Guest post by Sabrina from The Unlikely Homemaker
In the same way that the small things you purchase add up to a lot at the end of the month, the small ways you save can also add up to a huge amount at the end of the month.
Spending $5 at a thrift store every week for a few children’s shirts saves you money over buying them new, but over the course of a month that is $22 (plus tax!). While that is still not much, when you have almost no money, it’s like gold. I would much rather keep that $22 in my pocket and repair clothes we already own.
Buying a Sweet Tea every day on the way to pick your kids up from school can add up $22 or more if you also buy snacks for the kids. I would rather make my own at home using tea bags and honey.
If you buy a pack of gum every time you go grocery shopping (say, three times a week?) that can total $13 per month minimum, assuming you are only paying $1 per pack.
Going out to dinner can sometimes be cost/stress effective, but sometimes it is far better to prepare a meal at home. For two adults and two children (one who is only a year old) it can cost my family around $50 to have dinner out. That includes drinks and any appetizers we choose to get. For us to go out once a week, we would be spending $216 a month! Instead, we choose to go once a month, and use coupons so our cost is about $25-$30. That’s a $191 per month savings.
Buying your children a snack at the grocery store because you forgot to feed them before you left can add up to $13 a month or even more if you aren’t choosing something for under $1 (or if you have multiple children to buy for). It is much less expensive to buy a box of granola bars (or similar) and keep them in your car. That way, you won’t have to leave the store early or buy them a snack while you are there.
Small savings every day can add up to a lot. Following just the simple tips above, we save over $250 per month and saving in the small things has freed up enough extra money for me to be able to stay home with our children without it causing too much financial stress.
What are some small ways you cut corners and save money?
Sabrina Hartman is a new-ish stay at home mom to a 2-1/2-year-old and a 1-year-old. She loves to find new ways to save money to compensate for leaving the workplace, and is finding her inner homemaker in the process. She tracks her homemaking life and tips at The Unlikely Homemaker and offers a kitchen tip/guide site at Kitchen Cheat Sheet.
Ellen says
When my children were small, and outgrowing before outwearing clothing, we always went to the local school’s clothing exchange. Name brand, good quality clothing at a fraction of the price. Saved us tons of money!
Bethany H. says
We cut our dryer sheets and baby wipes in half. I hardly notice the difference!
Amie says
I try to shop without my kids as much as possible and I pack snacks and drinks for every outing. My biggest money waster used to be eating out. My husband and I used to eat out all the time and thought nothing of it, but now I have a hard time justifying the expense to go to McDonalds. We have two small children and it is so much easier to eat at home. We had our biggest burst of eating out over the summer when Ruby Tuesdays was offering free burger coupons and I think we went out twice. lol. We have a $25 Applebees gift card that we recieved for Christmas that we are saving it for a night out without the kids. My husband and I are also planning special “after the boys are in bed” monthly dinners together. I have a marked down steak in the freezer that we will be enjoying soon. For Valentine’s Day, I am thinking of staying in and trying out the fondue set that was given to us years ago.
Rachel says
Great idea for valentine’s day; I hate fighting the crowds.
Debra says
I have never had that happened to me, although I have heard that before or seen sharing fees on menus at times. I think that would mostly pertains to sharing one meal not ordering two items and sharing. I would hope that an establishment would let you know the charge for sharing in any case. If a menu shows a sharing fee than you abide by that, but it is likely not a problem as I have done this many times and leave satisfied instead of overstuffed. My husband and I did this all the time while dating and in early marriage. Now because of my sons food allergies I share with him (he is three and I get one meal and have never been charged for sharing with him). I do miss sharing with my husband it’s kind of fun; sharing and getting a taste of different foods and or getting a little of that decadent appetizer without scarfing the whole thing alone. 🙂 To me it is more realistic to share with your husband and not order two large meals, only to leave with two separate doggie bags or roll on out the door. Or if you don’t like that sharing idea and are not that hunger while dining out order the appetizer for yourself like Nachos which has all the right food groups.
Debra says
This is a reply to Emily, above, which I posted to the wrong spot. It is regarding sharing an appetizer and a dinner meal with your spouse while dining out.
Dee J. says
I know it sounds cheap and insignificant, but I keep a special clear jar just for the “orphan” change that I find. It’s funny how it grows over time, and it serves as a visible reminder of how little things add up. I have found all sorts of crazy things on the ground, dollar bills, a gold dental “grill” (which was turned into Lost & Found), a ring (also turned in), a purse, a wallet, and the best was when I saw a guy in front of me answer his cell phone and a whole wad of cash fell to the ground. He didn’t realize it, but I reached it before anyone else and handed it back.
Patti says
This is along the lines of the comment post about how much we have changed. When I was a newlywed, I went grocery shopping every 6 weeks because we lived in a small town and I had to drive 30 miles to a “big” grocery store. I planned for 30-31 meals and then added some meals like “a big breakfast” to stretch our $$. This was in the 1970’s and very common. Today people go to the store three times a day almost. When my parents were young, there were no restaurants except “fancy” ones so all meals were eaten at home except an anniversary or birthday one. And I was taught that “pennies make dollars” but my teenager thinks he doesn’t need to bother with change. Each of us can look for ways where our pennies are leaking. All of these ideas get me thinking of where I can trim the small costs. One way we do is to eat before we leave home so we don’t want snacks at the movies, sporting events, etc. I have packed “picnics” for games and concerts so we wouldn’t buy food there. Other families have mentioned how smart that is – but that is essentially the same as tailgating at the college level is.
Caroline@Southern Mom Says says
The best way for me to save money lately is menu planning and sticking with it! With 2 kiddos and # 3 on the way, I am a little sleepy most days and don’t want to give dinner much thought! So I plan it on Sundays for the week and try and shop only once per week to refill on milk, fresh, fruit & veggies. The less trips to the store for me mean less $ spent on a whim. And less eating out!!
Ditto the other posters too on bringing your own snacks. I also do not buy the pre-packaged snack portions for lunches or anything and just divide things up at home into reusable storage containers. We rarely use plastic baggies either.
A little bit adds up!!
Marie says
I really do believe that the small things add up. If you know what you have in your stockpile you can be less tempted by all the great deals. Today I was able to do the Flintstone vitamin deal at Target. It was a great deal and I bought 6 but with what I have I know I am good for 8 months now. So I can pass on the next great deal for a few months. Also I make a list of items I need to stockpile and watch for those items only.
I think being aware of what you have, own, need etc. will help you save more money. Every dollar adds up.
I am on a mission to see how little I can spend over the next 6 months.
Oh- another tip is to trade with friends and family. Over Christmas we were going to have alot of company so we made a make shift bedroom in our basement. I didn’t have a nightstand and really wanted one but didn’t have the money budgeted for one. A friend happened to be redoing her room and loaned me hers for the 4 week period I needed. This was a HUGE savings for me. Also if you have friends with little ones trade clothing, baby gear and toys.
becky says
When we do eat out, we pick places where you can order “a la carte” so to speak. At Panera why pay more than four dollars for a PB&J Sandwich, when the littles are happy with a cinnamon bagel (we’ll feed them more healthy food later at home). At the drive through each gets their own burger, but split up the fries and coke–or better yet keep drinks (I get capri suns on sale for this purpose–.10 each is much better than a fountain soda) and snacks in the car to round out your burger lunch-on-the-go.
Nancy@chickenscowschildren says
I noticed very recently that my biggest money drain was all the “deals”. All those fabulous deals that so many of my favorite bloggers post, “free” this & very cheap that stuff that would be great for later. Its still spending money that we can do without. My blog post today is about how my Delete button has been my biggest money saving tool. I will not Groupon keep me in debt. I like saving 50% off but I can save 100% if I don’t buy something at all.
Andrea says
So true! I’ve been staying away from CVS as much as possible!
Jessica says
Sticking to something.
Freezer cooking or making a meal plan are great. not great when the food goes bad before you eat it or you end up with left overs (even restaurant left overs) that are never eated. I live alone, so those a big for me. And trash day gives me weekly accountability.
Jen says
I always bring re-useable cups of water in the car for the kids & myself so I don’t hear the “i’m thiiiiiirrrrsty” whine. My older one is constantly hungry (and somehow stays so thin…) so I also bring a snack in the car like a homemade muffin or snack mix.
When eating out, I will order an appetizer as an entree — it’s less expensive AND plenty of food. Keeps my wallet & weight happy.
I also ask myself at the grocery store: do we *need* this item or are we just used to having it? I’ve pretty much stopped buying juice unless it’s really cheap – and no one has complained!
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
I just wrote a post about this earlier in the week! It was an eye-opening experience to look at my year-end budget and see how the little things added up to going over budget!
For me, my weaknesses are clearance clothes for my daughter (buying a couple sizes ahead), and homeschool supplies. Both of which are justifiable, but I really couldn’t tell you all the little things I bought that I have no idea where they ended up. The little things took money out of my wallet and brought clutter into my home.
My goal this year is to spend every penny intentionally. It may not seem like a lot, but the self-control will better my entire life, and the money I save we can put towards truly worthwhile endeavors.
Leighann says
The biggest obstacle for my family, money-saving-wise, is us eating out. It is extremely difficult for us to prepare meals, even freezer meals. It’s usually not until well after 8 p.m. that we’re eating, sometimes closer to 9 p.m. That means that our 2.5 year old isn’t getting dinner until 9 p.m. It is often times a lot easier for us to just get take out, because that means we’re eating dinner closer to 7 instead of 9.
Meal planning helps, and freezer meals help. Eating before we go out helps (we plan outings around meals, so that we’ll have just eaten lunch, for example, before we go grocery shopping). We bring snacks, or buy small snacks while we’re out. It’s still a work in progress, but it’s better than nothing. We’re saving a little bit of money, and we’re not getting the junk food and fast food.
Katie says
I just wanted to ask what time you get home from work? If you already have your meat de-thawed you could brown it in just a few minutes and have tacos, maid-rites, ect. Do you use a crockpot at all? I will throw a pork roast in the crockpot in the morning and then when I come home in the afternoon throw in some BBQ sauce and have BBQ pork sandwiches. Or throw a roast in the crock pot with potatoes and carrots, ect.
Wendy says
My sister’s and cousin’s families at this time each night. They get home from work by 4, they just like to eat late. Different lifestyles I guess, but my kids would starve if we ate at 8:30 each night.
Emily says
I agree with Katie. The crock pot can be your best friend. With a little planning on the weekend, you can have a completely ready-made meal with you get home from work with little or no extra time needed.
Andrea says
On the weekend (or your day off), cook 4 to 5 pounds of chicken and one crockpot meal. Re-heat it throughout the week and serve it with a steamed vegetables or raw veggies (or a simple green salad) and fruit, plus bread & butter. In my experience, it takes less time to microwave some chicken and wash a bag of baby carrots than it does to order take out, especially if you have to drive to pick it up.
Debra says
When eating out with your spouse it is economical and a bit romantic to order a meal and appetizer to share. One person orders the meal and the other the appetizer. I really like to drink seltzer water with a splash of cranberry juice and a lime, and often have not been charged for it as it is mostly fancy water. This tip also helps when weight watching as you could order one healthy meal and one a little more decadent to share.
Emily says
Some restaurants will not let you share a meal, or they will charge you extra for that one meal if they see you sharing it.
Debra says
I have never had that happened to me, although I have heard that before or seen sharing fees on menus at times. I think that would mostly pertains to sharing one meal not ordering two items and sharing. I would hope that an establishment would let you know the charge for sharing in any case. If a menu shows a sharing fee than you abide by that, but it is likely not a problem as I have done this many times and leave satisfied instead of overstuffed. My husband and I did this all the time while dating and in early marriage. Now because of my sons food allergies I share with him (he is three and I get one meal and have never been charged for sharing with him). I do miss sharing with my husband it’s kind of fun; sharing and getting a taste of different foods and or getting a little of that decadent appetizer without scarfing the whole thing alone. 🙂 To me it is more realistic to share with your husband and not order two large meals, only to leave with two separate doggie bags or roll on out the door. Or if you don’t like that sharing idea and are not that hunger while dining out order the appetizer for yourself like Nachos which has all the right food groups.
The Prudent Homemaker says
Reading this article and the comments make me wonder–why does everyone seem to do so much running around where they would feel a need to bring snacks for their children with them?
You can always eat before you go, or wait until you come home.
Grocery shopping can be limited to once every two weeks (including milk and produce). You can even go shopping just once a month.
Children can play at home.
Library trips can be lengthened by renewing books online. I know all library rules are different, but our library allows us to renew 3 times, and each time is 3 weeks (movies are one week at a time, but they can also be renewed. I don’t usually get movies, though).
Gas costs money too; for some it is a significant amount of their expenses. By staying home more, you can save a ton on gas!
Wendy says
Sometimes there are places that you have to go run during the day out of necessity. When my kids were small, I used to take my grandma to the hair dresser weekly. If we waited (rather than waste gas to come back home) I would have to bring a snack. My youngest had to see an eye doctor every 6 months that was 30 min away from home. I would always need to bring snacks to help pass time as the appts would last 2 hours with waiting. Snacks during grocery shopping just helped occupy them and keep them quiet. I guess my point is, runnig around is not something everyone is doing every day, but when you do, snacks help keep little ones quiet even if you ate before you left home.
Brandi says
The reason I keep healthy snacks on-hand for my 1 and 3 yr olds is it keeps them busy and happy if a grocery trip takes a long time r long line in P.O. etc! I purposefully do not give them a snack before. To me this is one of the number one rules that makes mothering easier. I can also see it being useful toting big kids from school to sports or music lessons to have snacks on hand.
Debra says
Good points however with small children just getting out the door is a feat, so timing that between meals seems near impossible. To run errands accross town no matter how well planned it is easy to get caught unprepared. Also, in cold areas of the US to walk places in winter will not do with wee ones. For us, because of food allergies food needs to be safe and best prepared at home, yet we have a zoo membership and other fun things to do so out the door just after breakfast or I know to pack lunch.
The Prudent Homemaker says
I have 6 children 10 and under, so I know what you mean about getting out the door; we just leave after a meal if we need to go somewhere. It’s just rare that we all need to go somewhere.
Since you have a zoo membership, I can see why you would need to pack snacks or a lunch. (We don’t have a zoo here).
I just wonder why people would feel like they are running around so often that they would always need to have snacks. A special trip (like yours to the zoo) makes sense, but for regular errands, it seems unneccessary to me. I never let my children eat in the car.
Debra says
I have read your blog and it seems you are well organized, resourceful, full of wonderful ideas and have a larger family. I would imagine it gets your goat a bit to read some of our comments about running around and such. And I am probably guilty of too many errands, I am working on that. I will consider your comments and try to evaluate where I can improve. Which is why I love MSM and other blogging moms such as yourself sharing ideas and thoughts. Community!
The Prudent Homemaker says
Thanks!
I personally was shocked to see how long our library would let us keep books. Where I grew up, it was 2 weeks, and you could only renew once. Our library just changed their policy at the beginning of this year to letting you renew as much as you want as long as no one is waiting for the book! I also take advantage of reserving books ahead of time by requesting them online. Then I can just go pick up a bunch of books at once, which saves a ton of time at the library (I do that for myself as well as the children. The first time another mother told me I could do that, I was THRILLED! That was news to me!)
I’ve noticed Crystal makes only a once a month trip to Target for the deals she get there. Several of them are still good later, and the store is less likely to be out if it isn’t the week a deal comes out (many of their deals are good for several weeks).
I can easily go several weeks without going anywhere. It isn’t neccessary to go shopping every week. I can’t fathom running around all the time, so I’m really curious why so many “stay-at-home” moms are rarely home! I appreciate the perspectives everyone has offered!
Debra says
And I was shocked when I found out how many books the library lets you take out at on time. Although fear has kept me from taking full advantage, I am glad I can take out many. I think I too remember stricter rules like a shorter time and book allowance. And unless I was really irresponsible I don’t remember a grace period for late arrivals. We love the library too 🙂
Andrea says
Did the zoo in Las Vegas close?
The Prudent Homemaker says
My parents took my children there once and said they were never going back. They said it was more like someone’s backyard with a few animals, and there were chickens running around EVERYWHERE, and all the walkways and benches were COVERED in chicken poop. They said it wasn’t exactly what you would call a zoo.
There is an exotic petting zoo in Moapa, though; the children have been up there with friends. I don’t think it’s much bigger, either, but they got to pet porcupines and otters! It has to be small time; my son got to help clean up after the animals there for a service project; big zoos don’t do that sort of thing. They’re only open a couple of days a month. It’s an hour away, though.
Nancy@chickenscowschildren says
We live about 30 mins from “town” so we save our errands for one day every couple of weeks to save gas but it means that I am out running errands with the kids for atleast several hours. If I haven’t planned for snacks or a meal they end up melting down before I can get done with our errands.
Stephanie says
Well for us, we can’t go 2 weeks for milk and produce, we don’t have room in the fridge. I can barely fit a week’s worth of food for our family of 6. Yes, I would like to get a new one but I can’t right now. We live in a small town so gas isn’t a big issue. We do pack snacks when we go to the bigger town close by, because the trips are usually longer to save on gas. Little kids often need to eat frequently (and nursing mommas too) and it really helps keep them happy if they aren’t hungry. And our library limits our books to only 20 at a time.
The Prudent Homemaker says
Can you check out books on each child’s library card?
What about canned and frozen fruits and vegetables for the second week? Apples and oranges last a long time, even out of the fridge. We are still eating oranges that I bought in November (I keep them in the cold garage; we’re above freezing here).
If you’re not eating cold cereal, you could cut back on the amount of milk in the fridge. Powdered milk helps prolong trips to the store, too.
I can see needing snacks when you take trips that are longer and run those errands together to save on gas.
We have one car, so when I go shopping it is at night, and I leave our 6 small children at home with my husband. I rarely run errands with the children.
Thanks for the answers, everyone!
Stephanie says
Well we do some canned fruit, but it really doesn’t stretch far. Plus my husband likes variety. He takes fruit in his at least 2 pieces of fruit lunch, only non-messy fruit as defined by him :). I try to catch several stores to get the sales.
As far as the library, I enjoy taking my kids. I have very fond memories of going alot as a child.
I think each family has to do what works best for them. In the winter months when it is about impossible to go outside to play, we can get very stir crazy around here, so a trip to the free library is a goood thing or to the YMCA for a class is very good (another time I may have to pack snacks for the kids not in class if they nap right up until time to leave).
Your website is very pretty and there are many nice recipes on there I may need to try.
Angela says
Snacks save me regulary from meltdowns. We try to not eat in the car often, but sometimes we really are running from place to place and they really are hungry. And I am a person who simplifies as much as possible and tries to stay home as much as possible. I try to make our snacks and have healthy things available, and we don’t regularly eat them while we are out and about, but whenever the need pops up, I am SO glad I have things packed and ready. My kids seem like they will perish without food for two hours. It saves my sanity.
Emily says
I could never get my organic produce to last 2 weeks either.
The Prudent Homemaker says
Apples and oranges will last months in the fridge (as will other citrus, such as oranges, lemons, and grapefruit). Potatoes can last several months in the winter in a cold (but not freezing) garage or basement. Carrots can last a month or more.
You can also use canned and frozen fruits and vegetables the second week. That’s how I first started shopping only every 2 weeks.
Jenni says
I agree with the “not enough room in the fridge” comment, plus, where we live we have an Aldi that changes their very good produce deals weekly, so I at least like to go get milk and produce weekly because they take up so much space. However, I am starting to try and menu plan over the course of a month, figure out what I could buy in one trip that we could store for the whole month, either in the pantry or the freezer, and keep milk and produce for the weekly trips. I think that this month it really helped keep our costs down because there was less opportunity for impulse purchases and we had more meals on hand to work with during the week. I am fortunate enough too that for grocery shopping, I have planned it so that my husband stays with the kids on Sat. mornings while I go out.
The Prudent Homemaker says
“However, I am starting to try and menu plan over the course of a month, figure out what I could buy in one trip that we could store for the whole month, either in the pantry or the freezer, and keep milk and produce for the weekly trips. I think that this month it really helped keep our costs down because there was less opportunity for impulse purchases and we had more meals on hand to work with during the week.”
Good for you!
Sarah T. says
I was wondering the same thing! I have 4 kids 5 and under and until I started reading all the comments, it never dawned on me that I should stock my van with food and drinks! We eat breakfast at breakfast time, snack at snack time, etc. If my kids are hungry before it’s time to eat I tell them to eat more food next time so they won’t be hungry. Apparently I’ve been doing it all wrong! I should be bowing to their every whim so that when they’re hungry, by golly, I have food available for them! Of course, by having that food always available, I’ll be sacrificing nutrition since it’ll have to have a long shelf life, but that’s just a small price to pay to avoid meltdowns in the checkout lane.
Sarah T. says
Sorry… I was a bit snarly. I was only wanting to point out that it’s okay to tell your kids “no” and start teaching them that they can’t always have what they want when they want it.
The Prudent Homemaker says
Your comment made me laugh! My oldest just turned 10, and I’m expecting #7 soon.
Since we have one car, I usually shop at night when my husband is home. I sometimes take one child with me when I go to the store. Going to the store with mom is a privilege; if they misbehave, they don’t get to go the next time.
I remember going with my 5-year-old son once to the grocery store. He started to ask if I would buy some other things for him that he saw. I said no, we’re only buying the things on my list. He saw a display of cookies and said, “Cookies! I KNOW those aren’t on the list!” I busted up! He didn’t ask for anything else after that.
Jenni says
Yup, that’s why I don’t take my kids that often yet – it actually is a more enjoyable for them when I go out by myself and come back with groceries – they love coming out and pulling all the things I bought out (not the eggs, of course :)) and exclaiming – “Oh, look! Carrots!!! Apples!!! Peanut butter!!!” It’s almost like Christmas once a week :).
Mo says
WOW! Nothing like judging others for making choices that differ from yours. Hope the view is good from up there on your high horse.
The Prudent Homemaker says
She was making a good point, though. Sometimes as mothers we tend to forget that WE ARE THE MOMS, and that we are the ones in charge. We need to be careful not to give in to tantrums just because we don’t want to deal with it (especially in a public place). We need to be ready to leave a store and take a child home if neccesary. I am amazed at how often mothers talk about how their child won’t let the parent do ______. Who is in charge?
I also think it’s important to remember to keep naptimes sacred. Young children need naps. Going shopping during naptime makes a meltdown almost certain. Going shopping right after breakfast, when a child has a full tummy, is much easier.
I’ve had people ask me if I wanted to schedule a playdate in the afternoon. I don’t schedule things then; I make sure to be home during naptime. I think I’d be cranky if I had to to run errands during my sleep time, too!
Mo says
but my choices in parenting don’t have to be wrong for others’ choices to be right. If it works for you, great, but don’t condemn others for making different choices. Also, assuming having snacks for your kids means you have to sacrifice nutrition (in a very snarky way in Sarah’s comment) is a BIG assumption. The cheese squares and apples I slice before we leave for the grocery store (once every 2 weeks, so it takes 2+ hours with couponing) are no less nutritious than if they ate them at home. I don’t have the option, or, more accurately choose not to have the option to shop at night and leave my kids with my husband. I’d rather spend that time with him and I practice attachment parenting so my kids don’t nap “alone” so napping on my back in the grocery is no big deal. It doesn’t mean I’m right and others are wrong, just different choices for different famlies. The original comment was just dripping with judgment and I don’t think that’s helpful for anyone. We need to encourage and inspire other mothers not judge them as wrong because they give their kid a granola bar in the store! I don’t carry snacks to ward off tantrums and my kids have very firm limits but my little one needs to eat often and is not old enough yet to understand to eat more at meals. Judging others is not worth my time and energy, I just do what works for our family.
Brandy says
Being a mom is hard enough. Lets try to encourage each other…we all do what we feel is best. I certainly would never criticize you for not leaving the house often so why criticize a busy SAHM for not being home enough? I try to get my kids out and about once a day bc it makes all of us have a better day. Sure we can share experiences but having to justify parenting choices such as these to another mom is disheartening.
Sarah T. says
Mo, you must not have read my comment I posted 5 minutes after my original where I apologized for my surliness. I did not mean to come across as judgmental. Yes, it was dripping with sarcasm and yes, I made some sweeping generalizations, so perhaps that means judgmental. I was responding not to one person in particular but a string of people saying they store food in their cars. Naturally, different circumstances must be dealt with by different means and I trust each mom can recognize the difference between legitimately hungry and just hungry for the sake of eating (case in point- my kids are always miraculously hungry when it’s time to hit Costco). My attempt at sarcastic comic relief was an epic fail. And once again I have been shown that sarcasm will ultimately bite you in your own rear end. Perhaps one day I’ll grow up.
Sabrina says
I, and I’m sure most people on here, don’t buy food to suffice a tantrum. If my kids start to throw a fit over anything, the trip is over. Period. I do provide snacks, because we are not on a “regular” schedule. Never a tantrum at the checkout though. If my son wants to cry over something, I tell him he can cry if it’s going to make him feel better, but he’s still not getting whatever it is he wants. Sometimes my son wakes up at 6 am ready for breakfast, sometimes he wakes up a 8:30 ready for breakfast. This means, meal and snack times will vary. This is why I have easy snacks on hand. I do agree that sometimes moms just need to say “No”, but not if they are truly hungry. I would not punish a child for being hungry at the “wrong” time. There’s a difference between throwing a fit over a cookie, and wating anything to eat because they woke up early and it’s been 6 hours since they ate.
Andrea says
I think your lifestyle is much different than most SAHMs, TPH. It is rare that I have the luxury of staying home for an entire week.
I have four children ages 5 to (almost) 18. The oldest attends public school and has a part-time job, but doesn’t drive yet. The little ones are home schooled. My husband works 65+ hours each week, so most of the errands are my responsibility. He’s often too tired (or away on business) to watch the kids in the evening.
My daughter works at least four days each week, so we drive her there.
We go to the post office, the library, the recycling center and a playground a couple times a month (none of which are near her place of employment). Once or twice a month, she needs transportation to/from school for a special project or something. We go to the bank and the pet store once or twice a month, too.
We go grocery shopping at least once each week (we don’t eat canned vegetables other than tomatoes or drink powdered milk). We often go to Target every week, too. My kids have pocket money each week and often have money from gifts or the tooth fairy; they are allowed to spend most of it on whatever they want.
We go to the dentist twice each year (more if someone needs fillings), plus the orthodontist, eye doctor and regular physician annually (or more when someone’s sick). The kids get haircuts once or twice a year. We visit the in-laws every couple of months…they live in another city a couple hours away. I take them shoe shopping a couple of times a year (we live where they need sandals and snow boots!).
And then there are all the things I do with my children to enrich their lives and their education…science centers, museums, playdates, hikes, swimming, going to state parks, etc.
The Prudent Homemaker says
I know that having teenagers changes the ability to be home as much as I am.
I think it’s great that you can go to all of those places; that would be a lot of fun. Those things aren’t something we can afford to do right now, and the opportunities to visit GREAT museums are pretty far away.
Thanks for explaining how it works for you. I can’t imagine that much running around for my own family!
Andrea says
I fear that when the younger three reach the teen years, I’ll never be home! 😉
Sarah says
If you live 30 minutes or more from the grocery store, and shop for two weeks’ worth of food, and have several small children in tow, chances are you’re going to need snacks. Even if I leave immediately after breakfast with my 3 boys (all under age 5), I still can’t beback home before they’re starving and crabby.
Heather says
It seems like many of these “little things” money-wasters are also quite unhealthy. Fast food, junk food, vending machine food, non-water beverages, etc.
Once I opened up a bag of baby carrots for my kids in the store while we shopped. Now my two-year-old son wants me to do it everytime, and I usually do. It’s interesting to see the reactions that I get – the checkers have never seen a kid eating something healthy, apparently.
Katie says
I do the same thing for my son with grapes. (Only when you pay one price for the whole bag – not the pay by weight kind! LOL!)
He loves them!!
Tracy says
Fast food or quick store-bought snacks are the fastest way to sink a budget! We keep sliced bread and shredded cheese in the freezer. When we need a quick meal, grilled cheese sandwiches with a fruit or veggie sticks on the side are way cheaper and healthier than the drive thru (and faster unless you happen to be passing by a not-so-busy drive thru anyway).
Cook extra of any meal that will freeze well. Having ready-meals in my freezer saves me time and money every week.
By keeping a price book (or just paying close attention to prices on things regularly), you can figure out when something is a good deal. When it is, buy as much as you can. When laundry detergent is at a certain price, I buy a years worth. Same for ketchup, peanut butter, cat/dog food, dried/canned beans and other things that will last a long time without going off.
Don’t pay full price for anything. Wait for a sale and then buy enough to last until the next sale. If you follow the sales carefully, you’ll get an idea of how often specific items will sell at a reduced price.
Cloth diaper and wash smart!
Wear clothes again unless they are visibly dirty or smelly. Line dry your bath towels every day, you won’t have to wash them as often.
Don’t buy juice or soda, cookies, chips and other junk food. Even if they’re on sale. Unless it’s free, it’s a waste of money.
Research home remedies for common ailments. Eating radishes clears phlegm from the body, quality green tea gives a great mental energy boost, hot lemon and honey drink really does fight flu and pure apple juice with added fresh lemon juice binds runny tummies AND fights bacteria and viruses. Things like this save us from running to a drug store for not-very-serious problems and make us healthier in the long run.
If you have space, plant a vegetable garden. The internet is full of advice about how to do it well and virtually for free.
Drive smart and save gas. Research how on the internet.
We were inspire by David Bach’s Latte Factor idea and, although we were always frugal, we were determined to not spend any amount of money unless absolutely necessary, cut our budget to bare-bones and found ways to fit what we needed to buy into a certain amount of money (rather than determining how much we’d buy/spend by how much we had) and started to save money every month. We have built a good emergency fund and started investing for retirement, without increasing what my husband earns (and have had a third child too!).
Sweat the small stuff, it DOES count!
Emily says
Actually apple juice is not good for diarrhea. Apple sauce is (it is part of the BRAT diet pediatrician’s recommend for diarrhea – bananas, rice, applesauce and toast)….but not apple, or any, juice.
Sabrina says
We run around quite a bit (I’ll admit, probably too much, we’re working on it!), partly because I watch my 6 year old nephew who needs to be picked up from school every day. As for the snacks in the car, I have a 1 1/2 year old, a 3 year old, watch my 2 1/2 year old niece….and can’t get them all on the same nap schedule. Sometimes my niece is fed before she gets to my home in the morning, sometimes not…so, they are not all hungry at the same time either. I do a lot of grocery shopping 30 minutes away, because including the cost of gas, it is way cheaper. There are a few salvage grocery stores that have dry foods for a fraction of the cost that I could get them at Winco. Sometimes, we pack a picnic lunch, sometimes I am running late (need to make it there and back before it’s time to get my nephew) and any snacks I have on hand will do for the car ride. One day, when I am able to stay home with just my kids and hopefully homeschool them (I dread the school pickup lines, I’m there for an hour), I will look forward to not being forced to leave the house every day :o)
Kim says
I stay at home with a 2.5 year old and a 5 month old, my husband works for Walmart. So we are tight!
*I bring snacks and drinks everywhere
*I pack my husbands lunch and send a large bottle of water with him to work everyday.
*we walk the dog for something to do
*when we go out which is about 3-4 times a year we order water, use coupons or gift cards or
*we order in and eat a salad here and drink our beverages. We did this on Sat. night with a gift card and we bought one appitizer and one entree and spent $16 and got enough food for 3 of us with leftovers!
*instead of buying birthday gifts (we have a LARGE extended family) I am a good baker so we give cookies or cupcakes or cake in honor of someones birthday!
* I use only one third of laundry detergent that is normally used and use vinegar in the wash!
I would like to learn to make my own cleaners! I think that is my goal for this year!
Geri's Super Saving Tips says
We are on a very tight budget as well and it sounds like you are doing a great job Kim.
I have been making my own laundry soap for a couple of years now and it’s saves us $100’s every year. When all of my “stockpile” of cleaning products are gone I am going to learn how to make my own cleaners too. Good luck! 🙂
Jen says
Meal plans have definitely helped our budget. No more running out for pizza or my hubby buying lunch at work. Sure, it takes more time, but we’re healthier and save money.
Using my freezer. I don’t have a huge one, but I try to fill it with meat that went on sale and frozen meals I have already made. It saves a lot to have something already made on those crazy days, or to already have the most expensive part of the recipe already in the freezer.
Also, for the shopping thing, many stores will offer “free samples” at the bakery or the deli counter. It’s not much, but my kids are happy with a free slice of bread or cheese and it helps them sit through the store.
Also, I have started limiting bakery items. My family loves them – muffins, donuts, cakes, etc. By making from scratch I save a lot of money (except donuts which I have yet to master). Also, only have desserts on the weekends keeps that cost down.
Lastly, my hubby and I decided a long time ago that gifts would be practical. Christmas, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Of course, we still buy toys for our kids, but for us – it just made more sense to ask for new flatware, towels, tools, kitchen items, clothing, etc rather than a lot of fluff things we didn’t really need. We limit those “extra” gifts and try to stick to things that we need but might not normally buy.
Heather says
We live in Colorado so during the summer there are a lot of mountian days. We pack a cooler and when we stop it is at a grocery store and not fast food. We have 4 kids so it saves a lot of money. The other thing we do is we do not buy baked goods at the store. We make bread, english muffins, bagels, and any other baked good. The first year we did this we kept track and it saved us over $400. Any thing we can make at home we do. It is not hard to schedule the time. Even when we both worked we would have a cooking day.
Teaching your kids delayed gratifaction can save money also. Do you really need it? Put it on the list and in one month they usually have moved on to something else.
Heather says
Yes, I make all of our baked goods also. It helps me not eat so many desserts (my weakness). If I don’t make it, I don’t get to eat it, and I often am too tired or busy to make one, so it’s a win/win health-wise.
Plus, now that I am used to the taste of homemade food, the store/bakery stuff doesn’t appeal to me anymore, and I really don’t want it. I can literally taste the chemicals in mix brownies and many other “goodies”. Helps me make better choices when we go to potlucks, or if I am out and about and get hungry.
Erica @ Just Call Me Cheap says
I do the same thing when it comes to cakes, etc. I never buy the mixes from the store so if I want cupcakes or brownies I have to make them from scratch. With a new baby, a two year old and a four year I don’t get much time to bake extras like that, let alone clean up the mess. We eat less junk this way and save money by not buying the mixes. When I do make treats the are “healthier” because I know what is going in them and can even sneak in whole wheat flour, ground flax, etc.
It’s so funny that homemade baked goods have so few ingredients while the store bought versions and mixes have tons of weird stuff in them.
Heather says
We started it to save money but last year when I had surgery and I couldn’t make bread (we don’t use a bread machine) my kids refused to eat the bread from the store. They said it tasted fake. lol Now if I don’t make it they go without. To funny. I thought we were the few strange ones who believe that stuff made at home is just better.
Ahhh Mom says
Great post! I always make sure the kids are fed before going to the store! Otherwise they are constantly whining for snacks.
Meredith says
The small thing that adds up for us is saving our change! I’ll pay $2.00 for something that costs $1.01… and put the change in our cup. We average about $300-$400/year that way!
Geri's Super Saving Tips says
That is a fantastic idea Meredith. In fact that is how we paid off our brand new vehicle in 12 months. We took all the extra it “would” have cost and instead of putting it in a cup we cashed it out every month and put it toward the loan.
It is absolutely amazing how fast the little things add up.
Chrissy Ovenden says
One of the biggest savings we have made is by creating a meal plan. Throughout December I blew my grocery budget, also there was a little more spending on the credit cards because we were traveling a lot and those few extra christmas gifts soon added up. So in January I decided to use up anything I already had in the cupboards/freezer and created a plan for the whole month – the only additional items to be bought were items on a good sale (I keep track of these with a price book so that I know if it really is a good sale!) and fruit/veg/milk/bread. I also put us on a cash only budget for “miscellaneous” items (coffee/drink/snacks) that were creeping onto my husbands credit card which is supposed to only be for work expenses which resulted in a bill of over $600 non-work expenses) so we now only have $50 each for ANYTHING not already accounted for on our monthly budget. $50 is still a lot if you don’t have a lot of money coming in but $100 between us is a LOT better than that $600 credit card bill from last month!!!
Another great, simple point that I’ve picked up from Crystal is to not use a trip to the store as “something to do” – you WILL end up spending money.
My husband took some convincing about using cash for those little extras that sneak onto the credit card but so far he’s loving it and still has most of his cash left and nothing non-work related is on his credit card! Brilliant!
Kathryn B says
This is what happens to us, too! Although we rein it in, do well, loosen up, spend too much, and then rein it in again. LOL. Hopefully, this last time of “reining it in” will stick– it’s been 6 months now, and we’ve been under budget ever since!
Julie@teachinggoodeaters says
Excellent Points! This is definitely my downfall…
Jessica says
What are corners? I’ve already cut all them off! 🙂
Karen says
Lol! I hear you! 🙂
Gracie says
I just want to take a minute to encourage all the young families out there. My family is now grown and have their own families. When they were kids I chose to be a stay at home Mom. I was forutnate enough to have a husband with a good enough job so that I could do that. BUT it meant doing without a lot of things. And cutting corners as much as possible. One of the most important things I can tell you right now is pay close attention to the “SMALL THINGS”! People think.. it’s only $1. or .50 whatever. VERY TRUE but you will be surprised at how it adds up. I see so many young families struggling today that just don’t seem to get it! FIRST off I must say if you are reading this then you do get it at least to a certain extent. I wish I had had websites like this to help me when my children were little. I am 47 now btw 🙂 I started my family young. My boys are now 25 & 27. Sadly, I don’t see them spending carefully and paying attention to the “small things”. But I cannot tell them how to live.. they know and its up to them. Many young people these days gets spoiled quickly to having most of what they want early on. We started out with very little. I know many of you that are reading this are in that boat. The best advice I can give you is this… stop and think do we REALLY NEED THIS?!?! ALWAYS make out your meals list and grocery list for the week. Only shop no more than once a week! AND always remember the “SMALL THINGS” add up!!!! Don’t have the attitude it’s just .50! Oh… something else important!!! I almost forgot.. one of the biggest problems I see these days is people who think they have to have the newest of new. Please remember before you buy something.. does the item you want to replace get the job done? Maybe not as nice or as good as u would like but can it wait? People rush out and buy new stuff too often. Keep in mind the “NEWNESS” wears off within days! And then your looking back thinking did I really need to spend that money right now? Anyway.. sorry if this is choppy.. I’ve got a cat in my lap who wants my attention and keeps flicking her tail back and forth over the keyboard and screen making it difficult for me to type! LOL!! My message is hang in there YOU CAN DO IT!!! And when you’re my age you will look back and be so thankful for what you were able to accomplish.
Diane says
You are describing my close relative perfectly. The wife says she has to work, but they go out to eat every day, sometimes more than once a day and justify it by saying they eat cheap (sharing a platter of nuggets, drinking water etc…) but their children are beginning to become overweight. They would be so much healthier by eating at home. They always have to buy the best of everything. They never use coupons or sale items. I love them and they are very giving, but I cringe at how much money they just throw away when they could be saving more.
Debra says
Very nice of you to share and encourage! To add I have learned also that little cheap things sometimes cost more money in the long run. It is sometimes better to pay more for quality and have an item work well and last. When and if you finish with it it may then be resellable.
Charissa says
I’ve heard Dave Ramsey share some of your same thoughts about young people thinking they deserve what others have worked years for. Many try to keep up with others and spend money they don’t have on things they don’t need. As I sit at my table and look around I see maybe one or 2 pieces we bought. Everything else is second hand. I could go out and buy a lot of new stuff in the hopes of impressing people but that would not be a wise decision. My husband and I are just a few months from being debt free (except for our house). We have a goal in mind and so spending money on things like new furniture would not make sense. It’s hard to wait for things….but it’s worth it! Making wise financial decisions is so important! Thanks for your thoughts, Gracie!
Stephanie says
Also, an idea if you did forget to pack a snack for your kids and you are out is to stop at a grocery store and get a box of granola bars or crackers for $2 instead of stopping at fast food. We do that alot on vacation or traveling to visit family when we run out of snacks we packed. My kids think it is a special treat because they get the name brand crackers since one bag is a perfect size for all of use to have a snack.
Lana says
I use only one teaspoon of dishwasher detergent and it cleans my dishes the same as the larger amount did. One box of Seventh Generation lasts months now instead of weeks.
Wendy says
If only I could teach my kids this. They are in charge of washing breakfast dishes and sometimes supper ones as well. They always use way too much soap and they’re over 10. But at least they wash without my asking. I guess it’s a trade off.
Jolene says
I have the same problem with my husband lol
Audrey says
Take a measuring spoon and tie it to the top of the bottle. that way they won’t forget to use it. I had a big portion problem with my husband when we got married. He would use a whole handful of shampoo. It was like a whole bottle ever week and a half. That’s WAY too much for less then 2 in of hair.
Sarah says
Sabrina,
A small tip for a newbie. I can not find a e-mail address at your site to write to you. Since Crystal graciously featured you here on her site , your site could have used an up to date post (the last post is Nov 2011) Not to be a critic just trying to offer a bit of help to a newbie.
Number one rule from a Mom of many for many years number one rule never ever leave home without something to eat and something to drink.
I teach this to children as well.
Learn the Scouts rule about always be prepared (if you do not know how it goes find a scout merit book and teach the merit badge to kids) My oldest is 28 and still has a prep box in the vehicle she drives because I taught her when she was learning to drive. Inside she has items like flashlight, first aid kit, car kit, change of clothing, food and water, she has it all in a large rubbermaid.
Sabrina says
Sarah, I really appreciate the feedback! I never realized my e-mail address was no where on the site. Just fixed it :o) As for the lack of recent posts, I actually have one up today. Crystal does not let you know beforehand when a post is going to be used, the post above is was written quite a while ago. With lots going on around here, I blog when I can. I appreciate the tips!
Lisa says
We very rarely eat out–if we do it’s the Subway nearby that has $4 footlongs on Thursday or a $1 McChicken! To help offset this I put a few gift cards in the Christmas stockings for my two teens. We don’t have any form of tv, but we will soon have internet and Netflix streaming since we got a Wii super cheap. This will save on all those drives to the library for high school projects. (hahah wishful thinking). I’ve given up soda, take my lunch from leftovers, drink free tea at work, picked a job with minimal wardrobe requirements and on-site free parking.
The biggest “saver” I’ve found recently is not using the drier for towels and heavy sweatshirts or blankets. Tacky or not I dry them on the deck-style railing outside the back door. Took a good chunk off the electric bill. Our drier is 20+ years old, so others may not see so much savings (w/d are only “old” appliance). I have two teens who live in hoodies so this adds up!
Margery says
We gave up paper towels for cleaning rags, paper napkins for cloth (which are nicer anyway). I am also making homemade cleaners and doing some air drying of clothes on a drying rack.
I am also using up substitute products that we already have instead of buying more. For example, I have no more babies. Lanolin makes a wonderful 100% natural lip balm. Baby powder works in the winter for deodorant (when I don’t sweat very much.)
I patch lots of knees on kids jeans. (My daughter loves her patch-knee jeans. I use a cheerful starry print to patch with.)
We resell our kids clothes at Kid-to-Kid and shop there with the free store credit. That plus hand-me-downs helps us spend very little on kids clothes.
I gave up sodas this year, but hubs still drinks them occasionally. I make our iced tea from bags. In the summer I grow mint in a pot (effortless) and make myself free mint tea…so refreshing!
I also grow a small garden and try to add something every year. Our blueberry bush gave us more than a gallon of organic blueberries last summer!
Emily says
How much maintenance is that blueberry bush?
Margery says
I live in Georgia, and they are nearly maintenance – free. I do net the plant once the blueberries form, and I top dress with compost once or twice per year. I need to prune it this winter, but I expect that to take about 15 minutes.
Sheila says
I always pack a cooler for road trips ~ usually 3. The big one is my “Fridge.” The medium one has drinks and sometimes premade sandwiches. The little one has snacks.
I was lazy once. I was traveling with one adult 3 kids. A3 day weekend cost us over over $300 for just food. NEVER again. All my overtime was not that easily earned.
Anna @ Feminine Adventures says
Good tips! We make fairly frequent road trips to see family. This last time I had completely cleared out the fridge and freezer leading up to leaving and had no bread to make sandwhiches. A simple stop at McDonalds cost us about $15… and it was not even yummy! Though I may have saved on groceries, I made up for it with a not very healthy stop at McDonalds. Next time I plan to make sure we have food for the car!
Mackenzie @ The Random Path says
Meal planning has saved us money more than anything else! Going out to eat costs so much money, especially around 5pm when you are staring into the refrigerator wondering what’s for dinner, and hoping something miraculous appears! 🙂
Kristen says
I’ve always carried juice boxes, water and snacks in our van. My kids know we don’t hit a drivethrough for snacks.
When we eat out we all drink water. For 4 people that’s a $6-10 savings on just one meal.
I’m a big garage sale/thrift store shopper and it’s easy to get sucked in by a low price (or a clearance sticker). I don’t carry cash/credit/debit on me in the store. If I find something I really want to purchase I bring it to the counter while I go out to my car to get money. The extra step of walking out and back in definitely makes me evaluate what I need vs. what I want.
Also, I keep a list of my kids’ clothes when I’m shopping. Just because the shirt is cute, the right size and a great price doesn’t mean I need it for my child. The list tells me at a glace that my kids have xx shirts and yy pants and only need a certain amount of each so I don’t overbuy and clothing doesn’t go unworn in their closets.
Meredith says
I do the same thing w/my kiddos clothes!! 🙂
Debra says
Love your ideas; going out of your way for your money so it would need to be worth it and a clothes list, thanks for sharing! You have also been inspiring with your travel food prep, although due to food alergies we can not eat fast food I do get trapped into a food purchase outside the home because I am not prepared.
Marie says
I just did this with my kids clothes. I know that this month is major clearance month in my area but I’m wasting money no matter how cheap it is if I don’t need it! I actually thought I was all set with the bins in my kids closets and realized I had no long sleeve shirts for my son after his current size. So with my list I knew EXACTLY what size and how much I needed to buy. Then I knew to wait til a certain day of the week to hit the monster clearance at The Children’s Place, armed with my discount and coupons!
For me I may spend a little more at one time but it covers two years worth of clothes for 3 kids and I usually only do it once or twice every other year.
The Prudent Homemaker says
Isn’t having a list great! I love it! And with that one sale you don’t have to worry about clothes shopping again for a long time!
Marie says
I know it’s great and also FREEING!!!
And for my littlest one I check the bins in the basement for her next size clothes to make sure they are season appropriate and that we have what we need so I don’t buy what we don’t need.
I also never shop garage sales without having a purpose and a list.
The Prudent Homemaker says
I’ve started typing a list of what my children need. I take a couple of copies with me when I go. I have had great luck having that extra list! One lady asked what I was looking for. I handed her the extra copy of the list. She said, Oh, I have that; I forgot to take it out for this garage sale but I had it for the last one; let me go get it! Another time a woman saw that I was looking for sidewalk chalk. She gave me a big coffee can full of it and said I could have it for free!
BethB says
Cooking dried beans from scratch instead of buying canned. I know that’s been covered before. 🙂
I unplug all my kitchen appliances and the kitchen computer when I’m not using them. I always forget to push Stop at the end of a bread machine cycle so the machine would stay on. Now I just unplug it.
Kate says
I started buying dried beans at the bulk food store and freezing them. It saves so much and I even cook them in my crockpot.
BethB says
Me too!!!
Kay says
Same here it’s cheaper & healthier for you!!
Katie @ cooklaughmove says
My husband I were just talking about this last night! I had a regular Goodwill habit and justified it because it was only $3-$10 I’d spend a time. But $10 x 4 weeks = $40 a month!
Now I only Goodwill/Second Hand shop when looking for something particular or with my birthday/christmas/”free” money!
ShortyBeth says
You can also look at garage sales that same way. I try to go to garage sales with something specific in mind. I only go with a specific amount of money, too. The more I take, the more I may spend.
Rebecca says
Agreed – I only go to the stores when I have to, never just to browse. I’m also much more hesitant to buy something – always asking, do I really NEED it?
Sabrina says
I quit going to garage sales too, because I was buying to many items that were “a great deal” but basically useless to me. Now I just keep a list of things I need (toaster, kids clothes, shoes) and give it to my mom and sister, and if they happen to see those items for a great deal, I just pay them back. That way, I don’t have to go and risk spending extra money!