If you’re like most single-parents money is tight. Between diapers, wipes, formula, clothes, shoes, food, and all the other things we have to buy for our kids it seems like there will never be enough money at the end of the month to meet all of the family’s needs. Here are some tricks that I have learned that have helped ease our financial woes.
Make a budget and stick to it. Every month I sit down and look at how much money we have to spend. Sometimes it helps to set that money aside in an envelope, once the money in the envelope is gone, you can’t spend anything else for the month. So often we forget that every time we swipe that card money is disappearing from our account. When we actually see the money evaporating we are less likely to spend it on things that we don’t need.
Make a list before going to the store. I’m big on making lists and grocery shopping is no exception. If something isn’t on the list, it doesn’t go in the cart, simple as that. This helps to prevent impulse buying.
The last and most important thing is couponing! At first the idea of couponing can seem overwhelming, but once you have figured out your own little system, you’d be amazed at how much money it can save you. There are so many couponing sites out there to help you get your start. Pick your favorite and watch for the freebies and deals they post. They practically do all the work for you! Next sign up for the Sunday paper. It doesn’t matter which newspaper you subscribe too as long as they include the coupon inserts. When looking through the coupons only clip the ones you will actually use. Don’t just clip it because it is a good deal, this is how they trick you into spending more money than you would have in the first place. After you’ve clipped your coupons organize them into sections (i.e. Baby Items, Groceries, Health and Beauty, Etc). I like to keep my coupons organized into a binder full of baseball card sleeves. They are the perfect size for most coupons and it makes it easy for me to see what coupons I have. I spend an hour every Sunday couponing and have literally saved hundreds of dollars this way. I get a thrill every time I watch the numbers go down at the grocery store!
While money will always be tight at our house, these tips have helped ease some of the financial burdens our family faces day to day. Hopefully it will help some of you too!