YES, it IS possible!
Savings money is always good, and even better when you have kids!!
Here are some great ways to help you keep some money when it comes to kid related things:
- One of the easiest ways to save money from the start (and it's GREAT for baby) is to breastfeed. You will literally save yourself hundreds if not thousands of dollars by doing this, plus it's the healthiest thing for both of you!
Use cloth diapers! To start up with them it will only cost you the same amount of money as it would to buy about 2 months worth of disposable diapers! Honest! So give it a good try, for 2 months, and if you don't like it,
or it just doesn't suit your lifestyle, then you're not out anything, and you can re-sell the diapers you did buy! They're not as gross as anyone says, and they're ridiculous easy to use. Anyone in or around Hamilton should stop in "Re-Diaper" at "Little Bird" on Ottawa Street North! They have so many different options, and Anj who works there is a great help!
Use second hand clothes! I'm not too good to put "hand me downs" on my kids. Some people refuse to let their kids wear anything but brand new clothes ~ and to them I say "Go ahead and waste your money!" Having 3 children I know how long their clothes can last, and how fast they outgrow them! Kady is currently wearing a lot of Dakota's old clothes! They went through Dakota, then my niece Madison, and now Kady, and they are still in good enough condition to pass back to my newest niece Brooklynn! Right now I have 10+ Rubbermaid totes in my basement with clothes for all 3 of my kids! Ranging in size from 3T all the way to 10. That will literally save me thousands of dollars through the years!
School Pictures - one word expensive! I don't order these anymore. Having 2 kids in school you need to order 2 packages, and they don't give you a discount until you have 3 or more kids in the same school. Not nice. Take your kids to WalMart, or The Real Canadian Superstore for portraits! They are much cheaper, have better background choices, and you don't have to send your girls to school with their hair down for picture day and risk them getting lice! Or better yet, if you're good enough just take the pictures yourself!
Speaking of lice - not a topic people want to talk about but let's face it, almost every school has it at some point in the year. A very inexpensive way to avoid it is Tea Tree Oil! Add a few drops to your kids shampoo, and apply a drop or two behind their ears or in the "part" of their hair. It will save you the $30 or so that it costs to buy the "Treatments" and also save you from having to re-wash bedding and stuffed animals etc.
Buy a reusable swim diaper. They're similar to cloth diapers, but for swimming. You will never have to buy "Little Swimmers" and they come in SUPER cute patterns and colours! Just remember, same as with "Little Swimmers" they're not meant to be absorbent, just to stop solids from entering the water!!
Instead of going to theme parks or any place that charges for admission, take your kids to a nearby garden, playground, water park, or beach. Bring along a picnic and some balls or Frisbees. You can have hours of fun without spending money. And if it's walking or biking distance you will save on fuel too! (which would be nice at $1.34/Litre!!)
Birthday Parties ~ So many parents go way overboard with their kids parties. And oddly enough it's at an age where they will have NO idea and NO appreciation for this. If your kids are under 5, bake up and decorate your own cake or cupcakes, have them help you! Cut up some fresh fruit and vegetables, and make up a big platter of sandwiches for friends and family that come over. Voila, there's your party! Does a 2 year old really need a reception hall rented out with streamers and a clown and to have it catered? Because if so, that's going to be one "Diva" of a child as they get older, and the parties will just get more expensive with PONIES and LIMOS! I'm not up for that! The most expensive birthday we hosted was at a bowling alley when Dakota turned 7, and the nicest thing about it was that I didn't have to do a THING! But we aren't always going to have the extra money for that, so this year we went back to cupcakes and cake with friends and family, then did the same for Kady's 2nd birthday!
Laundry ~ Let's face it, kids make clothes dirty. Lots of clothes. So. wash all of your laundry in cold water, and hang it outside or on an indoor drying rack whenever possible. If you have a "smart meter" for your electricity, only do your washing and/or drying during "off peak" hours. Doing so will save you 66% or more on your Electrical Bill!!
If you happen to have a hobby like sewing or knitting, put it to use for your kids! Make your own hats, scarves, mitts, etc! Not only will they have super cute, and unique winter wear, but you will spend less then half the retail price of those things! I'm not lucky enough to have this skill, but a friend of mine does, and she even makes these items to sell!
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These are one of her cute creations!
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- NEVER be afraid to use coupons!!! Coupons should be your best friend for saving money on kids things! I never used to use them, I always figured "What does $0.50 save me, really?" Well, really, it adds up! And 50 cents saved is 50 cents that stays in MY pocket! There are fabulous ways to use coupons, you just need the right resources to be able to use them all to their full potential. My cousin-in-law has made this an art. She is a resource for anyone to use, so if you're interested in saving money on EVERYTHING in life (not just kids!) take a peek at her amazing blog Mrs.January She is the coupon-queen!
These are just a few of my ideas. Feel free to add your own money saving ideas!! I hope you're able to use some of these!
