Ahhh, saving money. Ever since my very first job at age 16 waiting tables, I have always been a bit more of a spender. I remember coming home with cash tips in my apron every night with that hard-earned money burning a hole in my pocket. I loved to drive my friends around, getting dinner and ice cream, buying clothes and books just for fun. My best friends and I worked together later on at a church cafe, and I remember my best friend would save almost all of her paychecks - I had no idea how she was able to do so, and always admired that about her. Even today, she has saved quite a little chunk of money for herself even though she doesn't make crazy money - she is still in college, getting her degree as inexpensively as possible and not paying for any big bills, so she will have little lump of money to start off her young life.
My current "work" situation is a little murky - I mostly stay at home with Ben right now - based on my experience level and current daycare/childcare costs, it honestly is just the most economical and best lifestyle situation for our family right now. I could technically try to find some part-time night job and care for Ben during the day, but we have decided that for our home to function well and for everyone to be their best self, that probably wouldn't be the best decision right now. That being said, I do help Chris run his family's salon. (He works full time and we both use our spare time toward the salon. It's kind of a confusing situation.) It's not exactly a full-time job for me and it doesn't make a lot of money, but I consider that my my main contribution toward our finances. I also sell paintings, but it's not consistent money, and I also blog, which is unpaid but I like to consider it an investment toward future work and writing is a passion for me.
Chris and I have a lot of big dreams and goals for our future - we would both like to move to the central coast in California this year, finish school at some point in the next few years, and eventually start our own business together. #goals! #excitingconcepts We love being together and we are both passionate about different creative and people-related things. As many of you probably know, dreams and goals often require time, hard work, aaaand money! (Why does everything require money? Gah.) I've recently decided that to start getting our plans for moving truly underway, we both need to buckle down and learn to be serious savers and moneymakers - I've done my research, and I thought I would share with you guys some tips, facts, and all of that JAAAAZZZZZZZ!
- Grocery shop the smart way. No, I'm not talking about spending hours clipping coupons, but find your favorite grocery store and see if they have perks programs. Where I live, we have a chain called Meijer, and that has a perks program where you can find special coupons and discounts through an app. I will get decent coupons (sometimes just $10 dollars off my next purchase!) and little perks right at checkout as "rewards" for shopping there - like $4 dollars off my basket, etc. Also, I like to shop at Aldi for staples and certain items - they're known for being cheaper, and there is no difference when it comes to things like olive oil, sugar, cheeses, milk, etc. I tend to buy my produce and meat at Meijer and staple foods or snack stuff at Aldi.
- Meal plan! I tend to overshop - I do this often, and many food items end up spoiling or not getting used. Really clean out your old food each week and plan out some different meals so that you can shop for specific days.
- Find local free activities. When we were dating, Chris and I used to go out frequently for dinner, spend way too much money, book hotels for weekend trips, and go shopping. (And go to the casino lol) I used to spend a lot of my money on makeup or clothes, dinners out with friends, and gas money. Now, we spend a lot of nights eating home-cooked food and doing things like taking Ben and Cooper to a field or a park to run around or play. Sometimes we do "at home date nights" where we make something unique and tasty (last time we had fondue!) and rent a movie. When Ben goes to sleep, we have dinner and a movie together and it's special and inexpensive. We have a pool in our neighborhood, the library is my favorite place to find books, and I rarely buy new clothes unless I really need something. Look up local free activities for kids or babies, and you will find loads of ideas! I also love going to the park with my mom friends or taking Ben for walks outside during the day. I definitely still make the occasional unnecessary Target run, but I try to cut down on going to the store just for fun.
- Sell stuff online! I have just started listing things - Chris and I want to move this year, and we have to basically get rid of everything we own because we are driving across the country. Facebook Marketplace is a great way to go, or I use the app letgo to sell things to people in my area. When I sold my car last year, I used Craigslist, which I think is good for bigger items. Just make sure you're meeting with people in a safe and public place and someone either goes with you or knows where you are!
- Garage sale! I am currently planning a garage sale for us - we have a lot of clothes, shoes, baby stuff, decorations, and furniture we have to sell. If you take a look around, you may notice that you've accumulated a bunch of unnecessary items that you never use. Try to plan it when the weather is decent and sell or give away snacks and lemonade at your garage sale to attract more people and reel 'em in! #grownuplemonadestand #mompreneur
- Take a hard look at your finances. Look at your bank statement - how much is coming in and going out? How much do you spend on bills each month? What else is money being spent on? Sometimes it will shock you and make you feel like a big materialistic turd. (I speak from experience so don't feel too bad!) Learn from it, and change your habits! For me, my big problem area really is groceries. I need to consolidate what we need each week and really get better at planning it out and buying certain things in bulk.
- Thrifty and thriving! There are many amazing resale shops out there. My friends and I used to hit up Salvation Army and find the cutest, most unique clothes. Sometimes we would find cute sweaters, vintage dresses, or hilarious crewneck sweatshirts. (I have one that I still wear constantly - it's bright pink with an embroidered wolf and it says "IT'S BEEN A BAD YEAR.") It cracks me up and I can guarantee that no one else will have it! Goodwill is often a gold mine, and there are resale baby shops like Once Upon a Child that sell loads of baby clothes and items for cheap, cheap, cheap.
Hopefully this helped someone out there - debt is not glamorous, and spending more than you need to isn't necessary. I'm still working on this myself, and I have a long way to go. (Guess who has two thumbs and spent $40 dollars at the LIBRARY today for two damaged books? You guessed it - this financial genius.) Try to implement one of these ideas in your life, and slowly work your way through each one. I actually love all of the free activities I am able to find in our area, and I prefer thrifted clothes over buying new most of the time! (I tend to shrink new shirts in the dryer right after I buy them, or spilling something on them! Cute.) Let me know your tips down below - we can save some cash together, ladies!
Megan
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