Are looking for ways to make that paycheck last a little bit longer? Here are some of the best budget stretching tips that my wife and I have found to make family funds hold out a little bit longer. If you are willing to be creative and open to new ideas your family can live well on less money.
Cook for Relatives
One thing that we've started to do is buy more food and cook larger meals. Now you're probably thinking that costs us more money than it saves. Not true! We save massive amounts of money every month by tapping into BOGO (buy one, get one free) sales, and by buying in bulk. Then we cook a large meal, freeze some of it, and trade some with other relatives. That way we can make incredibly affordable meals, store some for the future, and enjoy recipes that we never would have thought of. Yes, this takes some planning and a willingness to try new things; but it's a great way to save money and have preplanned meals.
Plant a Garden
No matter where you live you can benefit from growing your own fresh herbs and vegetables. Even city dwellers can do this with window boxes and patio planters. Fresh ingredients make your foods taste better, you don't need to worry about pesticides, and it can save you money. Plus, I think that a little time spent digging in the dirt is a far better stress reducer than a psychologist at $100 an hour! (Thinking about that bill just gives me stress.)
Plan Ahead
One reason that multi-family meal sharing works is that you are forced to plan ahead. We make out a menu and a shopping list each week that is largely based on the coupons, sales and BOGO bargains available in our area. While it takes a little more time it is well worth the effort for the huge weekly savings. Try to make it as easy as possible by having BOGO deals emailed to you directly. That way you'll know which stores to head to for your shopping.
Find Bargains
Other than bargains on groceries, you should get into the habits of getting the best deals possible on things like cosmetics, vitamins and clothing. You can consider shopping at thrift stores, online discount vendors, or even yard sales. Kids grow out of shoes and clothes at an amazing rate; and second hand clothes make a heck of a lot more sense that spending mall money on new clothes each month.
In fact, your local pharmacies like Walgreens, CVS and Rite-Aid often have some of the most lucrative BOGO sales around. We make a point of buying certain items, like vitamins and my wife's cosmetics, only through BOGO deals. Since they are emailed to us every week we know who is offering what sale and that determines where we shop for the week.
There are really a number of ways to lower your cost of living, even if you have a growing family. Try to be creative and just start to discuss the possibilities. You'll be amazed by the ideas you come up with!
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