Kids Are NOT Expensive!

All my life, I wanted to be a mom. Everyone always said, "Man, kids are EXPENSIVE!" or they'd not want to have kids because they felt that they wouldn't be able to handle it financially.

After my first child was born, my inner "cheapskate" came out! I had gone from being the bread winner of our family, to a stay at home mom. We were living off of $9.00 an hour and renting a townhouse. You HAVE to be a cheapskate at that point! I would figure out ways to cut corners so I didn't have to go back to work and so I could be at home with our son. The awesome thing that came from it was that six months after our son was born, we bought our first home! It CAN be done!

Oh, and by the way...we have another child and I'm still a stay at home mom. We currently live off of $12.00 an hour and own our home. If kids were expensive, we DEFINATELY would be drowning in debt!

Here are ways I cut corners for those of you out there that think having kids is expensive....

The top way that I save money on our children is that I can probably count on one hand the times I have paid retail for clothing for BOTH of my children. I shop clearance racks only. I don't pay much more than $6.00 for one piece of clothing for them. They don't wear clothes long enough to justify spending $20 on a shirt! So many people are too prideful to shop at places like Goodwill. I LOVE Goodwill for my kids. They always have one color tag that is 50% off, so I keep my eyes peeled for those tags and I only pay full price for something at Goodwill if it's absolutely FANTASTIC or name brand. I'm even cheap when it comes to Goodwill! Here's another great thing about Goodwill...I'm not sure if they do this in YOUR area where you live, but we have "Quarter Monday" at our local Goodwill. They pick the previous weeks 50% off tag and make that color a quarter for one day only. If you go early enough in the day, you can get some REALLY nice things for a quarter a piece! One time I left with a GARBAGE BAG full of "like new" children's clothes for $18.00! You can't buy one outfit RETAIL for that! There is SOME digging required when you're looking for a deal, but be patient...it's well worth the hunt to find some awesome treasures! I also buy for the next five years, too...Hey, when it's a quarter, you have to do that! Just get some plastic tubs, label them with the size, and each time you come home with your goodies, separate them by size in the tubs. The feeling you get when you buy your child a name brand outfit for $0.50 is something to brag about! So throw out your pride and get your behind to Goodwill!

Another way we cut back is on food. I shop at the cheapest store I can find. That usually happens to be Aldi's or Walmart. Go in with a list and buy only from your list. Make out a calendar of what meals you want to serve that month and make your list from that. It's amazing how much time and money you save! Things don't sit waiting in the refrigerator to be used. Be careful when buying in bulk, because eventhough it may be a savings per unit, if it doesn't get used fast enough, it will go bad, thus not saving you a penny...only costing you some!

DON'T GO OVERBOARD ON TOYS! You know how everyone says the kids ignore the toy and play with the box????? Well, that's true for like a second. I even look for toys at Goodwill or second hand stores. They are in like new condition! Why go out and spend a TON of money on something your kids may not enjoy for more than a month? I see people throwing HUNDREDS of dollars down on ungrateful kids every year! What a waste!

Shop garage sales...again, swallow your pride and get your butt to those garage sales! You can find some awesome deals on everything from kids clothes to books and household items! This is an especially great idea for people that are pregnant with their first child and have big needs like cribs and strollers. Just be careful that things like used car seats have not been in car accidents and that cribs are sturdy.

Don't buy expensive diapers! I cannot understand WHY people pay more than $20.00 for a package of diapers when you can get the generic brand for more than half the price?!?!? Do you honestly think that that "leak guarantee" is for real???????? I tried those leak proof diapers and they leaked WORSE than any of the cheap diapers! Every diaper leaks...don't let them fool you!

Accept hand me downs from friends. Ok, I'm gonna tell you to swallow your pride AGAIN! Even if the clothes are a LITTLE worn, they can be used as play clothes! Anything that you really do not want, then pass it along to others in need or take it to your neighborhood Goodwill or Salvation Army. People call me up and say "I have this, this, this, and this. Do you want them?" I always say YES! Make sure you know if they want those items back again when you're done with them or if you're to keep them for good. Here's the key...You want to make sure that you don't have a house busting at the seams, so make sure you have a few boxes labeled "Charity", "Garage Sale", "Garbage", and "Keep". As you sort through the stuff, toss the items in the select boxes. If it's for a garage sale, price it right then and there to save yourself some time.

Breastfeed...it's free! Stick with it and don't give up, it DOES get easier! If you weren't blessed with enough milk like me, breastfeed as long as you can and buy generic formulas. If you don't qualify for assistance with formula, you can save a LOT of money by buying the generic formulas on the market.

If you're not using it, unplug it! Did you know that eventhough something isn't on, having it plugged in is costing you cash????? So walk around your house, turn off things that don't need to be on, and unplug things you don't use often!

You CAN take your kids to Chuck E Cheese! Just don't eat there! Eat before you go, then go in and buy tokens and play games! There's a way to save a few bucks right there, and your kids don't feel like they never get to do anything fun because you're a penny pincher! It's so important to live life and spend money on the important stuff. Don't fret if there is something you REALLY want and it costs money. Just make sure that it is justified spending. A good rule of thumb is to think about something for a month before you buy it. Think if it's something you really need in those 30 days. If at the end of 30 days the desire is still that strong, then go for it...it may even be on sale by then!

Make sure all of your used items get a good cleaning before you use them! We don't want your kids to get sick!

I could go on and on all day, but I figure this is enough for now! If you'd like more tips on how to save some money, just shoot me a message and I'll help you any way I can!