53 Tips to Save Money As A Stay At Home Mom
How to Save Money as a Stay at Home Mom
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Being a stay at home mom is a rewarding role. However, it often comes with financial challenges. Trying to balance the household budget while living on a single income can be tough and feel overwhelming. But with the right strategies, it's entirely possible to save money and achieve financial security.
In this blog post, we'll explore practical tips and tricks on how to save money as a stay at home mom, helping you stretch your family's budget further and secure your financial future.
How to Save Money as a Stay at Home Mom
Fast Savings
1. Review your cell phone plan. Contact your provider and ask what other plans they have available at lower costs.
2. Set a limit on the number of streaming services subscribed to. Choose one and then rotate every few months to keep the content fresh.
3. Find creative and affordable alternatives for leisure activities and entertainment like local free concerts.
4. Schedule park days with friends. Bring a sack lunch or bring something to share.
5. When the weather is bad, schedule play date carpet picnics. Watch this youtube video to get the kids up and moving to get their wiggles out.
How to Save Money as a Stay at Home Mom
Reduce Utility Bills
6. Ramp up energy-saving practices in your home, such as turning off lights, unplugging devices, I had no clue how many devices we had plugged in all day that we only needed to use for an hour.
7. Try walking around your house and seeing everything that's plugged in – it's shocking! I'm always walking around the house shutting off lights we're not using also.
8. Adjust the thermostat – especially if no one is home all day. You can get extra savings just by dropping or raising the thermostat a few degrees. Try lowering/raising it 1 degree a week to give time to let your body adjust.
9. In the winter, dig out that pile of blankets in the closet and put an extra one or two on the beds, and put one on the sofa while watching tv.
10. In the summer, make sure you're dressed in cooler clothes, keep the curtains drawn in peak heat times, and open the windows in the morning to let the breeze blow through your home until it gets 11 or 12 when it starts to get warmer.
11. Take advantage of natural lighting during the day to minimize the need for artificial lighting. Keep curtains or blinds open to allow sunlight into your home.
12. Check your dishwasher and make sure it's not on a heated dry setting or sanitze setting. Both those settings on the dishwasher use extra energy.
13. Make it a practice to only run full loads in your dishwasher and washing machine to maximize their efficiency.
14. Wash laundry on the cold water setting. Not only will it make your colors stay vibrant longer but you'll save from having to use hot water.
15. Consider hanging some laundry to dry. I realize children's clothing is small and a hassle to hang. Hanging adult clothing can help extend the life of your clothes, and keep colors from fading. You can either make a clothes line in the back yard or hang them on the shower rod. One family I know dries their kids swim towels outside on their fence in the summer.
16. Don't go out and buy a new appliance if you don't need it, but later as your appliances need replacing. Invest in energy-efficient appliances. Look for appliances with the ENERGY STAR label, which indicates superior energy efficiency and can significantly reduce your energy consumption.
17. Keep some multipurpose buckets outside to collect and reuse rainwater for gardening so you aren't running the garden hose.
***Pro Tip – If you have children, get them involved in reducing costs by making it a contest. For every dollar you save on the utility bills each month, they get to half to use towards a family ice cream outing. You can make this good for however many months you want to help remind them to shut off lights, unplug their electronics and make saving electricity something the whole family is involved in.
How to Save Money as a Stay at Home Mom
Embrace Minimalism
Minimalism isn't just about decluttering your physical space; it's also a mindset that can help you save money and focus on what truly matters.
18. Regularly declutter your home and sell items you don't need. Check out this beginners guide on how to sell on ebay to make extra cash. Selling locally on facebook marketplace is a great way to larger items, or items you can sell in bulk, like kids clothing.
***Pro Tip – Imagine if you had to go away for an extended period of time. Write down the things that you would take with you. We learned the hard way after living in a hotel for 10 weeks after a flood, just how many things we really didn't need and use.
19. Consider downsizing your living space if it will result in lower housing costs. If you're in a high cost of living area, it may be worth it to save on expenses. It's not a choice to be taken lightly, but it may be worth it.
How to Save Money as a Stay at Home Mom
Embrace Secondhand Shopping
Secondhand shopping is an excellent way to save money while still providing your family with quality items. Thrift Stores and Consignment Shops are great places to find affordable clothing, toys and household items. Here's how to make the most of thrift stores and online marketplaces.
20. Do a quick search to find thrift stores in your area. Not all areas call them the same thing. Search for words like – Thrift Store, Resale Shop, Consignment Store, Secondhand Store, Charity Shops, and Op Shops
21. Keep a running list on your refrigerator of things you need to replace, or want to get. When you go to a thrift store, ONLY purchase those items.
22. Resist the temptation to buy things that would be “nice to have” but aren't really things you need.
23. Utilize online marketplaces like eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace to buy secondhand items. Pay attention to safety and meet only in well populated, well lit areas. If doing a porch pickup, make sure to take someone with you, or let someone know where you are going.
24. Check into your local Buy Nothing Group. These groups are typically on facebook and are groups made up of neighborhoods located by geographic location. Everything is given free. My buy nothing group is amazing. It's great to meet people in your immediate area also. Anything you can imagine is given from packs of stickers to furniture, food to tissue paper.
Last year during the holidays, we even had one lady who was off work for a few days who volunteered to be the driver and pickup up things from people's homes and take them to the people who needed them. It was amazing! The premise is simply – to buy nothing. If you don't have a local group in your area, you can start one of your own.
25. Coordinate clothing swaps with friends or neighbors to exchange gently used clothes. This way, you can refresh your wardrobe and get the next size your children are needing without spending money. It's a win-win situation as you declutter your closet and find new clothing items all for free!
26. Do this same swap with books or toys. This would be great around the holidays to get toys/books/puzzles for your children for free!
27. Before making the purchase make sure it meets your long-term goals. If shopping online, put it in the cart, but wait a week to check out. and see if you still want it.
How to Save Money as a Stay at Home Mom
Shop Smart
In May of 1995, I was nominated and won a local contest for being the best coupon shopper. I was interviewed and they gave me $50.00 to get groceries for this picture. It was a fun experience. It's one I hold near to my heart because my Dad was interviewed along with me because they thought it was odd that a 20 year old was so into saving money on groceries. I still use so many of those same tips today.
Being a savvy shopper can save you a significant amount of money. Learn how to make the most of your household's budget with smart shopping strategies.
28. Cut back on eating out and work on freezer cooking to lessen the pressure at mealtimes. Meals don't have to be elaborate. Sunday nights we have soup, salad and popcorn! I've got some freezer cooking guides that I can share if you're interested, let me know in the comments below,
29. Use Coupons and Cashback Offers
30. Look for coupons, discounts, and cashback offers online or in local newspapers.
31. Join loyalty programs at your favorite stores to benefit from exclusive deals and discounts.
32. Buy Generic Brands
33. In many cases, generic or store-brand products are just as good as name brands because they are made by the same company, but generics come at a lower price.
34. Compare prices and quality to make informed choices.
36. Plan Your Shopping Trips. Make a shopping list before heading to the store to avoid impulse purchases.
37. Gardening can be a great way to save money. My friend Rachel has a some great gardening tips.
38. Consider stocking up on items when it makes sense, as it can lead to long-term savings.
39. Never buy anything when you need it. If you need it, you will pay more for it. Keep a running list of things that you use consistently and buy them when they are on sale and/or you have a coupon.
40. Stay out of the stores. Many grocery stores offer free grocery pickup. By ordering your groceries online, you can very easily stay within your budget. Look over your cart before you check out and make sure that you are purchasing things that are at their very best price. Remove items that aren't on sale or you don't have a coupon for. Make sure you have clipped all your digital coupons and gather your paper coupons to use when you pick up items at the store.
41 – 44. Use coupon apps and links like Ibotta, Fetch, Rakuten and BeFrugal
Ibotta will give you $5.00 just for signing up. You can use ibotta with most grocery stores and even link your free walmart account (you don't need to buy Walmart+) You can redeem money earned from ibotta for cash to paypal or to purchase gift cards.
***Pro Tip – When you know what your bill will be for groceries, go to ibotta and buy a gift card for that amount. Then purchase your groceries with the gift card. You'll get extra cash back for buying the gift card!
Fetch will give you 250 points when signing up. You turn points into gift cards. Fetch will give you at least 25 points for EVERY receipt you scan within the last two weeks, including gas station, fast food, clothing stores and more. You can also link your Walmart and Amazon and email accounts to fetch and it will find those purchase receipts and give you points for those also.
Rakuten gives you $30.00 just for signing up when you make purchases within 90 days. It goes on your computer and each time you buy something it will give you a percentage back. They pay out 4 times a year.
***Pro Tip – I put my Rakuten and Befrugal checks into an account for vacations. It's great to have that extra money for just doing my regular shopping.
Befrugal gives you $10.00 just for signing up when you make purchases within 90 days. It also goes on your computer and when you buy something it will give you a percentage back.
***Pro Tip – I check both Rakuten and Befrugal to see which one will give me the highest percentage back, and then use that one!
By planning grocery shopping trips and sticking to a list, you can reduce your food expenses significantly.
How to Save Money as a Stay at Home Mom
Save on Childcare Costs
45. Chances are you're going to want a date night. Avoid paying for babysitting by arranging a childcare co-op with a few other parents in our neighborhood. Each family can take turns watching the others children on a certain night of the week, or a certain week of the month.
46. Learned about available tax benefits related to childcare, which helped us reduce your tax liability. My friend Cheryl is an accountant and has a free facebook group where you can ask questions about taxes.
How to Save Money as a Stay at Home Mom
Save on Education
Providing your children with a quality education is a priority, but it doesn't have to break the bank. Learn how to save money on education without compromising on your child's learning.
47. If you're looking for more individualized attention, homeschooling is a great option. I homeschooled my daughter from age 4 through high school. Let me know below if you'd like more information about homeschooling.
48. If your child is in traditional school and you'd like extra resources to help support their education, utilize local libraries for pre-made packets of things that can help by subject.
49. Check out local community centers for educational programs that offer free or low-cost opportunities for children.
How to Save Money as a Stay at Home Mom
Build an Emergency Fund
An emergency fund is a financial safety net that can provide peace of mind and financial stability, especially for stay-at-home moms. Here's how to establish and grow your emergency fund.
50. Set a Savings Goal. Determine an initial savings goal for your emergency fund – like $1000.00. Start small and then work your way up to a three to six months' worth of living expenses buffer.
51. Open a separate savings account for your emergency fund to prevent it from being used for non-emergencies. Consider using a high-yield savings account to earn more interest.
52. Make regular contributions to your emergency fund, even if they are small. Let your children see that saving is important! They will mimic what you do and grow up to be great savers.
53. Be sure to join my FREE facebook group for more money saving content
Saving money as a stay-at-home mom may require some effort and creativity, but it's entirely possible to build a secure financial future for your family. By creating a budget, cutting unnecessary expenses, shopping smart, reducing childcare costs, embracing secondhand shopping, saving on education, adopting minimalism, and building an emergency fund, you can make the most of your household budget and achieve financial stability. Remember, every little step counts, and over time, these money-saving strategies will add up to huge savings and financial security.
Check out some of my other posts about how to budget, save money and earn extra income:
My 3 Step Budget Made Easy System – complete with Free Worksheets and How to Video
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