Parenting Tips For Raising Successful Kids | BetterParenting.com» Cost Saving Tips

Are You Ready to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom?

Chris Oldenburg — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 20:24:17 +0000

I never knew I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom until I became a mom. My daughter was 2 when I graduated from college and was offered what might have been considered a dream job, but for so many reasons, I turned it down and made the move to become a full-time stay-at-home mother. I was young, had no friends who stayed home with their children, and we were not yet financially fruitful in our young marriage. Life as a stay-at-home mom was full of challenges and changes, but as the moths grew into years and we welcomed 3 more children into our family, I clearly saw that this was the best choice for us.

As amazing and wonderful as being a stay-at-home mom can be, if you don’t plan for the realities of it the stress and responsibilities can be daunting. Over the years I made my fumbles, but thankfully was, and still am, able to stay home with all of my children and be a part of their everyday lives in ways I just don’t think I could if I had taken that dream job.

The Dreaded Budget and Financial Fears

If at all possible practice with a single-income budget before you make the move to become a stay-at-home mom. Stash your current paycheck into savings and only use the income provided by your spouse. This will give you a real-world sampling of what it will be like to live on one paycheck.
Consider which things you can comfortably live without in order to reach your goal of living on a single income. Look for things you can remove the expense of and still find similar benefits elsewhere.

Cable – check out DVDs from your library instead
Dinner out once week – go for dinner out once a month or take a picnic somewhere so you still feel like you are getting out
Winter vacations – consider travelling in off seasons for reduced rates
Gym membership – get together with moms from the neighborhood to work out together (set days/times for meeting to walk) or look for used equipment for the home
Wine of the month club – treats like this have the price tag of convenience, so make a trip yourself once month to choose your own treat

Be ready to clip corners and coupons. I became an expert at searching ads and sale prices and knowing when a bargain is truly a bargain.
Buy in bulk only when there is not a “best buy” date (unless you have a large family). Things like toilet paper and soap have great shelf lives so stock up when you find rock-bottom prices.
Buy generic, especially when it comes to your staple items. Stores like Aldi’s carry many household basics at fractions of the cost (and the items often come from the same manufacturers, with different labels thrown on them).
Find ways to be your own service-person. As the mother of 3 sons (one who grows hair like Sasquatch), I quickly realized that haircuts are one area where I can be the salon manager. I invested $24 in a quality “buzz kit” and found a friend who used to work in a salon to give me some quick lessons. Even if I only cut their hair once each year myself, I had paid for the buzz kit the first time I used it. Other ways you can do the job yourself include:

Car washing
Dog grooming
Manicures/pedicures
Housecleaning
Yard maintenance
Simple home repairs (before we ever consider calling in a repair man we check online – someone somewhere else has always had the same problem and posted their solutions)
Taxes (it can be intimidating the first year, but you can calm your fears by trying it yourself and then taking it in for review)
Vehicle maintenance (even my 16 year old daughter has changed the oil in the car)

Use online resources like Freecycle, Vegsource, FatWallet, and Ebates to make the most of your stay-at-home dollar.

Beyond the Budget: Hurdles for Stay-at-Home Moms

Yes – the finances are an obvious obstacle for parents who want to stay home with their children. However, there are other factors that can become hurdles as well, especially if we don’t go into the situation with both eyes wide open. Staying home with the kids has wonderful benefits, but there can be some hidden dangers along the way. If both partners are not on board with the decision you are setting yourself up for resentment and frustration, and much larger problems down the road.

Make the budget together so there are no surprises.
Set aside time to be a couple. You will need this even more once you start spending the majority of your time home with the demands of young children, but your partner will also need to know that you still have time and energy for him.
Clearly set up the expectations of the household. Your partner might think that you staying home means you take on all of the household responsibilities, 7 days a week. If this is not your intention – be up front with it. Tell him you need him to help with dishes on the weekends or vacuuming on Saturday morning.
Stay-at-home moms have large workloads that just sometimes go unrealized by partners, but approaching the situation calmly and respectfully is better than just wishing he would help more at bath-time but resenting him because he doesn’t.

Birds of a Feather

Find others who are stay-at-home parents for companionship and compassion (you will give and receive both!). Friends who also stay home with their kids are great resources for budget hints, time-saving strategies, and the latest free concerts for the toddlers on weekday morning. You can also take turns babysitting so each of you get that much needed sanity break (even if it is just to run to the grocery store).

The life of a stay-at-home mom is not very glamorous or sadly, highly respected, in many circles. You need to choose this path because it is your passion and because you truly feel it is right for your family. If you do, maybe in the end you will find that it is your dream job, just like I did.

Extravagant Birthday Parties Taking a Backseat

Jennifer Harms — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 11:00:46 +0000

Just a few years ago, many parents were spending hundreds, even thousands of dollars on their kids’ birthday parties. Whether it was for destination parties, catering, or clowns and magic shows, the dollar amount quickly added up. Executive Director of Parents magazine Chandra Turner stated that some children’s birthday parties were comparable to “mini weddings.” Presently, with most families feeling the economic pinch, parents are scaling back on extravagant parties and searching for inexpensive ways to create a memorable birthday party.

Julie Printz, who founded birthdayswithoutpressure.com laments of her daughter’s birthday party years ago, “I kind of went crazy,” she said. “We are a very child-centered culture. … Is that really the right way to show your love? I don’t know if we have lost the ability to connect with our kids so we buy them things.”

Psychology aside, there are several ways to downsize your budget and still have a wonderful party.

• Limiting the number of guests may seem like the most obvious option, but it can be difficult for some parents to put their foot down when guests show up with uninvited siblings. Be clear on the invitation exactly who is invited.

• Opt for a party at home instead of a destination party. You will automatically save money by not having to pay to reserve a pricey room somewhere.

• Plan ahead. Parties at home don’t have to be boring. Girls can have tea parties, slumber parties, or spa days with homemade products. Another alternative is to decorate a room like a movie theater, pop some popcorn, and watch movies. Sports days, scavenger hunts, or field days are also good options for girls or boys.

• Utilize the talents of people you know to make the party a success. Skip the hired clowns and magic shows in lieu of face painting, compliments of some mommy (or daddy) friends.

• Make your own cake. Sites such as Wilton.com have wonderful tips for beginners to create wonderful cakes.

• Many destination sites charge extra for pizza, cakes, or goody bags. Consider bringing in your own supplies to save a couple of dollars.

Many moms I have spoken to admit that there is pressure to have an expensive party with all the bells and whistles, especially when everyone else is doing it. Though it may be difficult to resist giving your child an extravagant party he or she will truly not be lacking anything in life if he or she does not get a big shindig. So figure out what is most important to your child, what fits in your budget, compromise a little, and enjoy the birthday party!

10 Inexpensive Ways to Have Fun With Young Kids Over Memorial Day Weekend

Jennifer Harms — Mon, 30 May 2011 11:00:03 +0000

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those soldiers who have died while serving our country. For some people, it is also an extra day off of work, more time to spend with the family, and a sure sign that summer is fast approaching! Here are 10 fun things to do with your kids over the holiday weekend that don’t cost a lot:

1) Have a picnic. Make your favorite foods at home and take them into the backyard or to a favorite spot. When you are done, lay back and find objects in the clouds.

2) Have a water balloon fight or run through the sprinkler. Both are great ways to beat the heat over the holidays.
3) Visit your local pool or public beach. Build sandcastles or collect shells if you can.

4) Make homemade ice cream or popsicles. Wash the sticky stuff off with a garden hose. (Better yet, pull the cars out and see who can make the most bubbles on the dirty car spots).

5) Go to a local parade. Cheer as loud as you can. See who can collect the most candy thrown from the floats.

6) Go on a family bike ride. Maybe you’ll see something you’ve never seen before.

7) Go camping, whether it is at a campground, in your backyard, or in the living room. Tell ghost stories and roast hot dogs and s’mores over the campfire (or in the fireplace)

Form your own parade. Make instruments out of household items (pots and pans, maracas made from beans in an empty water bottle, etc) and parade in front of everyone you see.

9) Visit family. The holidays are a great opportunity to visit people you haven’t seen in awhile. If this is not possible financially or logistically, consider Skyping with them.

10) Make cards for the men and women who are deployed and mail them to one of the many organizations who send cards, care packages, and letters to our troops. (A Google search will provide you with a long list of possibilities).

Happy Memorial Day, and a special thank you to the men and women who are serving our country and the families who are waiting for them to come home.

5 Family Budgeting Tips that Work

Belinda Mooney — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:34:20 +0000

In today’s economy trying to make ends meet can be a real challenge, especially for families with several kids. But there are a good many things you can do to help stretch the family budget. You may already be doing some of these, but you may not even have thought about some. Here are five ways your family can stretch its budget.

Avoid Eating Out

You may be saying to yourself, “This one is easy. We never go sit down for a meal at a restaurant.” And while that may be true how often do you grab a $1 burger for the kids while running around? Dollar burgers and drinks can add up real fast especially when you are buying for several people. Take snacks from home with you or keep some in the car for the kids and avoid the fast food trap. It is amazing how much money fast food can steal from you budget.

Keep a Spending Diary

One great way to see exactly where your money is going is to create a spending diary. For one week write down everything you buy whether it is a coke or just a cookie. Have the whole family take part – even the kids. Your family will be shocked to see where money goes, and often for the little things.

Enjoy the Free Things in Life

Take advantage of the free things that are available where you live. Instead of spending money on movie tickets, take in a concert in the park for free. Go to story hour at the library. Instead of a day at an overpriced amusement park, spend the day playing miniature golf. Most neighborhoods have plenty to do if you simply look.

Decide What’s Important

Cutting everything out but the bare basics may seem like a good idea but often it is not, except for very short times. This is where you have to decide what is important to your family. Your daughter’s piano lessons may be very important to you and her. See where else you can save so that she can continue to do those things. Have her take part in the action. She can take piano but she may have to pack a lunch for school instead of buying. Apply the same thing to yourself. If you enjoy lunch out with friends, pack your lunch each week and only go out to lunch on Fridays.

Talk About It

This may not seem like much of a budgeting tip but it may be the most important one of all. Discuss your family’s budget and needs with your children. There is no need to make things sound worse than they are but at the same time they need to understand the reality of your situation. Many times kids just assume the money is there to spend. When you discuss the family budget together everyone can have an input into what can help make those dollars stretch.

Make Your Own Baby Food

Belinda Mooney — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:20:10 +0000

Making Your Own Baby Food Is Simple and Easy

Your child is growing older and getting teeth. You can hardly imagine yet it’s actually time for her to move into eating solid foods. But baby food is costly. Along with the rest of the costs included in caring for a child there should be a way to help you save on child charges, right? Well, there is. You can choose to make your own. It’s not only more cost efficient, but it really is much better for your little one as well.

Wholesome Food for Baby

Among the key benefits of preparing homemade baby food is you manage exactly what will go into the what he is eating. There aren’t any additional additives or disguised ingredients you are unsure about. And if you are into natural and organic foods, you understand that the price of organic child food is absurd. Now you can make your own.

Putting Together What You Need

You will require hardly any special equipment to get you started on making your own baby food but there are some accessories which are helpful. A baby food mill is extremely nice. What’s more , it means that you can prepare “instant” little one food wherever you are. They’re very portable. A small food mill is good or a hand blender but none of these are essential. They simply prepare the process simpler and easier. A blender works very well. However , if you do not possess any of those do not worry. A fork still mashes food nicely. You will also want several little storage containers, pint size freezer bags or ice cube trays. Now you are all prepared.

How to Get Started

You want to start feeding your little one simple foods in the beginning. Things like bananas, peaches, green beans and sweet potatoes. Stay away from foods which result in allergic reactions like strawberries. If the food is actually soft or very ripe in the first place for example bananas you can mash it very easily when it’s needed. For certain foods including pumpkin or apples you will want to cook them until very soft. After that drain them, saving the water. Now put some into your blender or food mill next add a little bit of water and puree. Instant baby food!

Freezing Your Baby Food

You could easily choose to puree whatever you happen to be having that day or you can make bigger batches and freeze some. An ice cube tray is fantastic for this! Basically fill up the tray holes with the pureed meals and freeze for a couple of hours. When the baby food is frozen solid take them out of the tray and place in freezer bags. When you need to use them simply put it in the microwave for a few seconds or just allow thaw at room temperature. It does not take especially long for just one food “cube” to thaw. Making your own baby food is that quick and easy to do.