Hey friends – you know I love a good money-saving post. I’ve always been a great saver and very cautious with my money, but once Willow arrived, I had to re-evaulate everything. I decided to quit my corporate job and freelance and blog full-time. Scary, trust me! I had been working in the corporate world for nearly 10 years… so the idea of suddenly NOT working and having steady income scared the life out of me.
But I knew I wanted to stay home with my baby, no matter what it took to make it work. I am very fortunate to be a writer, because this is an easy career to work from home. I am even more fortunate that the company I left kept me on as a freelance contractor for a few months as I transitioned. (Also – shout out to my incredible and supportive husband. His hard work lets me live out my dream, and for that I am so grateful.)
Regardless, our household income decreased significantly and we needed to be much more careful. Some things naturally worked out for themselves, like paying less for gas because I am home. Or not eating out as much having a baby around. You know, less date nights (unfortunately). But there are some other things that helped us keep costs on the lower end and continue to save for our growing family.
Maybe some of these tips below are things you are already doing to save, or maybe not. I hope that at least one thing jumps out at you, because saving money is exciting. And possible!
#1: Breastfeed, if you are able. Not much to say here, except that breastfeeding will obviously save you hundreds/thousands of dollars. If you are not able to, this will not apply to you. But, worth mentioning because it is true. I breastfed exclusively until 7 months and then my supply began to dip. I started having to supplement with organic soy formula (and still am supplementing as I continue to pump what I can) and my gosh, it is costly. We aren’t even exclusively using formula, and boy does it go fast.
#2: Ask for hand-me-downs and thrift shop. There’s no shame in putting a request out there for hand-me-downs. Before Willow was born, I posted on Facebook that I was looking for used baby clothes and I ended up getting like 3-4 garbage bags full of 0-9 months clothing from a friend! We barely bought any clothes until after 6 months. I also love a good thrift shop for kids – I am sure you could find one in your area. I wrote about some of my favorite baby items to buy at a thrift shop in the past.
#3: Make your own baby food. Forget that processed junk and just make your own food. It is so easy to spend an hour once a month on a weekend morning to boil and puree a wide variety of vegetables and freeze. I promise you it is easy, and I promise it will save you so much money.
#4: Find free things to do. I’m talking about two things here. First, finding free family activities is a must. Check out local parks, farmer’s markets, and other events going on in your community that are open to the public. Second (and really important, especially to me) is to think of free date night ideas. Our go-to used to be eating out, but it is harder to do that now, and can add up quickly. Instead, after Willow goes to sleep, we’ll make a huge bowl of popcorn and make snacks at home and watch a movie or show we both are invested in. We’ll sit out on our screen-in porch with twinkle lights overhead and eat homemade dinner or dessert and chat. You can definitely think of some romantic and free things to do – just takes a little effort!
#5: Eat at home. We both love to cook, so this is something we have always done. And I know for sure that it saves us money! I always make more for dinner, too, so that I can have leftovers for myself or my husband’s lunch the next day. Cooking with a baby isn’t always easy, but I’ve found that it has gotten easier. Here are some tips for cooking with a baby, too.
#6: Turn to friends and family for free babysitting. If you are fortunate enough to have someone that will do this for you, do not be afraid to ask!
#7: Invest in Amazon Prime. This seems opposite of the point I am trying to make, but I know that Prime has saved our family so much money. Not only are almost all products cheaper on here, but the free 2-day shipping is an actual lifesaver. ESPECIALLY for first-time moms!
#8: Make fun out of household items. Pots, pans, plastic bins filled with water… you can make some fun memories with your kiddo with a couple household items. They don’t need every single toy on Amazon.
#9: Buy gender neutral (if you plan on having more kids). We’re a two-kid kinda household. If you are planning on having more, too, then definitely go for the gender-neutral items (at least for big-ticket items!) I can’t wait to use hand-me-downs.
#10: Email companies for free samples. If you are looking at a product (like formula, skin care, bath care, etc.) always reach out to see if they send free samples to try before buying. At the very least, you will get a coupon from them. I’ve done this a few times with success.
These are just some of the ways we saved – I’d love to hear some of your personal tips. xx bianca
