Having a family - particularly a big one - is great for many reasons. There is never a dull moment in your home, you feel like there’s a big support network and you’re all a little ‘team’ together, and watching so many young souls grow up into independent people is pretty rewarding, to say the least. However, there is one black cloud that hangs over any big family: the F word. That’s right, finances.
You don’t have to fear the big F, however, and there are many ways to save money as a parent. Here are 5 of them.
#1: Look for free days out
Having a big family means that going to the movies could be putting you out a lot of money. If you like to go out together every weekend, then you need to be as economical as possible, which means that you need to look for those free days out. Head to the park or the beach, or just check out the events that are on during the weekend. Even a local market can be fun for all of the family.
#2: Have meals at home
Going for meals out is great when you have a family, as it helps to give you some respite from cooking. However, if you’re doing it on a regular basis, then your outgoings will rocket, so it’s a good idea to learn some quick, simple recipes, so that you can cook from home on a budget, without spending hours doing it. This will save you a lot of cash in the long-run, but treat your family every so often!
#3: Visit the thrift store
Whether you’re a seasoned thrift store visitor, or you haven’t yet discovered the wonders of pre-loved, there is nothing that is quite as good for parents as visiting these second-hand stores. A lot of parents give clothes away because their kids are just too big for them now, meaning that there are plenty of gems to be found amongst the masses of clothes. Keep looking; you can find some bargains!
#4: Check out your household expenses
One of the main things that you could be paying out for is your household expenses, particularly if you always have the air con, the heating, or the lights switched on. Check out the Precision Air and Heating BTU calculator if you want to make sure that you’re not wasting money on air con, and look into providers that you could be using if you want to save yourself some cash. Switching could help!
#5: Learn when to say ‘no’
As a parent, it’s difficult to learn how to say ‘no’ when your children ask you to buy things for them. Sure, there are occasions when they do actually need things, but on the whole, kids point at everything and say that they want it. You need to be pretty strict here, or your outgoings are going to be excessive. Giving your kids an allowance could help you to save cash in the long-run, too.
So, if you want to save money as a parent, then keep these 5 things in mind.
Comments