20 Budget Tips for Families

With the start of the New Year, we’ve decided to overhaul our budget (if you could even call it that) so I thought I’d provide my top budget tips for families. To be honest, the past two years we’ve lived pretty frugal-less-ly. If we felt like eating out, we ate out. If I wanted a new shirt, I bought it. When I look back at my spending the past few years, I’m honestly ashamed. I spent thousands and thousands of dollars without a real awareness of where it all went.

This year, we’re getting back to our frugal roots and focusing on saving money. Here are my top 20 budget tips for families.

Top 20 Budget Tips for Families

Decide what’s important to you

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you’ll know I love my Starbucks coffee. I’ve been like this for over a decade…and I’m not ashamed to admit it! Getting my $4 cup of coffee per day may be excessive to some, but to me it’s important, so we include it in the budget!

Now, not to say you can include every splurge in your budget, but make a list of things you like and decide what you’re willing to sacrifice.

Cut out things that aren’t important

For us, this meant cable TV, excessive clothes and shoes, dining out (we eat at Chick Fil A every Friday and continue to put that in the budget…but every other meal is eaten at home), manicures, trips to the hair salon, and more. I’d much rather not get a manicure and instead get my Starbucks 🙂 It’s all about priorities.

Make a meal plan

I didn’t used to do this and would overspend on food every single month. It’s just too easy to go grocery shopping when nothing in your pantry “looks good” and you aren’t keeping track. Now, I write down all of our meals on Sunday and stick to it, even though I don’t always want to. I also make sure we have easy things on hand to make in case we run low on food (which does happen with five people).

Cheap things to make include: bacon and eggs/omelettes, pancakes from scratch, sandwiches, pb&j on toast with a side of fruit, spaghetti, frozen pizza, etc. None of these meals will win any awards, but eating cheap never killed anyone!

Give yourself an allowance

My husband and I each get $20 per week of fun money. I know that doesn’t sound like much, but we are making it work for now. My husband usually gets a lunch out and maybe a coffee or two. This is my Starbucks money and maybe a soda 🙂

Use cash

We used nothing but credit cards for the past two years and while we didn’t go into debt, we sure as heck spent a ton more than had we used cash. It’s just too easy to be impulsive with a credit card, even if you’re pretty financially savvy. I challenge you to give the cash method a try.

We take out our weekly cash for food and household items on Sunday. This includes our allowances and money the kids may need. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Include your kids in your budget conversations

When talking about budget tips for families, you have to include your kids. My daughters (ages 7, 6 and 3) understand that we’re on a budget and love being involved. Last week, we had an extra $20 so we decided to go to Trader Joe’s to get some yummy treats for movie night! It was fantastic involving the girls in this and they realized that by avoiding unnecessary purchases during the week, we were able to “splurge” as a family for a fun night! I’m also really hoping these habits stick with them as they grow older. What better way to teach your kids to budget than to include them in the family budget?!

Use Ibotta

I love using rewards programs to get money back when I shop! My favorite is Ibotta. All you do is scan your receipt from your favorite stores (Target, grocery stores, Walmart, etc) and get cash back! I typically earn $5-$10 per weekly grocery trip back. Then, just transfer to your bank account.

Sign up for Ibotta for free here! >>

Find your “Why” for budgeting

What prompted us to start a cash budget system was two things: First, we both knew that even though we weren’t going into debt, we were definitely not aware of our spending. We felt out of control in this area and needed to reign things in. And second, we heavily debated moving and knew that if we were to do that, we’d need to really start saving money. While we’re still on the fence about the move, we are SO HAPPY to finally feel like we have our finances back under control.

What’s your “Why?” Perhaps you want to save more, put more money into retirement, send your kids to private school, or simply eliminate stress regarding finances. Find your “Why” and remind yourself of it daily!

Use the 24 hour rule

You want to buy something either online or in a store. If it’s not truly a necessity, wait 24 hours before purchasing. If you still want it (and it fits within your budget parameters) after the wait, then buy it guilt-free! I’ll be honest – I do this a lot and every single time I end up passing on the item.

Get rid of temptations

I’ve recently had to unfollow people on Instagram because I’m just too tempted to want to buy whatever it is they’re promoting. Ladies, I promise you: The clothes you have are fine!! It’s ok to wear the same jeans or leggings multiple times per week. I challenge you to put on a halt on clothing purchases for at least one month. I promise you’ll realize you missed out on …. nothing.

Work out at home

An easy budget tips for families is working out at home instead of a gym. There are two gyms within relatively close proximity of my house: The YMCA and Lifetime Fitness. I’ve been a member off and on at the Y for a few years, but just recently cancelled my membership (again). We were spending $115/month as a family of five but my kids didn’t love going there and we never went enough to justify the expense. Lifetime Fitness looks incredible, but we were quoted $270/month for our family of five and that just doesn’t align with our goals right now.

For fitness, I spend $15/month on Beach Body videos. There are so many options and the workouts are great! I also enjoy running and walking when the weather is warm.

Set some impossible goals

I would absolutely love if we could live off of rental income and dividends, for example. In order to do this, though, we need enough cash to be able to purchase said rental properties and dividend-paying stocks. If we achieve this “impossible” goal, our lives would be completely different. Can you imagine not “having” to work??! When you’re in your 30s and 40s?? Ah – the dream!

Setting big goals can help keep you motivated!

Earn more money

Some people truly do not have a spending problem, but an income problem. If this is you, I really encourage you to pick up a side hustle so you can pay off debt, save, and honestly change your life.

These are my favorite high-paying side hustles >>

Really think about your travel plans

I know, I know. Traveling is fun and a great way to create family memories. But, it’s also really expensive, even if you do it “cheap.” And I promise you your kids will remember fun times with you even if it’s in your own home.

Have fun at home

We basically have a $0 entertainment budget right now. Even taking our kids to the local jump place is at least a $50 outing! But, we have plenty of fun here at home. We go on walks and to the park (in the warmer months), we play tons of family games (Uno, Trouble, Monopoly and Bingo are our current favorites), we bake treats together, and we have movie nights. I hope more than anything that these things are what my girls will remember 🙂

Realize that budgets aren’t limiting

Budgets give you freedom, I promise!! It feels SO GOOD to know where our money is going each and every day. It doesn’t mean I don’t spend, it just means I’m aware and in control of my spending. This has rolled over into other areas of my life, too. I’m more disciplined with my workouts and eating, I’m spending more quality time with my kids and husband, and I’m focusing more on making money from home (something that’s been on the back burner for a while now!).

Watch your utilities

This is an easy way to save money and take control of your budget. Set your thermostat a little higher (or lower in the cooler months) than you’d prefer. Your body will adjust and you will easily save $3-$5 per day. We keep our thermostat at 68 in the winter (which is freezing for me; though I’m sure it’s too warm for some!) and 76 in the summer. And – similar to a budget – there is no “right” temperature setting. I simply challenge you to turn it up (or down) a degree or so from what you find the most comfortable.

Determine how much money you need

I recommend looking back at previous months’ spending to see where you currently stand. Then, start setting your budget with the ultimate goal of spending less money each week/month. Once you’ve come up with an amount, take that out in cash for the week. You can reassess once the week is over but I encourage you to give this a try. It has been very eye-opening for us!!

Ask for gift cards as presents

My dad gets me a Starbucks gift card every single year for Christmas and my birthday. While he may score low on creativity points, this is actually my favorite gift most years 🙂 I love saving money and I love my coffee, so this is truly the best gift for me.

My mom usually gets my daughters a gift card to Dunkin Donuts for their birthdays. This is also a super great gift as it gives us something to do (for free!) that my kids love! I know some people don’t like giving gift cards as gifts, but don’t be shy about expressing what you want! If you’re on a budget, asking for gift cards to your favorite restaurants is the way to go! And I bet the person buying the gift will be happy it’s an “easy” gift.

Take a close look at your health insurance

What are you spending each month on health insurance? We are self-employed and use Liberty HealthShare. If you’re interested in using this, please let me know as I can refer you! We spend $500/month for the family plan with a family “deductible” of $2,250 each year. Well-child visits are refunded, as are certain other visits/procedures. Once you meet your family deductible, 100% of your expenses are covered. There is also no “network,” so you can see any doctor. If you are spending significantly more on health care each year, I highly recommend you consider a health care sharing ministry.

Overall, creating a budget doesn’t have to suffocating. In fact, it’s extremely freeing once you get used to it. By budgeting, you are in complete control of your finances. Money no longer “disappears” out of your account with no recollection of where it went.

And remember, you can include things that are important to you in your budget! If going out to eat is something you enjoy, include it! Again, the purpose of a budget is to be aware and be in control, not to limit you excessively. I hope these budget tips for families helped!

What budget tips for families would you add to this list? Is your family on a budget?

How to Save Money on Food without Sacrificing Quality

We all want to save money on food, right? I’ve been experimenting with our food budget lately and have discovered a few tips that have been saving us a decent amount of money each month. We are a family of five – my husband, myself and our three little girls (ages 5, 4 and 1). You would think little ones would be easy to feed but my goodness – my kids are all very picky (aren’t they all?) and go through snacks like there’s no tomorrow.

I’ve also always wondered if what we spend on food is “normal” compared to other families. While doing some research, I came across this chart that details monthly grocery budgets based on family size. As a family of five, we could be spending anywhere from $621 to $1660 according to the chart. And yup – we fall exactly in that range. Our total food spending each month (this includes groceries, restaurants, coffee shops, and some household supplies) ranges from $1,100 to $1,500. Whether we seem to eat out often or spend the entire month cooking at home, we always seem to fall right in that range.

Prior to wanting to save money on food, we spent closer to $1,800 per month. Since cutting back, we haven’t sacrificed one bit on quality and, since I’m more aware, dare I say we’ve been eating better?

Here are 12 ways to save money on food without sacrificing quality.

15 Ways to Save Money in Everyday Life

I don’t budget. Instead, I am acutely aware of my spending every single day. Whether I’m grocery shopping, out with my family or hanging out at home, I try my best to make choices that will save money. And by doing that every single day, you absolutely will see your bank account grow. Here are 15 ways to save money in everyday life.

Romantic Ideas for Valentine’s Day on a Budget

Valentine’s Day is just a few weeks away! I will admit that I love this holiday. Not for the roses or the gifts, but because it’s a day to profess my love to my husband. Sure, I do this everyday, but it just feels extra-special on Valentine’s Day.

However, the idea of spending money on a silly holiday is not my cup of tea, so I try to find little ways to show romance on Valentine’s Day without spending a fortune. Here are my ideas for this year – I hope you’re able to use a few of them, too!

8 Ideas for Valentine’s Day on a Budget

Breakfast in bed

Who says you have to wait until dinner to do something special for your love? I know for a fact I would win “Wife of the Year” if I made breakfast in bed for my husband, so this year, I will try my best to do that 🙂 A few yummy ideas include heart-shaped waffles or pancakes (add some red food coloring or make them red velvet flavored!), these strawberries and cream doughnuts, or a red fruit platter (strawberries, raspberries, watermelon) and heart-shaped bacon (fold the bacon into a heart and bake in the oven).

Be a helping hand for the day

We have two little girls, and I’ll be the first to admit that I serve them all day and make my husband fend for himself. Since Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, I plan to serve him all day and meet his needs. This will be small things – such as taking out the trash for him (his chore), getting him his coffee in the morning and asking him if he needs anything while I’m up. I know, I know, this is probably stuff I should be doing anyways. But, with young kids, I will admit that I don’t do these things as often as I should. Maybe Valentine’s Day will jump-start a good habit for me.

Give a good, spa-like massage

My husband loves when I give him a massage. Because of this, I do try and give him one a few times a week, but he’s lucky if they last more than five minutes. On Valentine’s Day, I plan on creating a spa-like experience for him in our bedroom: candles, soft music playing, lotion, etc. I’ll also bring in a timer and give him a full, 30-minute massage this time.

Start a project together

One of the best ways to bond with your husband is to do something together, side by side. Recently, my husband and I have painted our kitchen nook table white and we did a puzzle together. Think of a project to start with your husband and begin it on Valentine’s Day!

Cook dinner together

Right after we had our first baby, we started Friday Night Date Night where we made dinner together after our daughter went to sleep. However, three years later and with another baby in the mix, this has slowly fizzled out of our routine. For Valentine’s Day this year, the main thing I want to do is make dinner together after the kids go to bed, just like old times. I’m thinking my husband will grill the steak and I’ll make a few sides (a favorite of mine is chopped Brussels sprouts sauteed with olive oil and about 1/4 cup of pesto!).

Write a love letter

Ok, this is not something I can see myself doing, but I thought I’d throw it out there in case it helps any of you! Write your husband a love letter telling him how much you appreciate him and love him. Even though I would probably never do this, I can’t say I wouldn’t be completely blown away if my husband did this for me! (Hmmm, perhaps I should write him one!)

Go on a long walk, hand in hand

Late in the morning or early in the evening, grab your honey and head out for a walk, weather permitted. You can walk around your neighborhood or drive to a local park or nature preserve. My husband and I have come up with some of our best ideas while walking and chatting side by side.

Talk about your goals for your relationship

These types of conversations are my absolute favorite. Ask your husband first what he would like to see more of in 2016. Then, think about areas you’d like to see your relationship progress. Perhaps you want to run a marathon together or take an epic summer vacation. Or, maybe you just want to make little changes that will improve your relationship, such as limiting the amount of time you spend in front of technology or making sure Date Night actually happens. My most favorite part of being married is that we get to do life together, and I don’t ever want to stop doing life with John. This year, our huge goal is to purchase a rental property. But, I’d be curious to see what else he would like to see us do!

Valentine’s Day really does not have to be about expensive gifts and fancy meals out, but it also doesn’t have to be completely skipped altogether. This year, enjoy the holiday for what it is by showing your spouse just how much they mean to you without having to break your budget.

What are you planning this year for Valentine’s Day?!

8 Easy Ways to Save Money in 2016

Have you set your goals for the New Year yet? While I’m continually setting goals, there is something exciting about a New Year upon us. A fresh start, a new beginning, a change of pace. While my goals for this next year are a tad simpler than in years’ past, there’s one goal my husband and I both are going to enact into our daily lives, and that’s saving money.

My husband and I are naturally savers, but the last half of this year has really gotten the best of us. We’re back into our weekly Starbucks habit, I haven’t budgeted for a grocery store trip in months and I’ve impulse bought more times than I’d care to admit. Thankfully, none of these bad habits have resulted in debt. But they have resulted in us having significantly less in savings than we could have had.

You live and learn—so there’s no point in rehashing all that we did wrong. Instead, we’re focusing on the future and what we can change in order to save more money.

Here are 8 easy ways we plan to save money in 2016.

Why Do You Want More Money?

Happy Thanksgiving Eve, everyone!

I’ve been thinking recently a lot about the “why” behind doing what I do. For any new readers, I am a wife and mom to two toddler girls, I work full-time, I freelance write and I blog. Not to mention cleaning the house, running errands and all that. To be honest, I don’t feel like it’s too much, but I do have very little downtime. When I’m home, I’m normally doing something productive (I count playing with my kids as productive, haha) except after 9:00 pm. Then, I watch a show with John and we go to sleep. I really love my life, but the busyness of it all recently got me asking “Why?

How to Avoid Getting Into Debt this Holiday Season

Christmas Can Be Merry and Bright, Even if Your Wallet is Light

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and the high street merchants and online retailers couldn’t be happier. For people who are financially strapped, though, the coming Yule season isn’t necessarily such a cheering prospect. At this time of year more than any other, the pressure to spend on gifts and festivities is sometimes overwhelming. But you can have a joyful Christmas even if you’re short on cash.

What you can do to make the season brighter?

Meanwhile here you are, trying to make merry with a light wallet. A festive Christmas on a limited budget requires a combination of practicality and creativity to be sure. There are of course the obvious practical strategies such as cutting costs wherever feasible. You can save money on gas, for instance, simply by doing most of your shopping online. But if you just love the experience of shopping at a brick-and-mortar store, keep in mind that many retailers offer fuel promotions. Monitor the Web and your local media for the latest deals. There are many other ways to save as well, which include choosing and using credit cards wisely.

How to Save Money on Auto Insurance

I love it when I can save money on my monthly bills. We cut cable over a year ago, which is saving us over $50 per month, we use our utilities sparingly to save on electricity and gas, we have bare minimum cell phone plans, and just recently we started saving money on our auto insurance.

If you’re looking to cut some of your monthly expenses, I highly recommend starting with your auto insurance. Your life won’t change at all (such as if you cut cable, for example), and all it takes is just one phone call.

Free Winter Activities for Kids

Cold weather is upon us! Are you looking for some free activities to keep your kids busy during the winter? As a mother of three little girls, if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that bored kids = crazy kids and a frustrated mom! This year, I’m making it a point to keep them busy for the sake of ALL of our sanity!

Our New House: What We Want to Remodel

We just moved in three weeks ago, but there is already a long list of items that John and I want to update on our home. For any new readers, John is a general contractor/handyman. He owned his own handyman company here in Charlotte and he worked for himself when we lived in Phoenix as a sort of jack-of-all-trades. While I’m lucky that John can do a decent amount of updates himself, he can’t do everything and there are some areas where we’ll need to hire out (coughelecticalworkcough).

So, here’s what we’re planning on doing to our home over the next few years.

New House Remodel Checklist

Paint the entryway. This is something John will, thankfully, do on his own. The walls were a yellowy color (which you can see in the photo) and I wanted them to be a blue/grey like we had in our rental house. Yeah, the color I chose was a LOT darker and more blue than it looked in the store. Unfortunately, we purchased 5 gallons of this color and most likely won’t use any of it. We bought samples of two other colors this past weekend (both natural tans) that I hope will look good. John’s deadline for this project is the end of October (when my parent’s are visiting!). I’ll make sure to post an update once this is done.

Blue entryway…not what I had in mind

Update: We chose a color and John painted over the blue!! Yay! The entryway looks good now, but we still have a long way to go. The ceilings are super high by the front door (which you can’t see), plus we’ll need to paint the upstairs foyer because all those walls are connected.

Fresh, new entryway!

Fix the gas stove. We have a gas stove that I actually really like even though I thought I’d hate it. Unfortunately, about a week ago the electrical part blew out. John tried fixing it but just can’t get to the bottom of the problem. If you turn the stove on, gas comes out but it doesn’t light. So for now we’re using a lighter to light it when we need to cook. My dad might be able to fix this problem, but if not we will rely on Contractor Connection to hook us up with someone who can get the job done. Contractor Connection connects consumers to quality professionals for any of your home remodeling needs. Estimates are free and quality is guaranteed. You can’t beat that, especially for people like us who are new to the area.

Remodel the kitchen. This is a project that will be done within the next 2-3 years. Kitchen remodels are expensive and we need to save money before diving into this project. Luckily, I do like the layout of the kitchen, so all of the changes will be strictly cosmetic. We want to change the back splash, add granite countertops, remove the wallpaper, repaint the kitchen, and get new appliances (everything except the fridge). John can do some of the work (wallpaper, painting, and installing new appliances), but the rest we’ll have to hire out. While John technically could do it by himself, he really does not have the time with working FT and having the kids. I do not want to live in a construction zone (especially in the kitchen!) for any longer than I have to.

If you are also in need of a kitchen remodel, call Contractor Connection to get a free quote. Preferred contractors come with a 3-year workmanship warranty.

Paint every other area of the house. The paint colors in here aren’t necessarily bad, but they’re not our taste. Eventually, this whole house will be painted. The entryway is first on the list because the yellowy color was just something that I couldn’t get on board with. Everything else will be completed within two years, hopefully. Again, John will do all of the painting but it’s just a matter of finding the time.

Furnish the house. Does this count as remodeling? I’m saying “yes” simply because it could probably cost us as much as a kitchen remodel (just kidding, sort of). Our house is furnished for the most part, with the exception of three rooms: the formal living area, the bedroom attached to the master, and the screened in porch. The screened in porch is our first priority and the only reason we don’t have it furnished now is because it’s really hard to find patio furniture this time of year in Charlotte. We will probably order something online from Home Depot within the next few weeks, though. Next up will be the formal living room. I want a simple couch, a rug and a coffee table. Finally, we’re turning the room attached to the master into a media room. The homeowner before us used this room as an office, but it has a tiny tiny window, is far from the rest of the house and there’s already a room I can use as an office downstairs (plus let’s be real, I work on the couch). So, after much debacle on what to do with that room, we finally agreed on a media room. Realistically, we probably won’t furnish this for 3-5 years as it’s definitely not a priority.

Redo the flooring. The carpet is brand new – yay! And I’m a weirdo who actually likes carpet in the bedrooms. It’s cozier to me and I kind of like vacuuming. The rest of the house is light hardwoods. While I don’t mind them, I prefer dark hardwood floors. This is something John can hopefully refinish instead of replace, which would save us a ton of money.

How to Save Money on Home Improvements

Insource whatever you can. Small projects and things like painting can normally be done by yourself. There’s no need to hire someone to do something you can do on your own, especially if you’re on a budget.

Outsource when needed and do so strategically. John worked in the construction business for more than 15 years and we can both tell you that it is HARD to find good, quality work. There are many contractors out there who will take significantly longer on a project than they originally told you, or they just won’t show up one day, or they’ll end up charging you a lot more than you originally thought. It can be a mess. If you have to outsource, interview a good amount of potential candidates before deciding. Ask friends and neighbors for referrals and use trusted sites like Contractor Connection to find the right contractor for the job.

Save up money and pay in cash. Unless the project is absolutely necessary (such as flood damage, mold, a foundation issue, etc), save up for it and pay in cash. John and I are currently rebuilding our emergency fund. Once that’s complete, we will save up for our remodeling projects. Going into debt for granite counters or new furniture is never a good idea. And if you’ve been around my blog for a while, you know I’m all about enjoying life! However, that doesn’t mean financing non-necessities that really won’t add that much happiness to your life.

In your current home, what is it that you want to update?!

This post was sponsored by Contractor Connection. However, all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the frugal millionaire blog through posts like these!