The following post is a guest post by Patricia. Enjoy!
Before Kids, my husband and I had well paying jobs. With our dual incomes, we didn't have to worry about where our money went. We didn't spend foolishly but we didn't have to follow any budgets. Anytime we wanted to travel or feed our technology habits, we did and didn't think twice about it.
Then along came H.
When we found we were expecting, we knew I would stay at home with the kids. The money I was paid while on maternity leave went towards building up our savings. We got used to living on one income BEFORE we actually lived on one income.
Here are some of the things I have done to cut our costs:
Breastfeed
(If you can, if not, don’t beat yourself up. A fed baby is a happy baby)
Mother’s milk is the cheapest option for feeding a new baby. It’s readily available, it's at the right temperature, it’s already sterile. If you choose not to breastfeed (for whatever reason), be sure to look for deals and coupons for formula!
Make your own wipes
With wipes running about $5.00 per box, making your own will save you a bunch of money. It’s quick and easy too. Check out the recipe I use here.
Buy used
Babies grow fast. They grow so fast that they never get a chance to wear out their clothes or baby accessories. That means there is a bunch of used but in great condition baby items out there! Make it known to friends and family that you would appreciate receiving the hand me downs. You can also get great deals on used items at garage sales, second hand stores and even Facebook marketplace. Enjoy buying used while your little one doesn't care where things come from. In a very short period of time they will want the latest and greatest! NOTE: For safety reasons, car seats should always be purchased new.
Try before you buy
My first liked being in a baby swing, my second preferred a bouncy chair. I didn't know that until I tried them in each. To save money, you can borrow baby equipment to see if your baby will like using it. You can also take baby equipment for a test drive by contacting a baby rental company. They will charge a rental fee but that will still be cheaper than buying an item then finding out later your baby screams when placed in it.
Make your own baby food
There is no secret formula to making the pureed peas or carrots that you see in baby food jars. Steam your chosen fruit or vegetable, stick in a blender or food processor to puree. Freeze portions in ice cube trays. Once frozen, plop the cubes into a freezer bag. All done!
We have been a one income family for the last 3 years. In that time, we have added a second child (baby J), moved into a larger home, purchased a new (to us) larger vehicle and continued to travel.
Yes, we have made sacrifices.
Yes, we are more careful about where we spend our money.
But we are able to live quite comfortably on one income by using these frugal tips for the new mom.
Part three in the Eating Healthy on a Budget series is all about buying items in bulk!
I find that buying items I use often end up being cheaper in the long run when I purchase them in large quantities. Most grocery stores sell large batches of certain items at discounted prices. For example, ground beef or those giant bags of flour. Another example would be a 10 pound bag of potatoes. But in our case, since it’s just my husband and I, I skip the big bag of potatoes and settle for a smaller one to avoid waste.
I figure I’ll buy everything I can in large quantities if we can finish it in a reasonable amount of time or I can freeze it. Here are some things that freeze well:
Meat (either cooked or uncooked)
Flour
Fruit (strawberries, peaches, cherries)
Vegetables (beans, corn, tomatoes…etc)
Butter
Breads, pastries and baked goods (cookies, muffins)
Cooked rice
Anything I’m forgetting?
Since chicken goes on sale about every 6 weeks around here, I tend to stock up at this time then freeze it into packages of two. Works great! Also, we live in the land of orchards so whenever fruit is in season I go crazy and buy tons so I can freeze it for smoothies, desserts, or just to eat in the winter! We’re not jam eaters so I haven’t canned anything other then salsa and pickles. Canning is also a great way to preserve large quantities of items!
Last week I started the Eating Healthy on a Budget series with a post onEating Seasonally. This week it’s all about making your own seasonings!
This is an easy way to eat more healthfully and cut down costs. Chances are, you have many of the spices or other items needed to make many of your own seasonings, on hand already! And since most of the recipes I’ve found make a large batch, it’ll only cost cents each time you use it! I bet many seasonings won’t even cost $1 to make a big batch. What I also love about making your own seasonings is that you can omit the msg and salt that is found in most store bought seasonings!
Here are some of my favourite homemade seasonings:
Is it possible to eat healthfully on a budget? Yes, I believe it is! Over the next few weeks, I’ll be doing a four post series on ways you can eat healthfully on a budget. By no means have I perfected my eating habits, but I strive to make eating healthy a priority. With the tips I have learned over the years, I hope to inspire and help you to reduce your grocery bill!
First of all, one of my favourite ways to eat healthy on a budget is to Eat Seasonally.
There are certain seasons when particular fruits and vegetables are at their prime. When they’re in season, not only do they taste great, they’re also cheaper! I won’t buy strawberries in the winter because they’re expensive and they sure aren’t very flavourful! Also, when fruits and vegetables are in season, they’re more likely to be grown closer in your area, cutting down on transportation and delivery costs!
Here’s a list of fruits and vegetables and when each one is in season:
(This list was compiled from the cookbook, Simply in Season.)
Year-Round:
Apples
Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
Herbs
Spring:
Asparagus
Broccoli
Edible flowers
Leeks
Lettuce
Mesclun (cool weather)
Mushrooms
Peas
Rhubarb
Spinach
Strawberries
Radishes
Summer:
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Corn
Cucumbers
Edamame
Edible Flowers
Eggplant
Fennel
Green beans
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Melon
Okra
Peaches
Peas
Peppers
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Spinach
Strawberries
Summer Squash
Swiss Chard
Tomatillos
Tomatoes
Fall:
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Celery
Collards
Corn (early Fall)
Cranberries
Edible flowers
Eggplant (early Fall)
Fennel
Grapes
Kale
Kohlrabi (early Fall)
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Parsnips
Pears
Persimmons
Pumpkins
Raspberries
Rutabagas
Spinach
Sweet potatoes
Swiss chard
Tomatillos (early Fall)
Tomatoes (early Fall)
Turnips
Winter squash
Winter:
Beets
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Celeriac
Kale
Parsnips
Pears
Pumpkins
Rutabagas
Sweet potatoes
Turnips
Winter squash
Do you eat Seasonally? What’s your favourite fruit & vegetable eating season?
Hola everyone! I’m back from my amazing Mexican vacation. I’m still wondering why it’s so cold here and where my room service is! But it’s good to be home. It was a much needed break but I’m glad to be back online!
I’m just stopping in today, before I start on our gigantic pile of laundry, to let you know that I have an article that was published at The Yummy Mummy Club! Although, I’m not a mummy yet, I guess I’m yummy? Okay, that’s a long shot.
You can click here to read my article, let me know what you think! Also, there are a whole bunch of money articles in the left hand column at yummymummyclub.ca that you may want to check out as well!
Inspired by my post on 10 painless ways the Tightwad Gazette saves $100 each year, I thought I would post 9 ways that we in the Simply Frugal household save at least $100 a year. It really doesn’t have to be difficult! Painless actually.
1) Shop the sales, compare prices
When we’re on the market for something in particular. We take the time to do our research. We make sure we’re getting the most bang for our buck, especially when it’s a big ticket item. Sure it takes a little bit of effort but it’s in line with my staying debt free philosophy.
2) Pack our lunches every day
This is easy for me to do since I make sure to make plenty of dinner in order to save some for our lunches. I love having a hot lunch everyday!
Well I don’t think I need to repeat why I love meal planning. You can go here to read more about my views on this subject. 🙂
5) Make coffee, hot chocolate at home
Sure, I really enjoy the occasional Starbucks or Tim Horton’s coffee, but I also enjoy staying in my pajamas longer and making coffee at home. I actually try to keep on hand, some homemade coffee cream. Delicious!
6) Use the library instead of buying new books
I love the library! Our library system is great, I think! There are several branches in my surrounding area that makes it possible to request almost any book that I may desire to read. Here are some other ways the library can save you money.
7) Use coupons
Yep, I love coupons! I just recently saved myself $20 on Olay products by combining sales and coupons. I got 6 Olay products completely free! (Here’s a whole series I wrote on Couponing in Canada)
8) Think before I buy
This is a big one. I used to be quite the impulse buyer. If it was a good sale, I’d buy it even if I didn’t need it. But in my quest to lead a simpler life with less stuff, I always ask myself if I can afford it, if it’s worth dusting, packing up for a move, or if I really love it, before I make the purchase.
9) Cut my husband’s hair at home
I think every time I cut his hair we’re saving at least $20! And he needs his hair cut more often than I do 🙂
There you have my list of ways I save at least $100 a year. I hope to discover more ways that work for my family over the years to come!
What are some frugal things that you do that save you at least $100 a year? What are some frugal things that you used to do but should probably start doing again?
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