Parenting Blogger, Alyssa Dock, shares her money-saving tips for families living on a budget..
When my husband and I made the decision for me to stay home and raise our daughters, it came with a massive sacrifice. I was giving up the career I loved, and also a career that helped us pay our bills every month. In turn, I decided I was going to do all I could to help us save money on our monthly expenses. It’s been about two years now of me being a stay-at-home mom, and while I definitely don’t have it all figured out, here are a few money saving tips I have learned over time.
Diapers
Buying diapers is the bane of my existence. Seriously, they are so darn expensive! I have learned however, that there are always good deals on buying diapers.
For example, Target has running diaper deals they rotate through every other month or so. There are two main ones: spend $100 on diapers or wipes and get a free $20 gift card, or spend $75 on diapers or wipes and get a $15 dollar gift card. Check the Target Circle app weekly to see what deals they are running.
I’ve actually found the best diaper deals at Meijer. They occasionally run deals like $25 dollars off when you spend $100 on anything in the baby department or $10 dollars off 2 boxes of diapers.
Oftentimes you can stack these deals on top of each other and end up saving a good chunk of change. Also, make sure to use the Mperks app so that you also receive points on your diaper purchases, which can then be turned around and used on money off groceries.
There are also apps like Fetch Rewards, which team up with Huggies and Pampers to offer additional savings. Once you purchase your diapers, upload your receipts to the app, and you will end up earning things like gift cards which can be in turn used to get even more diapers, for free!
Formula
If your baby is on formula, there are additional ways to save on groceries when you stack coupons at the grocery store. For example, Meijer often runs a deal on items in the baby department, which includes formula. In the past, the deals have been: buy 5 cans of formula, receive a $20 gift card for your next purchase, or spend $100 and get a $25 dollar gift card for your next purchase
If you receive WIC benefits, you can use them to pay for formula and still earn the gift cards. The gift cards can be turned around and used on whatever groceries you may need from the store. Check the Mperks app weekly to see when the deals are running. Other stores like Kroger and Walmart often run similar deals.
Grocery Store Apps
This may seem time-consuming, and it can be. But I have learned that there are certain items that are always cheaper at different stores. Once you know these things for specific items, it becomes second nature. Here is an example we use weekly.
-My daughters really love Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars. It’s one of our go-to snacks and we go through boxes like crazy. I do most of my regular grocery shopping at either Meijer or Kroger, which sells a 12 oz box for $6.29. I recently learned that Target sells the same size box for only $3.79. If I’m buying 5 boxes at a time, that is a savings of $12.50. Super worth it!
This is just one example of one item, but it was crazy to me to learn how different prices can be at different stores for the exact same items! It can be worth the extra time searching on your phone.
Meal Plan, Use Free Pickup
This is the area I struggle with the most, however, this is also the area I see the most potential for savings. It can be incredibly time-consuming to plan and shop for a week’s worth of meals, however, grocery pick-up has saved me a ton of time. Not wandering the aisles and adding additional snacks, I see has also made a noticeable difference.
I try to make a plan on Sunday evenings and order my groceries for pick-up on Monday mornings. If I know we have a busy week ahead, I try to order things that are ready to eat. Frozen pizza is a staple around here, and while it may not be the healthiest option, it’s cheaper than take-out pizza and requires minimal effort. Something my whole family will eat for around $7 can’t be beaten.
Grocery store prices sure aren’t what they used to be, but with these few tips, I’ve been able to save a few hundred dollars every month. Sometimes, a little extra effort can go a long way!
Related story: WIC Benefits Guide.
Story by Alyssa Dock for BlueWaterParent.com.
All content of BlueWaterParent.com is for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
