3 Money Saving Tips for Moms on a Tight Budget

“A slack hand causes poverty,but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Proverbs 10:4

One of the most difficult things for me to do when I became a stay-at-home mom was to cut my spending. Like most women, I have always really enjoyed shopping. It is actually therapeutic for me. However, when my husband and I decided I would quit my job to come home and raise our children, we had to establish a new budget, which meant less spending.

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or you work outside of the home, meeting the needs of children can be expensive. Fortunately, there are ways to cut costs and save money. You just have to be diligent about finding them. Today, I would like to share four  of my favorite money saving tips.

1. Cook

Okay, I know it is not every mom’s favorite thing to do. As a matter of fact, some moms dread it. But cooking at home will save you tons of money, especially if you have a large family. We have a family of five. Eating at a decent drive-thru restaurant costs us around $40.00 easily. We cannot afford to eat out daily.

Cooking doesn’t have to be a drag or boring. Try making easy Crockpot meals or cooking as a family. You’ll be surprised how your family will love it. Be sure to check the sales papers at your local grocery stores and clip coupons. (BTW: I’m working on adding additional family friendly easy recipes to my blog :).

2. Avoid Shopping at Department Stores

When our first child was born, I could have literally lived at the BabyGap store. I wanted her to have really nice clothes. I thought I had to shop Gap or Gymboree.  After our son was born, I quickly realized, we could not afford to shop there  anymore, especially if I was going to continue staying at home. So I got smart!

I stopped shopping at department stores. I started going to Marshalls and T.J. Maxx but sometimes they were too pricey for me. So then, I did something I never considered. I started shopping at online consignment stores. It has revolutionized the way I shop and the best thing about it is, I did not have to compromise quality or style at all.

In fact, I am able to buy clothes that I could never afford otherwise. My favorite online kids consignment store, hands down, is swap.com.  The Lord has used this business to bless my children with so many affordable high end clothes. I just can’t say enough about it. It is also one of my favorite adult online consignment stores. Others include tradesy.com and snobswap.com. I prefer online shopping because I save more and I don’t have to fight a crowd.

If you aren’t sold on consignment shopping, you can still save money by selling your items on these sites. Either way, it’s a “win win” situation!  I love consignment shopping so much that I am going to post a separate blog entry about it later. I could stay on this subject all day but I know you don’t have all day. You’re a mom, you’re blessed if you have five minutes to spare right?

3. Stagger Salon Appointments 

This tip may be a doozy for some. However, you can save big money by styling your own hair. Maybe you aren’t good at styling hair but you can always learn. Years ago, I would have never suggested this tip but information is so accessible now. It is amazing the DIY hair videos you can find on YouTube alone. Personally, the first year I went natural (relaxer free) I saved over $1,000.00. Prior to going natural, I went to the stylist every two weeks, religiously. I spent $2,600.00- $3,000.00 annually on hair care. Ironically, my hair is healthier than it has ever been, now that I’m caring for it myself. You may be thinking, “That natural look is not for me.” That’s fine. You could go to the stylist once every 8 weeks or so to have it professionally relaxed. Invest in a professional flat iron, watch a few DIY videos on YouTube and at least try styling your own hair. I’m not saying stop going to the stylist. I’m simply saying go less often.

I hope you found these simple tips useful, in helping you achieve your financial goals. That’s all for now. Until next Wednesday, “In all your ways acknowledge God and He will direct you path.” -Proverbs 3:6

Which tip do you think you could use most?