I need to scour blogs for ideas. I do plan to garden come spring. Things grow like crazy here! It’s great. What are your best potted ideas? We are renting but hope to buy soon which means I will need to move everything.
I do facebook garage sales and sometimes real ones too. We are thrift shopping a lot and the non-profit I am now working for has multiple amazing thrift stores where I get 75% off now. It’s the groceries that are now expensive since I am cooking everything now instead of eating out (which I know was ultimately more expensive). Life was much busier in Vegas then we are now. I like the change a lot!
Oh yeah homeschool books we buy only used for the most part. I use to run the Eagles Curric Sale. But didn’t buy this year since we moved the following week. Thanks for all your advice.
Brandy @ The Prudent Homemaker says
Swiss chard, green onions, and looseleaf lettuce give you the most bang for your buck in containers, as all can be cut and harvested again. The lettuce can be harvested 3 times; the onions and chard can go over and over and will eventually go to seed, but you can still cut from them.
If you’re in a zone 7 or higher, October is a great time to plant a fall garden!
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Jayleen says
It sounds like you are on the right track! I had to laugh at saving gift bags and tissue paper;0) I do the same thing … after any occasion you will find me folding tissue paper and saving ribbons! Lol! I buy the fun ribbon at Costco and use it over and over again!
Star says
We are a family of 5 (soon to be 6!) living on 1 income in the Washington DC area and it is difficult to stretch our budget in such an expensive area! You pretty much described our family with this list! We don’t even own a TV, do babysitting swaps since we don’t have any family nearby, regularly use the library, we grow a small garden, I get a haircut about once a year, I don’t own a smartphone, we don’t do any expensive family vacations. Our church has an enormous clothing swap every 6 months where you drop off unwanted items and then can “shop” for what you need. Much of my wardrobe comes from this swap as do many of my children’s clothes. We still have all of our children’s outgrown clothes in storage to be passed down. I also do a co-op preschool with other moms from my church so we don’t have any costs for preschool. We “do without” many things, but our life is happy and simple. Our children don’t feel like they are missing out on anything. We have lots of family traditions and do many free activities together.
Jennifer says
I also live in the DC area, and I am always envious of people who live in “normal”-priced areas. Our mortgage on a regular single family home on about 1/8 an acre, an hour from my husband’s work, is $2300 a month. My husband’s salary sounds like a ton, but we need it to live here and things are still tight! We don’t have family here so if we did want a date together, it would cost us a fortune just on babysitting our three children. I was shocked when I found out how much babysitters charge in this area! I know some moms who pay upwards of $17/hour… For ONE child! Also, I was shocked the first time i went to ger a haircut and it was $60. I tried Hair Cuttery several times so I could just pay $15, and they butchered my hair every time. There are so many people here that the hairdressers at Hair Cuttery really aren’t as good as the ones in the fancy salons (even though where I grew up, Hair Cuttery was just as good as anywhere!) On the positive side, living in this area provides lots of free activities and we have a wonderful library. 🙂 And the school systems are great. We have to live where my husband can work, and unfortunately that is the most expensive county in the country. Love reading tips to learn better ways to stretch!
Anne Marie says
I’m impressed with #8. I got frustrated last year by the price of haircuts for my son, so I decided we’d try to cut his hair ourselves. My husband and I worked together to butcher our son’s hair. He screwed up the sides, and I jacked up the top. Thank goodness, he was too young to know how bad it looked! We had to get it fixed professionally. This lesson was valuable, though, because it worked to justify the cost of all future haircuts. We just cut back in other areas. 😉
Jennifer says
I use a Revlon highlighting kit that can be purchased at Target or Walmart. It comes with a cap and you use a small hook to pull hair through small holes in the cap. It is found with the other haircolor. It takes a bit of practice, but it can be done.:)
Brandy @ The Prudent Homemaker says
My husband says that the difference (for males) on a good and bad haircut is two weeks 🙂 After that, it grows enough that it’s not noticeable if you didn’t do it right.
We bought hairclippers with attachments shortly after we were married. My husband hasn’t paid to have his hair cut for 14 years! While the first time I was really scared to cut his hair and I didn’t do a perfect job, the attachments keep you from cutting too much.
The clippers are around $35, so in a couple of haircuts, so after a few haircuts, they will have paid for themselves.
Clippers make it simple, if you ever want to try again!
Anne Marie says
Sadly, we have clippers, and that’s what my husband used on the sides. I did the top with scissors. The hairdresser who fixed our mess explained what I did wrong. Still, I don’t have the confidence to try again. I’m too vain for that, if I’m being honest. I like to look good, and I like my husband and son to look good. Should we find ourselves in a place where the cost of haircuts truly will break us, then I’ll try again, but unless/until that happens, I’ll pay for hair. I have other things that don’t matter as much to me that I can do to cut back. 🙂
Melissa says
I think an important part of the equation also includes recognizing that some things that work well for others, may not work well for you. I rarely shop at thrift stores simply because as my (5)kiddos have gotten older, their sizes and proportions are a little more picky and you can’t return things that don’t fit right. Often, if I check the clearance racks, I can find brand new things cheaper. I have also gotten away from buying too much ahead of time because my kids have gone through grow spurts at different rates, and sometimes they go through 2-3 sizes in one year, while others, they wear the same size for 1-2 years. After a couple of years of having clothing I bought ahead but can’t use, I learned that there are times when it just doesn’t help to buy ahead. We live simply, on one income, and still manage to do very well for a family of 7 living on just over min. wage income.
Crystal Paine says
Such great advice and words of wisdom here! Thanks for sharing!
L says
I agree with the “buying ahead” topic. It worked awesome until my kids turned around 14. Their styles and tastes changed from what I thought they might like…so I would rather buy them less (and maybe pay more for the item) and have them like what I bought them. So as far as birthdays and Christmas, I wait until about a month or two before and specifically ask what they want or have them show me pictures online so that I can purchase items that they will be happy with. It makes no sense to buy them something six months ahead of time just because it is a “deal” and have them never wear it. They know that I am spending the same amount of money and so by getting them something they like, they might only get one item versus two.
Misty Nicole Overstreet-Roberts (The Lady Prefers To Save) says
We actually cut our home phone and cable, but retained Netflix and Hulu Plus. I save $1,344.00 in doing so. I do however disagree with the author, as I use SavingStar, IBotta, and Shopmium, deposited into my paypal account to pay for these services, and have more cable shows to watch than I did with cable. As for sporting events, I also use the same funds, transfered to my bank, to purchase sports packs online, which I tramsit to my tv, and so my husband has not missed a game. In fact, I actually blogged about it here, http://theladyprefers2save.com/?p=7709 So, as far as I am concerned, cutting back is merely a way to live life in a better way, a more frugal way, not in a doing without sort of way!
Rebecca says
Along with ibotta, I use snap and checkout51.
Leah says
We do all of these (except consign and hair cuts) so we can afford private Christian school! It is so worth it!
Delorise says
Thanks for sharing. I always enjoy info on saving. I also reuse gift bags and tissue.
Katy Moss says
Can you share how you highlight your own hair? Again, I know that’s not for everyone, but as someone who can’t afford salon visits right now, I’d love to disguise my grays!
Jessi Fearon (@TheBudgetMama) says
#9 is favorite! 🙂 My hubs is super handy which has saved us literally TONS of money over the years. I’m so thankful that he so talented. This is a great list of ways to cut back and I know many people could benefit from a few of these cut backs!
Betsy says
Great tips here! Thanks so much!
Lauren says
I started saving gift bags and tissue paper from gifts given to me after I married my husband. I was slightly embarrassed by it when I first started because it was something my family looked down on but it was something his family always did. Well, story short….I have not bought a single bag or thing of tissue baby since I’ve been married. We have bags neatly stored in a container for every occasion you could think of. Infact, my mom and sister even “shop” from my collection and I still doubt that I will ever use all of my bags during my lifetime. The amount of money I have saved by doing this is CRAZY!
Katie T says
We do this too! In addition to saving money, I find it really convenient to have these items already on hand instead of needing to run out to the store and purchase them.
Awmem says
I collect the bags to reuse as well as the gift boxes we use at Christmas time. Something we have just started is on the bottom of the bag or box put whoevers name that gets it. It is kind of fun to see where all they have gone and how long they can be used for.
Awmeme says
oops for some reason it posted my name wrong
Momma val says
That’s a GREAT IDEA!
Thought I was the only one who did this ..
Great minds think alike ..
Kim says
LOVE this!! Thank you for sharing! 🙂