Money Saving Tips for Busy Mums

Having kids is an expensive business! The latest figures suggest that the average cost of raising a child from birth to 21 in the UK has now reached £230,000. When you’re raising kids, it can feel like your money is evaporating before your eyes. Everyone knows that a mother’s love is free, but the toys, school uniforms and holidays that children want certainly aren’t. So how can normal mums save money? Here are some top tips that everyone can try:

Start a Babysitting Club

Every mum needs an occasional night off but finding a babysitter can be expensive! Save on the cost of hiring a babysitter by setting up a babysitting circle with some trusted friends instead. When you babysit for someone in the circle, you are given a token. This token can then be exchanged when you need someone to look after your kids, meaning that no one ever feels they are being taken advantage of or doing more than their fair share of the childcare.

You’ll know your children are being looked after by someone you trust, and you won’t have to pay twice to have an evening out!

Sell It On

Do you have a collection at home that you cherish? Whether you collect figurines, coins, or stamps, having a collection that you love will boost your happiness and overall wellbeing. But if you have a collection that doesn’t bring you joy any more then why not sell it on and pocket the cash instead? You can also sell unwanted toys, outgrown clothes, and other discarded household goods to bring a little extra pocket money into your household.

Plan Your Supermarket Shop

The average cost of feeding a child from birth to 21 is now calculated to be £19,270: that’s a lot of chicken nuggets! However, it is possible to reduce the amount you spend on your weekly shop by planning it in advance and cooking from scratch. Menu plan, work out what ingredients you’ll need, and write a weekly shopping list. Check what you have in your cupboards and fridge before you hit the shops to avoid any unnecessary food waste. By doing this, and avoiding those expensive supermarket impulse buys, you’ll be amazed by how much money you’ll save each month.

Use Cash

Swiping your credit or debit card is so easy, and spending on your card often doesn’t feel like spending at all! If you’re keen to save money then instead of swiping that card, spend cash instead. Withdraw the amount of cash you have to spend on extras and incidentals each week, and you will more easily be able to see where your money is going, and budget accordingly.

Save For Christmas

Finally, one of the biggest non-essential expenses that most parents face is the cost of Christmas. This year’s must have toys, trips to meet Santa, and family pantomime tickets don’t come cheap. But Christmas is never a surprise: we know it’s going to happen every year. So, start saving for it now! Putting just £20 a month aside will give you a very respectable £240 to spend on gifts in December. You could also shop for gifts all year round if you have a large family, taking advantage of things you see in the seasonal sales when they are heavily discounted.