With a large family, most of us understand how quickly expenses can mount. However, if you are aware of certain strategies and tips to save money, this budget challenge can become much more manageable. A few ways to start saving money with a large family include:
Making meals at home instead of eating out
With a large family, it’s easy to find yourself spending too much money on dining out. Who can blame you? With a large group of hungry people, it sure doesn’t seem worth the effort or time trying to plan meals and make it all at home. But don’t despair – there are plenty of ways to save money while feeding your whole family!
Making meals at home is an excellent way to both eliminate restaurant bills and keep food costs manageable for a larger crew. By meal prepping each week, creating double batches for leftovers, or even having everyone pitch in with dishes, those meals will come together more quickly and easily than you think! And with the right attitude, that home-cooked mealtime can become quite a fun event for all involved.
Creating grocery lists and sticking to them when shopping
A large family can often mean lots of mouths to feed and an increased grocery bill. Luckily, there are several ways to save money while trying to make sure everyone in the family is well-fed. One way is creating a grocery list and then sticking to it; this prevents overspending and avoids buying unnecessary items while shopping.
An organized grocery list will also help prioritize items, allowing families to buy what they really need with the money they have available, eliminating waste that would lead to more spending. Having a grocery list helps structure shopping trips, making them faster so family members don’t end up purchasing food impulsively out of hunger or boredom. Implementing ideas such as these are small but effective steps that can help save a large family money when purchasing groceries.
Investing in clothing at discount stores
Outfitting a large family can be expensive, especially when it comes to purchasing clothes. However, making smart decisions about where you shop and what you buy can drastically reduce your shopping expenses. One great way to save money with a large family is to invest in discount clothing stores.
These stores often offer quality clothing and seasonal items at a fraction of the cost compared to department stores, discount retailers, or mid-level priced retailers–saving you as much as 50% in some cases. Taking advantage of the discount clothing store market is a great way to make sure your family is stylishly dressed without breaking the bank.
Cutting back on cable and streaming video subscriptions
One of the best ways to save money is to cut back on cable and subscription streaming videos. Not only does this eliminate pricey programming packages, but it also drastically reduces the amount of time your kids spend watching television. Video subscriptions such as Hulu or Netflix cost a fraction of what a cable package would cost and offer entertainment that is just as satisfying. You’ll be able to provide plenty of entertainment without sacrificing quality or breaking your budget.
Using energy-efficient appliances to conserve electricity costs
Another helpful way to save money and energy when you have a large family is by investing in energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs. These will help reduce the amount of electricity used, resulting in lower utility bills. Setting up an energy-efficient home might require some up-front expenses, but those costs are generally offset by long-term saving opportunities that energy-efficient appliances provide.
Additionally, the environment will thank you for reducing the carbon footprint associated with unnecessarily high energy usage. Making small changes in your home such as using energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs is an easy way to save money while also helping preserve resources; it’s a win-win!
Opting for carpools or public transportation whenever possible
You can save money by opting for carpools or public transportation whenever possible. This not only saves you from the headaches of dealing with traffic and gas prices, but it can also help your budget tremendously. Investing in monthly bus, train, or metro passes and sharing rides with other families is a great way to share costs and lighten the financial burden associated with living in an expensive city with a large family.
Carpools are also a great option to get around cost-effectively while helping the environment too! Plus, if something comes up unexpectedly and everyone needs to be somewhere at different times, there’s no need to worry – you can always plan ahead or use ride-hailing services instead.
If you commit yourself to just a few of these small changes each month, you will soon realize your expanding wallet while still providing fun experiences for your big family!