Something friends don't always talk about is budgeting. Especially in a world where everyone is trying to keep up with everyone else. If all your gal pals have the latest and greatest and want to go out for drinks, expensive dinners and hire babysitters every weekend, it's hard to be the downer and say you can't because it costs too much money.
Here are some tips for those stay at homes moms who gave up their income and now feel the pinch.
1) Cancel Cable TV. It's crap anyways. I know, I know. I used to love my Bravo and all those trashy reality TV shows but I promise, once you break the tether, you really don't miss them. Sign up for Netflix or Hulu Plus and you'll be just fine. Netflix has an amazing selection for kids and for $7.99 a month (plus internet fees), you'll be saving a lot of money.
2) Learn to drink inexpensive wine. I am going to do a whole post on this topic. I'll admit it, I used to be a wine snob but when the going gets tough, you can learn to drink three buck chuck and enjoy it.
3) Modify your wardrobe. This is a great tip I took from my hipster sister-in-law. This summer, take an old sundress and throw a tank top over it. Roll the waist and tie it on the side or add a belt. It's super cute and it gives you a whole new outfit. Plus you'll feel like a hipster! I'll have to get a pic of this to post later.
4) Spend some time learning to cook. Check out recipes on Pinterest and watch some cooking clips on YouTube. You will save a ton of money by not eating out. Plus it's a lot healthier.
5) Mix up your grocery shopping. This may seem obvious but it wasn't to me before I had kids and lived on a budget. I used to do all my grocery shopping at the closest store because it was the easiest. Now I go to two different stores. One of those is Wal-Mart. Don't cringe. I get all of my basics there. Now that I know how much money I can save, I can't stand the thought of buying granola anywhere else. I used to pay $5.99 for a bag for Bare Naked Granola at the grocery store down the street from me. But if I take the time to go ten minutes more down the road to Wal-Mart, I can get it for $3.99. Wal-Mart is not the place for everything. I still have to go to the regular grocery store for specialty items and things like fresh herbs and veggies but it does make a big difference at the end of the day.
6) Don't be afraid of consignment shops. You can get some really great toys and clothing that look new. I hate buying brand new toys. They are too expensive and kids get bored so fast it's pointless to spend so much money on something you can get a lot cheaper. The same goes for kid's clothing. They grow so fast that there is no reason to spend $30 on a shirt they will wear one season.
There are tons of ways to save money and make it possible to be a stay at home mom on one income. I'll continue to post more ideas in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment