Being a mum is an exhausting job, it’s true, it takes a village. However, nowadays it also takes a wealthy banker. Mums worldwide are probably wondering how other mums in other parts of the planet manage their finances to keep everything afloat.
It’s no surprise that families struggle to pay the bills, childcare and on top of that school supplies and entertainment for children, which does not come in cheap.
So… how do parents cope economically?
There are little tips and hacks that can save you quite a bit of money when you add it up. It all comes down to budgeting and knowing when and where to buy.
1. Take advantage of sales
If you’re a woman then you probably already know this. The sale season is the time to shop. However, it’s also the time to shop for school supplies and all the other gadgets children need nowadays. If you wait until kids have to go back to school then you’ll probably be buying regular prices, which is why it’s best for you to be one season ahead.
2. Avoid taking the kids with you
Children don’t really understand the power of “no”. You can say it 20 times and they will still ask if you can buy them this or that. Which is why is better to not take them with you when you go shopping for their school supplies.
Of course, it’s nice to also let them choose their things, so go for online shopping! They won’t know whether you bought them everything they wanted or not, and by the time it arrives, they would probably forget about many of the things they thought they wanted.
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3. Buy Only What They Thing and One Little Extra Thing
It’s never too young to learn the valuable lesson of “only buy what you need”. There are no depths to the infinite desires of men. And children, in particular, tend to be bottomless pits with endless lists of things they “need” but that are actually temporary desires.
Teach them the value of their belonging and the importance of only having what they need. But since children will be children, is also nice to give them a nice extra treat.
After doing shopping for their school supplies you can set a budget and they can choose a gift. This will give them a good intensive to start school and also of taking care of their belongings.
4. Buy in Bulk
Children remain children for a few years, so stock up on school supplies because you’re going to need them for years to come. Buying in bulk might seem like a big purchase at the moment, but it will help you save money in the long run. Notebooks, pencils, crayons, erasers and the list goes on. Children also tend to be a bit reckless with their belongings, making it normal for them to not have any colouring crayons after one month of being back in school. It will be handy to have a small stock at home.
Buy everything in bulk, from Clorox wipes to lunch snacks. It will be handy and it will also save you time that it’s spent going to buy all the little things that run out.