WAHMs and SAHMs: 10 Ways to Stretch Your Family's Budget

As a general rule, SAHMs and WAHMs are not usually swimming in money. Often, these dedicated women make many financial sacrifices because they view spending time with their children as more important than financial gain. As a WAHM myself, I understand what it's like to live paycheck to paycheck while I look for ways to make some extra money on the side. When I started staying home with my first son, I thought I was pretty thrifty. I did my shopping at Walmart and outlet stores and didn't buy expensive meats or specialty foods for our family. However, when our family moved and my husband got a different job, I was faced with finding yet more ways in which our family could cut back so that we could keep our family priorities the same. Here are some things I do that save our family thousands each year.

1. Keep a small vegetable garden, if you can. I realize that not everyone has the wherewithal to do this, but if you can, consider planting just a couple of tomato plants in pots. They can get sun indoors by a large window, or on an apartment deck. Tomatoes can cost upwards of $3 a pound. You can buy a plant, or seeds for a fraction of the cost. If you have the space to plant outdoors, plant things that are spendy in the store. For example, I plant peppers, melons, tomatoes, zucchini and beans every year. Peas, though they are fun to grow, take up much space and give little yield, so it is worth buying them in the store.

2. Make your own baby food. Pay $.95 for a jar of stage three baby food? No way! Don't believe the marketing lie that baby food in the jar is the best nutritional option for your little one. Instead, buy bulk vegetables such as squash, peas, carrots, beans and corn. Steam them (bake the squash) and run them through a blender. Then, store the blended vegetables in ice cube trays in your freezer. When you need a meal, pop two or three cubes in the microwave for forty five seconds. You will save hundreds of dollars by doing this. Plus, you will know exactly what your child is eating.

3. Breastfeed. If you have already gone to formula, there may be no going back. However, if you are pregnant or planning to have another baby, make the decision to breastfeed. Formula can cost anywhere from $50 to $200 per month depending on if your baby has an allergy or needs a specialty formula. Aside from the numerous health benefits for mom and baby, saving money is yet another reason to breastfeed.

4. Take up sewing. With the cost of material and patterns, you may not find it worth your time to sew clothes for your family. I agree. However, sewing things like blankets and curtains is extremely cost effective. A full set of drapes can set you back over $100. Instead, comb fabric sale racks and make your own. Curtains are very simple to make, requiring only a few seems, and they are easy to dress up (add a border, or tab tops). I made all of the curtains in our house for about $50 by finding fabric on sale for $2 a yard at Walmart. It is definitely worth investing in a modest sewing machine if you plant to sew to save money.

5. Don't subscribe to magazines, newspapers, or book clubs. Have you ever subscribed to a newspaper or magazine, only to have several issues lay on your end table unread? We have. Virtually all of the information you get in these periodicals can be found on the company's website or at your local library.

6. Shop at thrift stores with sense. I have found thrift stores ideal for many items such as household items, coats, books and toys. However, when it comes to clothes, many thrift stores sell them for a price close to what I could purchase the item new, on sale, at the store. Keep your eyes on thrift store sales to find a better deal. Goodwill and other thrift shops will have sales where tags of a certain color tag are 50% off. This is a great time to do serious shopping.

7. Limit trips to the store. The more often I go to the store, the more money I spend. Keep lists and try to reduce the number of times you go out of your house to spend money.

8. If you need to get out for your sanity, choose the right location. Avoid going to the store out of boredom or a need to be out of the house. Instead, schedule a play date, or go to the library, park or community center. These will provide physical activity and interaction for your kids, while preventing you from spending money.

9. Purchase ink cartridges on line. Ink cartridges can be obscenely expensive, even at discount stores. At websites like clickinks.com, you can purchase individual cartridges for under $10, and your purchase includes free shipping. There are also great rates for buying quantities of 3 or more.

10. Switch from cereal to oatmeal. How much money do you spend a month on cereal? If you have two children, you probably spend $20 or more a month. However, a box of oatmeal will last about the same amount of time and cost around $3. Add a little brown sugar or milk to spruce up the flavor and you will save a bundle over time.