Having a family can increase your expenses. From having to feed more people, plan more activities, and drive to school and extracurricular, the ability to save money and have a family can seem impossible. Here are three small ways a family can save money.
Driving children to and from school and to sports or music lessons can take a toll on your car. You will spend more money on transportation, from gas to general wear and tear. One way to combat this extra cost is carpooling with people nearby who have similar schedules. Even swapping one week for who takes your child to school can save you a lot of money. If you can, consider using public transportation as well. The cost is usually lower, and there are special, lower rates for children.
Groceries are another high-expense area for families. Feeding multiple people requires purchasing more groceries, which can be really expensive. Two ways to combat the higher cost of groceries are to meal plan and buy in bulk. Meal planning allows you to buy exactly what you need and not waste any food. Many people throw out groceries because they didn’t use them, which is essentially throwing out money. If you can make a meal plan, you can use up all your weekly groceries. Buying foods that your family loves in bulk can also save money. For example, if your family loves chicken, a certain type of cereal, eggs, cheese, chips, or anything else, buying in bulk will help you save money. Only buy the things you use in bulk.
Lastly, entertaining your children can be expensive. Children love to read, play, and go to new places. Consider low-cost ways to help your child learn about the world without paying too much. For example, go to the library once a week and let them pick out books instead of buying them. Go to the park with a picnic or have a movie night at home with their favorite snacks. There are so many low-cost or free things to do with your children that don’t require spending money on the zoo or movie theaters.
Consider implementing one or two changes and slowly add more to help you lower your expenses. It can be challenging to make all of these changes at once, but incorporating one or two things into your daily life can help you see the real cost savings. In addition, this can help motivate you to make more changes to reduce your spending.
