Ways to save money

I love being a stay-at-home mom! (Some political people recently said they think being Mom doesn't qualify as work; well, it does, but I also worked for six years in a corporate job before staying home. I know stay-home moms truly work, and work much longer hours!) For me, one of the hardest aspects of being a mom is balancing a budget. You're stuck with one income (by choice), and you search for ways to get the "extra" in your life without sacrificing too much time or comfort.

I have gathered 15 various ideas for saving money on everyday things, from clothes to household cleaners to food. Some may work for you, some may not, but all can save you money if approached with a practical mindset.

1. Replace ingredients in your recipes with less expensive ones (see my Creamed Soups post for more info). You can replace fresh onions with dehydrated ones, which last longer and still give onion flavor. You can replace sour cream with a little milk, or buttermilk with sour milk (1 c. milk plus 1 T. lemon juice). Look for substitution lists at the back of your recipe book.

2. Buy furniture on Craigslist or at thrift stores or garage sales. If the piece is in good shape but not the color you like, make it over with paint or by sewing a slip cover.

3. Speaking of sewing, making things homemade can often save money (if you don't spend too much on fancy materials--you have to be careful to buy your supplies at good prices). I make my daughter's dresses, shorts and tops. You can make greeting cards, wrapping paper (or use the comic's page from the newspaper), shopping bags, quilts, wreaths, or flower arrangements. These are all healthy creative outlets, too.

4. Grow a garden. Then can or freeze your harvest to make the goodness last throughout the winter. If gardening is out of the question, at least try buying produce from a local co-op or a service such as Bountiful Baskets.

5. Use coupons. Even better, get your coupons from your newspaper for free by doing a paper route (earns you a little money, too). Any coupons you don't use, you can sell on ebay (yes, people actually buy coupons!).

6. Get laundry detergent for free (and toothpaste, shampoo, vitamins, makeup, etc.). There are many home businesses where you can buy these items, then by recruiting other customers, you get a paycheck that pays for your items. I have been a Melaleuca customer for 8 years, and I built up a small home business the first year. Since then, I've gotten all my products for free (costs me $100 a month, and I get a check for $150+). I do not recommend making your own cleaners or detergents. People are employed as chemical engineers for a reason--they know how to make effective products.

7. Combine errands onto one day so you limit your driving. Try setting aside two days a week as "no driving" days to save on gasoline costs.

8. Share babysitting. Find another family with kids of similar ages or similar hobbies, and swap babysitting nights. Or, if you have older kids, have them do babysitting to swap for lessons in sewing, music, piano, etc.

9. Use hand-me-downs. I ask people with kids just older than my family to consider giving me their outgrown clothes. Then I save them in plastic storage tubs for the younger children to grow into in later years.

10. Instead of buying new books, trade used books for credit at a used book store. There are many stores that also take trade-ins on DVDs, video games, and music CDs for store credit and sometimes cash.

11. Even better, get a library card and borrow books, movies and tapes for free. (Just don't let them get overdue! The fines can really add up.)

12. Recycle aluminum cans, newspaper, and corrugated cardboard. The money from the recycling company can offset the cost of buying soda pop or your newspaper.

13. If you can't recycle your newspaper, consider burning it in a wood burning stove to help heat the house in winter, or in an outdoor fire pit in the summer. Wood can often be gathered from certain public lands for free, too, so that would help add fuel to your winter store.

14. Get rid of satellite or cable TV. We are nearing the end of our TV contract, and we are planning to discontinue our $80/month service and replace it with $9/month Netflix that will stream directly to our Bluray player. Technology is wonderful! The cost of the Bluray player ($148) will be recouped after only 2 months of going without TV.

15. Repurpose old items. Old jeans can become a handbag. Strips of old t-shirt material can be braided into a headband. Pieces of old wood make nice picture frames or shelves. Again, with a little creativity and effort, you create something beautiful and save money.

Budgeting and saving money is an art form in and of itself. I hope you'll find joy in the search for ways to save money and improve your life, and that blessings will come to your family.