This week I spoke with Amy, a mother of two and discussed some of the financial challenges that come with raising a young family. Amy was kind enough to share her top 3 money savings tips.
#1 Make a List of What you need Before Shopping
Something I always do before shopping for anything, especially groceries is make a list of what I need. It helps to ensure that I don`t forget anything I need to buy and that I don`t buy anything I don`t need. If my kids are going to come buy groceries with me, I like to make two shopping list and give one shopping list to each of my girls so they can help you find the right products.
If your kids are preschoolers, you can give a list with pictures. Usually, the kids like to help and they feel happy and useful doing this. This will also teach them how to buy things and allows them to be more independent. Besides making the list, ensure you always go shopping after you eat something. You will make better decisions with your stomach full.
#2 Tip – Know What You Have in Your Home
Having 2 children it seems like I am forever making doctors’ appointments and constantly buying medicine. So before going to the doctors I always like to check what medicine I already have at home. I make a list of all the prescribed medication that I have to avoid buying it again and also to know when some medication had expired. I like to make a list on my phone, so now when I go to the doctor, I can show him/her the list and I don`t have to buy a medicine that I already have.
#3 – Have Fun without Spending Money
Lots of parents think that they need to spend money to entertain their kids, but you don`t need to spend any extra money you just have to be there with them. I am lucky that I have lots of free activities for my kids close to where I live. On Saturday I always go with my daughters to a local library because they enjoy reading the books and there is always some fun activities for them to do there.
There are many activities that you can do with your kids, like making pizzas, cookies, cakes and other tasty foods (although you have to buy the ingredients you already had to buy something to eat). You can also go to the park to watch birds, feeds the ducks and other animals, go to the beach to pick some shells or simply go to the children`s playground. The best moments in life are free!
