With prices rising on many things that our families need, it’s helpful to see where you can reduce your expenses.
But being frugal doesn’t mean you eat beans and rice every day, become a coupon fanatic, and make absolutely everything from scratch.
It’s really all about balance and simplicity. Here are some of the most creative (and easiest) ways to save money on what your family needs in today’s economy!
1. Meal Plan
One of the biggest expenses families have is eating out. Whether that be takeout or dine-in meals, eating out takes a big chunk out of your monthly budget.
Trust me, I know how easy it is to settle on splurging for a night out when you don’t know what to cook for dinner. That is why meal planning each week is so important.
You are more likely to succeed at eating at home instead of spending money eating out when you have a plan to follow, and the ingredients in your pantry to make it happen. So, though I’m tempted to just load up the car and let someone else do the cooking, knowing that a homemade meal costs a fraction of a restaurant meal is enough motivation for my frugal wallet.
2. Buy Groceries Online
In addition to saving time, ordering your groceries online helps you spend less. All the items are calculated as you go in a virtual cart, making it easy to see what you’re spending, and if you go over budget you can just delete items from the list, which- let’s face it- you probably wouldn’t put back in the actual grocery store.
Plus, in the real store you’d likely have a lot of distractions from your kids who either ask you for extras or start getting restless so that you feel rushed to finish shopping and can’t take the time to do price comparisons.
3. Teach Kids Portion Control
Just like we should budget our money, we should also budget our food consumption. One way to make your groceries last longer is to not let the kids have free range of the snack foods!
I suggest buying some of those 1-cup size containers, and then when your child wants some Pringles, for instance, let them only take what will fit in the container. This will prevent them from binge-snacking & wiping out the pantry in one sitting- which is especially easy to do while sitting in front of the TV.
4. Buy Generic Brands When Possible
Trust me when I say that generic brands are usually just as good as name-brand products. Most of the time, you can read the labels on name-brand products and compare them to generic brands to see they are essentially made with the same ingredients.
You will always pay more money for the name-brand product, so switching to store brands is really a no-brainer when you’re trying to reduce your monthly spending.
And here’s a tip: if your family thinks they’re hooked on certain name brand foods, repackage them in plastic or glass containers. They keep cabinets tidy and your kiddos or husband will never know the difference.
5. Buy Staples in Bulk
You may think that buying in bulk is just for large families, but our family of four has been saving a lot of money over the years this way.
You can get your staples such as pasta, rice, sugar, and flour in large quantities from warehouse stores at a lower cost overall than you would pay for smaller packages at your local grocery store. It’s a good idea to have airtight food storage containers to repackage those items when necessary.
You can also find bargains on larger-quantity items like peanut butter, cheese, and frozen vegetables at big box stores.
6. Cut Back on Subscriptions
Subscriptions can be hard to let go of, especially if it’s a service-based subscription that is making your day-to-day life easier. From fun makeup to men’s shaving kits and even meal planning kits – the money you are spending each month on these types of subscriptions can really add up. They can also be a pain to unsubscribe from, which is why many people find themselves trapped in subscription-land for years.
In most cases with these, you are essentially paying for a convenience instead of something that you actually need. So, take inventory of the subscriptions you’re signed up for and decide to cancel some.
Don’t forget streaming services as well! At $10 or more per service, you are quickly spending money that you could be saving. Consider choosing just one service that your family can agree on, or find other free entertainment instead.
7. Consider Changing Phone Carriers
We recently switched from a bigger, more well-known carrier to a smaller company and we’ve seen a significant cost savings. It was pretty easy to switch over all of our phones, and we still have the same great coverage as before.
It may seem like a hassle, but do some research and see what other, small name phone companies are offering. They often give the same type of service at a reduced rate, with no long-term contracts.
8. Shop Second Hand
Thrift store shopping or any kind of secondhand shopping can be fun. Not only will your dollar go farther in a second hand store, but you will also have the opportunity to find some unique, vintage type of clothing, home décor, and other household items- as long as you shop smart and only buy what you need.
Especially when it comes to children and their clothing, it’s not worth buying everything brand new since they’ll just be growing out of those items in about six months. You can buy some nice clothes as well as toys at children’s consignment sales.
Just be careful buying everyday clothing at thrift stores unless it has tags and is steeply discounted- you don’t want to waste money on clothes that don’t fit or have stains or holes. You can usually find new clothing on clearance for similar prices and have the ability to return it if needed.
Wood furniture like dressers or end tables is also something that may not be worth buying new. Brand new furniture is pretty expensive, but you can get high quality pieces at furniture consignment or discount stores, or even restore and repurpose a used piece.
Other items to look for at thrift stores include books, flower pots, home decor, storage items such as baskets and food canisters, serving platters for occasional entertaining, and seasonal items such as snow gear and decorations.
9. Find the Lowest Prices on New Clothing and Shoes
Mark your calendar in the middle of January to purchase winter clothing for the following year, when it will be around 70% off at many stores. Same thing for the middle of July- make a note to stock up at this time for the following summer.
Also, if you’ve got your heart set on boutique style clothing, be sure to browse Amazon first. For shoes, check Amazon too, but don’t look at the regular “new” price. Instead, scroll down to the “New and Used” price. You can buy lots of kids’ shoes this way, for dirt cheap. The “used” shoes are usually just returns that are missing the original box and weren’t actually worn except to try on once.
10. Delay Spending
Write down the items you’re thinking about buying for the week. For non-essential items such as that sweater you’ve been eyeing in the Old Navy email ad, make a note to re-visit that thought at the end of the week.
By then, you might find that: other expenses have crept up –and you’ll be glad you delayed purchasing– or you didn’t really need or want that item anymore.
Try to remind yourself of the adage, “It’s only a good deal if you can afford it”. You’ll be better off waiting a little while rather than spending impulsively, and wondering where all your money went!
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