It’s no secret that children cost money. However, with a little planning and creativity, you can save a lot of money even if you have a family . It doesn’t matter if you have 1, 2 or 3 children. In fact, there’s always a way to save and do things differently.
In addition, you can do other things while saving, which opens up new possibilities. So it’s time to set your family budget and save some money.
There are countless ways to save money for a family. If you are looking for how to save money as a family , below are 9 tips with which you can easily save hundreds of dollars or more per year.
Attitude to adopt in hypermarkets
Along with fixed expenses, groceries are one of the biggest expenses for any family . However, there is a lot to save on this. In order to save optimally, I recommend everyone to buy a freezer. With a freezer, you have the opportunity to save optimally on food and beverages, for example by taking advantage of offers or buying products at a reduced price. If you don’t and you have limited freezer space, you can set aside on your purchases with the following methods:
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Define a weekly menu adapted to your budget and your family.
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Set a specific budget you want to spend on groceries for the week and stick to it. Preferably withdraw this amount in cash and at the end of the week if you have money left: Put it in a piggy bank, with which you can save for a family outing.
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Cook all your meals yourself . This applies to things like sauces, cakes and bread which are much cheaper if you make them yourself.
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Prefer to consume a local product instead of a well-known brand. Most local brands are not inferior to well-known brands, the only difference is the price.
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Do not go shopping with your children and make sure you have eaten well (shopping on an empty stomach automatically means spending more)
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Make a shopping list ahead of time.
Save by purchasing subscriptions
A subscription seems expensive, but in some cases it can be economical. For example, if you have a pool or an amusement park nearby, it’s probably cheaper to purchase a membership than buying separate tickets each time. This also applies to many other things. If you take out a subscription, be sure to always compare . Especially when it comes to a television, telephone or Internet subscription.
Save on clothes
You can save on clothes for the whole family, you have a number of options for this. For a baby, limit yourself, because a baby grows very quickly and before you know it, you will have to buy another size. What if your child needs clothes? You can do the following:
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Buy on sale (because they are always seasonal clothes, you have to take into account the sizes of clothes)
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Buy second-hand clothes
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Swap your clothes with other parents in your area
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Children’s clothing is often offered for free on local Facebook groups .
Save on Toys
In addition to clothes, toys are also something children quickly tire of as soon as they are no longer suitable for their age. Just like clothes: don’t buy anything for your baby, but first wait to see what you get during maternity visits and the baby shower. You can save money on toys if you choose used toys or free trades . This way you can really save a lot of money and your children never lack for anything.
Save on baby gear
What applies to the purchase of baby and children’s clothing also applies to the purchase of your equipment.
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Start with products that you can take from family members or friends.
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Wait for the baby shower party .
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List what you really need. Talk to your own mom, aunt, sister, or friend who has experience with toddlers.
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Save on diapers by choosing washable diapers .
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Make your own baby wipes
Host Inexpensive Birthday Parties
You certainly want to give the best to your child. For once, having a birthday party can be expensive can seem complicated. These days, many parents really go over the top and don’t mind spending hundreds of dollars on a birthday party. That said, you can throw an unforgettable birthday party on a shoestring budget. How? Very simple, here are some ideas:
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A slumber party is great fun and doesn’t have to be expensive.
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Make as many things as possible by yourself (cake, decoration, invitations).
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Create games and animations that you can do around the house or in the garden with the children to entertain them.
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Rent a video projector and turn your garden into an outdoor cinema with homemade popcorn.
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Make treats yourself.
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Set a budget for the birthday present and the party in advance and stick to it.
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Limit the number of children invited.
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Dare to state on the invitation that your child has a wish list, this prevents your child from receiving duplicate gifts or things they don’t like at all.
Save on Family Outings
Family outings are not cheap. Whether it’s an amusement park or a zoo, a family with 2 children should easily have to count on 100 euros for a day excluding transport and food. Fortunately, there are also several ways to save.
- The first piece of advice we can give you is to buy your ticket online . This is because most websites offer a discount if you buy a ticket online.
- Supermarkets also have an annual savings campaign where you can save for a one-day discount.
- You can also save on an outing by bringing your own food and drinks . This also applies to snacks.
Save on Holidays
As a family, you also feel the need to go on vacation. You don’t have to limit yourself to a holiday in France. In fact, in some cases it is even cheaper to go abroad. How to save for a vacation? I have the following tips for you:
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Is your child not yet old enough to start school? So book your holidays outside of school holidays . It makes a lot of difference.
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If you prefer to go on vacation in early spring or autumn, you can take full advantage of the offers.
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Book well in advance.
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Look for discounts for children .
Save on fixed costs
These are monthly costs that you can’t seem to do much about. Fixed expenses include mortgage or rent, energy or even insurance. However, you can also save on this point.
Think for example of the transfer of the mortgage or the exchange of your house against a cheaper rent. To save on energy costs, you need to pay attention to gas, light, and water consumption . If 4 members of the family take a shower every day and limit this duration to 5 minutes instead of 10 minutes, this already represents a considerable saving of water. This also applies to turning off lights in rooms where no one is and unplugging appliances when not in use.
It is also advisable to review the insurance and energy contracts as well as your subscriptions each year . At the end of the year, you simply have the option of changing it. And that can make a big difference in some cases. Taking the time to compare the different offers and starting to find out in time can generate savings that can easily reach hundreds of euros per year.
How to save by renegotiating your insurance? You will find the answers in our next article, with detailed explanations from our experts.
