Raising
a family isn’t cheap! While slashing household expenses requires time
and effort, families don’t have to go the route of extreme couponing or
sacrificing quality time together to make money-saving changes happen.
Jenna Fernandes, CEO of CareBooker.com, the only FREE “Open
Table” of family and pet care services, offers ideas for parents to
save for what matters like adding to a child’s college fund, planning
for retirement or making some overdue household repairs.
From planning family meals in advance to shopping smart, here are 4 easy ideas to save money:
1. Trade a vacation for a staycation: Instead
of taking two vacations per year, trading one of them in for a
staycation can save thousands. Investigate local towns as well as
surrounding communities to see what type of fun things are offered
nearby. Roadtrippers
is the best go-to guide for nearby attractions such as national parks,
old-school diners, art galleries and more all organized on a map with
directions. The most important thing isn’t the destination, but that
families are bonding and spending time together.
2. Meal planning is a must: Swinging
by the drive through multiple times per week can burn a hole in
anyone’s wallet. Instead of spending $25 to $40 eating at a restaurant,
plan budget-friendly meals at home. When planning meals ahead of time,
families always know what’s for dinner and are less likely to resort to
fast food. Plan to Eat
is an easy and effective online meal planning service that generates
shopping lists based on the meals that people want to eat for the week,
helping families spend less time and money grocery shopping.
3. Smart food shopping matters: For those who hate clipping coupons, there are smartphone apps that make the job much easier. Favado,
for example, locates which store has the best discounts based on a
grocery list and emails the coupons for printing. It is also easier, if
possible, to keep kids at home while grocery shopping— intercepting
cookies and other items they try to fling into the cart is not only
distracting but can cause more spending than intended.
4. Home entertainment is fun: Instead
of going to the movies, check out a video from the local library and
spend the night at home watching movies and popping popcorn with the
family. Library rentals are free and for less than $2, popcorn can be
enjoyed from the comfort of home. For newer movie options, the Redbox app locates nearby kiosks where families can reserve just-released movies to rent for as little as $1.20 a night.
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