Being a stay at home mom isn't always roses and sunshine. Sure, we love being able to raise our children but there are times things get stressful. Money is usually pretty tight when there is only one income. We are always looking for ways to save money or bring in a little extra money! This list should give you some tips on how you can be saving and making money as a stay at home mom.
Turn Your Hobby into a Business
Just because you're at home taking care of the house doesn't mean you can't be a business woman at the same time. Think about your hobbies and skills and start a business out of it. Maybe you love to bake, sew or create graphics. Whatever it might be, try turning it into an online business. More and more stay at home moms are now starting businesses that they can run all while staying at home with their children.
Find a Work at Home Job (WAHJ)
There are several companies that will hire you to work from home. Some companies have a set time you have to work and others allow you to pick your own schedule. Working from home is a nice way to bring in some extra money and do it around your families schedule. Here are a few places that hire out of Canada.
If you’re just looking for coffee money I highly recommend joining Survey Junkie. If you want to do a few paid surveys for fun Survey Junkie is awesome for that.
Paying for mommy & me classes or any other classes for socializing the little ones can become very expensive! Try setting up playdates with other moms. This is a great way to save on those expensive classes and you have a chance to bond with other women in your community. You can set up playdates at your local park, library or at your home.
Get a Membership
As stay at home moms we love getting out of the house from time to time. No-one wants to be cooped up in the house all day, every day. You might want to consider investing in a membership to a local zoo, water park or any other local entertainment. Having an annual membership means you always have something to do without any large expenses involved.
Swap Services
Being a stay at home mom isn't always the easiest thing. There are times when you just want to have an afternoon to yourself or maybe you have an appointment and can't bring your little one. Paying for daycare when you're a stay at home mom is something just financially out of the question.
Look into swapping babysitting services with another stay at home mom. Maybe you can wash her children one day a week so she can have one day to relax or run errands and vice versa. This will help you save on those very expensive drop in daycare costs.
How do you save or make money as a stay at home mom?
There’s a new feature on Simply Frugal that needs a bit of an introduction! I’ve had the pleasure of receiving some great emails from Lorraine in response to posts that have been published on Simply Frugal. Her tips are really great so I asked if she would be willing to let me publish her experiences with frugal living in a somewhat regular feature called Saving with Lorraine! It’s so nice to hear how others are saving! I’m thinking of aiming to have the posts up on Fridays. Not every Friday though, because I don’t want to pressure her in the least! I hope you enjoy this new feature!
Her first post is about how she organizes her coupons:
I have purchased a small photo album with a strap on the front. When I leave home, I place any pertinent documents under the strap and this way, there is less chance of losing anything while in transit. I have inserted the following categories in this album:
Cleaning Products
Feminine Hygiene
General Hygiene
Paper Products
Frozen Foods
Meat and Poultry
Dairy Products
Bread and Baked Goods
Breakfast Foods
Condiments and Oils
Deli Foods
Canned and Dry Goods
Garbage Bags/Storage Bags
Fruit and Vegetables
Vitamins and Minerals
Snack Foods
Beverages (including juices, soft drinks and spritzers)
Ethnic Foods
Rainchecks
Environmental Products (e.g. lightbulbs, etc.)
Clothing
Pain Relief
Greeting Cards
Laundry/Dishwashing Products
Dental Hygiene
Pasta and Rice
Miscellaneous (for those coupons that do not have a specific spot)
I have used stick on tabs so that I can adjust the number of pages allotted to each section as the need arises. I also take the time to highlight the expiry date on each coupon before filing it away in its appropriate section to make it easier on the cashiers.
Before I go for any shopping trip, I glance through the binder and take out any coupon that I can use, particularly if the item is on sale. I then made up envelopes for each of the grocery stores that I shop in and place the coupons to be used according to the store where I will be making the purchase. (These cash envelopes will also work really well for coupons!) That way, I only need my grocery list and the envelope for the chosen store. I leave the binder in the car when I can, until my next stop and then I grab the next envelope needed. I have also taken the time to indicate my name, address and telephone number on the front of the binder so that if I ever decide to bring the binder into a store and accidentally forget it in the shopping cart or on a counter when I pay my bill, the person who finds it can contact me.
I typically spend between 15 – 30 minutes a day organizing my coupons in the binder, rather than let them pile up. This is not a tremendous amount of time, considering that I manage to save between $200 and $400 per month on my grocery bill. For any coupons that I do not use, I submit these to a social service agency that then passes them on to their clients. This is my way of using a coupon train that serves a needy population and encourages low income families to start couponing.
Head on over to the Canadian Living website and you’ll find an article called 6 Unique Money-Saving Tips for Everyone. One of those tips (#6) is from yours truly!
While the tip discusses daily coffee runs, you can replace that vice with whatever vice applies to your own life.
I had the privilege of talking with Alyssa (months ago!) over the phone, about the website, and my favourite ways to save money so it’s fun to see the article in print finally!
Living on a Budget: How to Spend Less Without Giving Up the Good Stuff
When you hear the phrase living on a budget, what comes to mind?
For some people, it sounds restrictive. No dinners out. No fun. No little treats. Eating beans and rice every night while carefully watching every penny.
But that isn't what living on a budget has to look like.
In fact, I've been living a frugal lifestyle for many years, and one thing I've learned is that spending less doesn't have to mean enjoying life less. It simply means being more intentional about where your money goes.
You can still have great meals, enjoy family time, buy things you love and have fun. You just might have to get a little more creative about how you do it.
And honestly? That's where the fun can begin.
Here are some of my favourite ways to make living on a budget feel less like a restriction and more like a challenge you're actually excited to take on.
1. Look for a Deal Before You Buy
This is probably one of my favourite rules: never assume the first price you see is the best price.
Before buying anything, take a minute to look for a sale, coupon, promo code, cashback offer or another way to save.
Depending on what you're buying, there may be ways to save on clothing, household items, travel, restaurants, subscriptions and just about everything else.
I don't believe you need to spend hours hunting down every possible coupon. Sometimes a quick Google search or checking a retailer's current promotions is all it takes.
Saving $5 might not feel life changing in the moment, but those little savings add up! They can free up money for the things you actually want to spend on.
2. Take a Fresh Look at Your Monthly Bills
It's easy to focus on cutting the little things while completely ignoring the big expenses quietly coming out of your account every month.
Take a look at your recurring bills: internet, cell phone, insurance, subscriptions, utilities and anything else you pay regularly.
Are you still getting the best rate? Have you checked whether there is a better plan available? Are you paying for subscriptions you barely use?
Sometimes living on a budget isn't about giving up your morning coffee. It's about making one phone call that saves you $20 or $30 every month.
And unlike skipping a purchase, a recurring monthly saving keeps working for you month after month.
3. Learn to Make Things Yourself
I'm not suggesting you suddenly become an expert at everything DIY. But there is something so satisfying about realizing, "Wait... I could actually make that!"
Before automatically buying something new, consider whether you could repair it, make it, repurpose something you already own or find a less expensive way to accomplish the same thing.
Maybe it's making a simple household product, repairing a piece of clothing, painting a piece of furniture or tackling a small home project yourself.
You don't have to DIY everything. The goal is simply to get into the habit of asking: "Do I really need to buy this, or is there another way?"
4. Make Staying Home More Fun
Entertainment can eat through a budget real quick.
A family outing, movie tickets, restaurant meal or expensive attraction can easily turn into a much bigger expense than you planned.
Have a movie night with snacks. Pull out the board games. Make homemade pizza. Have a backyard campout. Try a new recipe together. Have a family tournament. Invite friends over instead of meeting at a restaurant.
And don't forget to look for free things happening in your community. Libraries, parks, festivals, outdoor concerts and community events can provide hours of entertainment without requiring a big budget.
Sometimes the best memories don't cost much at all.
5. Give Yourself Some Fun Money
This one is important.
If your budget doesn't include any money for fun, it's going to feel pretty miserable. A realistic budget should make room for the things you enjoy.
Maybe it's a coffee with a friend. A new book. Takeout on Friday night. A family outing. A hobby. Whatever matters to you.
The amount doesn't have to be huge. What matters is knowing that you have some money set aside that you can spend without feeling guilty.
Because the goal of a budget isn't to make you miserable. The goal is to make your money work for the life you want.
6. Stop Trying to Keep Up
One of the hardest parts of living on a budget isn't necessarily the budgeting itself. It's the constant feeling that everyone else is buying more, doing more and living better.
Someone gets a new kitchen. Someone else takes an amazing vacation. Your neighbour buys a new car. Social media makes it look like everyone is constantly upgrading their homes, wardrobes and lives.
You don't have to keep up. Instead, get really clear about what you value.
If travel is important to you, maybe you're happy to spend less on home decor so you can put more money toward a trip.
If having a comfortable home matters most, perhaps you'll spend more there while cutting back somewhere else.
Frugal living doesn't mean everyone has to make the same choices. It's about making intentional choices with your own money.
7. Create a Budget That Actually Works for You
Of course, none of this works very well if you don't know where your money is going.
Take some time to look at your income and expenses and create a budget that reflects your real life.
Don't create a fantasy budget where you somehow spend $0 on entertainment, $100 a month on groceries for a family of four and never buy anything unexpected. Build a budget you can actually live with.
Include your regular expenses, savings goals, debt payments and, yes, some fun money.
If you're budgeting with a partner, make sure you're both involved. It's much easier to stick with a plan when you agree on what you're working toward.
8. Remember That Frugal Doesn't Mean Cheap
There's a difference between being cheap and being frugal:
Being cheap often means focusing only on getting the lowest possible price.
Being frugal means looking at the overall value of your purchase.
Sometimes the cheapest option really is the best choice. Sometimes spending a little more on something you'll use for years makes much more sense than buying the cheapest version and replacing it often.
Living on a budget isn't about always choosing the cheapest option. It's about spending your money on purpose.
The Best Part of Living on a Budget
After years of frugal living, I've come to believe that budgeting isn't really about deprivation. It's about choices.
When you stop spending money automatically, you have more money available for the things that actually matter to you.
You become better at spotting a good deal. You get more creative. You learn to appreciate what you already have. And you start realizing that a fun, comfortable life doesn't have to come with a huge price tag.
Living on a budget isn't about having less life. It's about getting more life out of the money you have. And honestly, I think that's a pretty good way to live.
How do you make living on a budget work without feeling like you're missing out?
It can be so easy to spend a lot on baby gifts, after all, everything is just so cute! Check out these tips that are sure to help you save big on all those baby gifts.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm currently in a big baby boom within my group of friends and family. Over the years I've found ways to cut costs on shower gifts while still maintaining a good looking gift. I personally like to create a gift consisting of practical items with something not so practical thrown in, like a pretty dress for a baby girl.
Here are some of my tried and true techniques that help me create a great baby gift on a budget:
Shop the Sales
I love the clearance section at The Real Canadian Superstore. I find the clothing adorable at a fantastic price! I've also found some great deals in the children's section at Walmart. Before you go crazy in the clearance sections, make sure you have a budget in mind for the particular person you're shopping for . It's very easy to spend, spend, spend!
Use Coupons
There are tons of coupons out there for diapers and baby toiletries. I find the baby toiletries make great fillers for gift baskets, and well, diapers are just practical!
Use Your Skills
Create your own gifts for the new parents. Sew a blanket or a set of burp cloths. Design and make a Baby's First Year book. If you are an experienced parent, create a helpful advice book, if you think the receiver would appreciate this. Paint a lovely picture for the nursery.
Team Up
If you would love the get the new parents something more substantial, why not go in with a group of friends or family on a more substantial gift? The gift is always appreciated no matter how many people go in on the gift.
Be of Service
The gift of time is truly appreciated. Offer to clean the house. Or do the laundry. Meals are always loved. Maybe even some baked goods that are great for snacking on for those late nights? After having my own baby girl, even having a friend over to simply hold her was much appreciated!
I hope I've given you some ideas to think about or at least gotten the creative juices flowing! Happy shopping (or happy helping)!
I'd love to know how you save money on baby gifts. Let me know in the comments!
Who couldn't use an extra $100 every month? Whether or not you're putting that money aside into savings or using it to pay a phone bill, it still equals $1200 at the end of the year! Now I don't think that number is something to take lightly!
I thought I would compile a list of simple and useful ways anyone can save an extra $100 a month. After all, a little here and a little there can really add up! I challenge you to use as many of the ways I have listed and see what you can come up with at the end of the month!
