This is a sponsored guest post.
It is no secret that raising kids is costly and this is one of the most stressful things about parenting. Aside from being stressed out from temper tantrums, unpredictable problems that suddenly come up – AND having to deal with plenty of messes to clean up, especially after you have told your preschooler not to bring the glass of OJ into the den for the umpteenth time and then he brings it in and spills it everywhere – parenting is downright exhausting!
However, the good news is, there is one aspect of parenting that you will be able to manage better which means you will need to make some sacrifices is reducing the costs of raising your kids! And this means parents who have had to find ways to raise their kids on limited budgets have done so by trying different methods that worked or didn’t work. Cutting corners in important areas such as buying low-quality food, gadgets, computers or gaming consoles is not the way to go. That is because it will cost more due to the fact that gadgets might break quickly or food may sick children which means more money will be spent on medical appointments or having electronics gadgets fixed, so let’s not even go there. Instead, let’s find 5 methods that have worked for parents when it comes to reducing the costs of childcare.
1. Practice Minimalism
This one will be challenging because this means you will need to ignore your child say “mommy I want that” and each time you deny your child another toy over and over again that will only add clutter to the home. That will only leave your wallets thin, and you with too much stuff strewn all over your home which will only add to your anxiety. That is why minimalism is the best way to go when it comes to raising kids on a limited budget. Yes, you will need to deal with the tantrums and screaming because of the fact that your child won’t be getting the toy that he or she wants. But it is a winning tactic.
Many parents that have been successful with this technique has gone through the toys with their kids by allowing them to choose which toys they really want to keep, and which ones they don’t care about. Those that they don’t care about they can donate to charitable causes which will make them feel good as well because they are giving something of theirs that will make a less fortunate child feel better. Only give them gifts for their birthdays and holidays, and nothing more.
2. Don’t Get A Brand New Car
New cars may be the safest option that you may believe is out there, but you can find plenty of safe used cars dartmouth that will not cost an arm and leg. Additionally, you will want to look for the cars that are not gas guzzlers as well because that will also save you money in the long run. This way, when you are driving your child to one extra-curricular activity after another, the cost of driving will be reduced this way. However, just be careful not to cut corners too much because the last thing you will want is to deal with a used car that was too cheap due to the fact that it was a lemon which would cost you in the long run by having to take it to the mechanic over and over again for repairs.
3. Go To Restaurants On Special Occasions
One of the things that parents want to do as a family is to go out to a nice restaurant and dine out. There is nothing wrong with that, but making a habit out of it is going to be quite expensive. That means you will want to go to those restaurants on special occasions such as for birthdays or other celebrations. Not to mention, the fun aspect of going to restaurants will be killed off if you go too often anyway which will also cause your kids not to appreciate those occasions when you do go.
The things you can do instead which have worked for other families that wanted to watch their dollars while raising kids was to start eating at home more often by utilizing meal kits which take the stress out of meal planning. They also packed lunches for the kids and themselves if they were going for an outing such as to a museum or to an amusement park where the food can be quite expensive. Also, you can go to restaurants a little more often if you can get coupons from Groupon or if you can find some great discounts on meals!
4. Clip Coupons And Look For Sales
This is a no brainer as many parents have been able to save well by clipping coupons for their grocery shopping or they also look for sales on items in fliers such as if a new sofa needs to be purchased, then look for sales! A lot of money can be saved by taking advantage of those. Additionally, you may think that if you only find a coupon for a food item that you want to buy that will save you 50 cents, then look at the long run as long as you keep clipping coupons. Eventually, it will all add up which means you will have a lot more money saved in your bank account than you would if you hadn’t clipped coupons at all. Just stay consistent.
5. Don’t Buy A Home That Is Out Of Your Budget
There is a lot more to the cost of a house than the price of the home itself. You have to take in the consideration of home insurance costs, maintenance costs, and the cost of your utilities. The larger a home, the more expensive all of that will be in addition to the price of the house. You can upgrade your home over time but if you have more than 3 kids and you can only afford a 3-bedroom 1500 square foot house, then two of your kids will need to share a bedroom as this is something that you will be able to work out with the family in the end.
You already know that childcare costs can be quite high and you don’t want to end up like those parents who were not frugal who ended up having to declare bankruptcy because they were careless with their money. That kills your credit and you don’t want to be in that position. Some parents need to be more frugal than others depending on what they are making in a year. You can purchase baby clothes at affordable prices online and you don’t can still save money. Unless you are Kardashian rich, you still need to be frugal because unforeseeable costs in the future will come up whether it would be medical or something else and you don’t want to be in a position where you would have to take out a loan which will put you into further debt! Stay frugal!
