It’s so easy to overspend on groceries that there are plenty of ways to cut back. However, you’ll want to pace yourself so you don’t get overwhelmed — try one of the following savings tips at a time. [Read more…]
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The Importance of Simply Asking: Money Saving Edition
When you have a family to care for, saving money is of utmost importance. There have been a few times in the last few years when we needed an item or needed something replaced, and by simply taking a few minutes to ask about, or search out, discounts or replacements, we have literally saved upwards of thousands of dollars.
Healthcare
Both my husband and I wear glasses. I also wear contacts and over the last few years, my preferred method is to order both glasses and contacts online. We both have our eyes examined every 12-24 months with an optometrist, get a copy of our prescriptions and order our frames/lenses and contacts from the comfort of our home. Ordering our glasses online alone saves us a ton of money. I don’t think I have ever paid less than $150 for glasses and lenses at with an optician and the most I’ve paid online was maybe $50. I have paid as little as $9.95. It is also significantly cheaper to order my contacts online.
I recently needed to refill my contact prescription and though my contacts were still cheap, the site wanted to charge me an additional $13 in shipping and taxes. By spending a few minutes doing a quick Google search for a promo code, I was able to save $10 on shipping. I don’t know how many people would think to do this but when I order or book anything online it’s something that usually pays off spending the time to search or call.
Brand New Bed
During my first pregnancy, I noticed how increasingly uncomfortable our bed was becoming. I assumed it was the pregnancy but it wasn’t until I was home from the hospital and realized the mattress itself was actually warped. Since the bed was only five years old I decided to call the store we bought it from to see if they could offer any insight. As uncomfortable as the bed was, buying a new one on my maternity leave budget was not an option. I was happy to find out my phone call paid off. They would replace it no questions asked. I simply had to snap a few pictures for the warranty process and they cut us a cheque to buy a new bed the very next day. Not only did we get a brand new bed almost 50% off, our new bed was cheaper than our old one and we ended up with a little extra cash in hand. If you’re unsure it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Bills
One of our luxuries is paying for cable. We go back and forth about canceling it but in the end, we always end up keeping it. It’s something we all enjoy and especially with me going on another maternity leave, I wanted to keep it but that doesn’t mean I like paying full price for anything. I made another simple phone call and after talking to a few people was able to save over $50 per month off our bundle package (cable and internet). $600 per year is a significant savings!
My experience with most of my friends and family is that they’re all too quick to just deal with something before asking any questions. They rarely negotiate bills, replace before seeing if something can be fixed, and in general aren’t comfortable asking questions about money. I have experienced though, many times over that by simply asking a few questions you can save a sizeable amount of money.
How often do you question your bills or ask for discounts?
While you’re at it, here are a few posts from our friends:
How to Save $2,000 in Eight Months
Are you looking to save some serious cash this year? There are many reasons you might want to save $2,000 over an eight month period of time. You may be planning a vacation. Or you might have an upcoming large expense such as a car repair.
How to Save $2,000 in Eight Months
In order to save this much cash, you’ll need to save an average of $250 per month. Here are some strategies to help you save $2000 in only two-thirds of a year.
Slash Your Expenses by Living with Only the Basics
Many people can save $250 a month by cutting unnecessary – and even necessary – expenses. Do you have a cable TV or gym subscription you can cancel, either temporarily or permanently?
Can you reduce your grocery or entertainment expenses? What about going on a restaurant ban for eight months? Make a list of every expense you have, and then circle the ones that aren’t an absolute necessity to live.
Another way to cut expenses is to work to negotiate hidden costs. Can you shop around to lower your insurance rates? Cut monthly banking fees by switching banks? Stop paying for memberships you no longer use such as magazine subscriptions?
See if you can raise some or all of the $250 a month you need to reach your savings goal by taking a serious and objective look at your expenses and seeing which ones you can live without for a few months.
Bonus Read: “35 Simple Ways for Parents to Save Money”
Sell Things You No Longer Need or Want
Many people have a good-sized collection of things they no longer use laying around the house. Is it possible for you to sell unwanted clothing, gaming systems, sporting goods, recreational items or other things you don’t need, in order to raise money?
Is it possible for you to trade in your car for a less expensive model, giving you cash in hand or lowering your monthly auto payments?
By advertising your unwanted items on sites such as eBay or Craigslist, you may be able to raise several hundred dollars or even the entire $2,000 you need.
Earn Some Extra Income
If money is tight in your current situation, you might be able to work to find money to save by looking at ways to earn extra cash.
Is there a place near your home or work where you could pick up extra hours on nights and weekends, such as a restaurant or retail establishment?
Could you use your skills to make extra money? Some ideas for using your skills to make extra money could include:
- Selling your freelance services such as writing or graphic design on websites like Fiverr
- Babysitting or tutoring neighborhood children
- Mowing lawns or doing minor home repair tasks
- Offering your home or office cleaning skills for hire
Make a list of your skills and decide which of them you could easily and quickly put to use to make extra money, or find a part time job by looking at job websites or in local newspaper ads.
(Here are 14 work-at-home jobs that can generate a solid living!)
Saving $2,000 in eight months may seem like a daunting goal, but with a little creativity and sacrifice, you can find a way.
What’s the first step you need to take in order to begin saving $2,000 this week?
13 Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money
When I became a stay-at-home mom in 2014, I felt a pang of guilt for no longer contributing financially to the family. Then, as the weeks of staying home progressed, I discovered something incredible. I had a new superpower. I was so much better at saving money! Not to say I was perfect, but by simply spending the lion’s share of my days caring for little ones AT HOME, I saved loads. Let’s take a closer look at some of those practical ways for stay-at-home moms to save money.
13 Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money
Since a mom is involved in so many transactions throughout the week, I thought it’d be best to look through these money-saving tips in categories.
Kids and Babies
Don’t buy all new. The minute you become pregnant, you are inundated with offers for bright and shiny things. Everyone will tell you how to keep your baby out of peril. Each piece of advice will be different. Your greatest weapons are:
- Research
- Common Sense
Research may show you that buying a car seat new is a wise investment. It may reveal used clothes make a lot of sense for growing babies. Common sense may show you that the French chandelier in your friend’s baby’s nursery doesn’t have to show up in yours, too.
Find out if you qualify for a free breast pump. The government may give you a free breast pump or provide you with a reimbursement. I highly recommend checking it out.
Be strategic about the professional photo sessions. Social media creates so much pressure for parents to create “perfect moments” during each chapter of their children’s lives. Don’t get swept away in expensive photo sessions unless you’ve planned for them and have the budget available.
Food
Load digital coupons. So many stores offer digital coupons. They’re handy and often apply to checkout automatically.
Make your own baby food. I am not a DIY maven. However, when I started researching the health benefits of making homemade baby food (and that getting started wasn’t that hard), I gave it a go.
Once your baby is ready for solids, try mashing a banana or pureeing some superfoods. Freeze them in an ice cube tray for long-term!
Consolidate your trips. Try as I might, I always end up overspending or impulsing buy at the grocery store. Limiting my trips is one way I combat that problem. Another is by ordering my groceries online via ClickList or Shipt. That way, I’m not tempted to overspend and save so much time, too.
House
Pay extra on your mortgage. It’s amazing how much money people can save on their mortgage by paying an extra $100 per month. For example, if you had a 30-year mortgage of $165,000 at 4.5 percent, you’d pay an estimated $135,971 in INTEREST. By paying $100 extra each month over those 30 years, you’d only pay $105,547 in interest. That’s over $30,000 in savings!
Try BankRate’s free amortization calculator here.
Unplug. You can save a lot of money over time on your utilities simply by unplugging your appliances and shutting off your lights. If the weather is nice, shut off the thermostat and throw open some windows.
Reduce extra payments like your phone bill, cable, entertainment subscriptions. What can you trim back in your budget? Can you drop cable? Can you renegotiate your phone bill?
Build an emergency fund. Having money set aside for the unexpected will save so much money on emergency swipes of the credit card.
Selling and Earning
Sell your used goods. Today it’s easier than ever to sell your household goods to others. Check out these seven apps that’ll help you turn your secondhand stuff into cash.
Earn gift cards to cover Christmas. Swagbucks is one of the most popular sites for earning gift cards. You can watch videos, conduct searches, shop online, or do surveys to earn gift cards for places like PayPal, Amazon, and Target. You won’t earn a living, but it’s a great way to cover birthday presents, weddings, or Christmas.
Start a side gig. If you’re a stay-at-home mom looking for a way to make serious money from home, please check out my recent post “14 Profitable Stay-at-Home Mom Jobs Online (That Are Worth Your Time).” It outlines several cash-generating ideas from remote jobs to becoming an entrepreneur.
Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money – Part II
I’ve been piling up resources and tips like this for the last three years after my own debt-free journey with my husband. We went from broke and clueless to budgeting and conquering our financial goals – like me becoming a stay-at-home mom – with the steps you’ve read in this article.
If you dream of the day you can stay home with your kids but could use a roadmap like I did, check out “The Stay-at-Home Mom Blueprint.” This eBook tells my story of beating debt and beating the odds to stay home when we only had $2,000 to live on each month.
It also includes 150 strategies to chop your debt, save money, earn from home, and afford your dream of becoming a SAHM.
If you liked this list of ways for stay-at-home moms to save money, “The Stay-at-Home Mom Blueprint” is this plus steroids.
Your Turn: Share with us a few ways for stay-at-home moms to save money in the comments below!
This post contains affiliate links.
Are you a stay-at-home mom? Check out these bonus resources created just for you!
Are you a stay-at-home mom? Make sure you bookmark or pin some of these resources for later!
- 10 Steps to a Successful Stay-at-Home Mom Budget
- How to Afford Your Dream of Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mom
- 14 Online Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms (That Are Worth Your Time)
- Loans for Stay-at-Home Moms – What Are YOUR Options?
- The SAHM Budget Test: How to Afford to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
- Walmart Savings Catcher
- How Much Do Youtubers Make?
How to Save Money – 35 Top Ways for Parents to Save Money
No matter what you earn in a year, if you’re raising a child, then saving money is going to be a huge part of your life. You’ll save for diapers, school supplies, soccer cleats, and college. To help in your frugal efforts, here is a master list of how to save money.
Many of these tips came from real parents discussing this important topic via SavingAdvice.com.
How to Save Money – 35 Top Ways for Parents to Save Money
This is one of those articles that can be a useful resource for you, time and time again. As you read through, there will be things you can apply to your life today, but some tips may not apply til later. I suggest you bookmark or pin this post to ensure you have access to you it later.
- Switch to bank accounts with no fees.
- Cancel unused memberships.
- Cancel subscriptions. Examples include magazines, newspapers, online entertainment, dating, or networking memberships.
- Skip the cafe and bring home brewed coffee to work.
- Eat out less; cook at home more.
- Save money on your electricity bill. Install a smart meter (some libraries loan them out for free) to measure how much electricity your appliances are using. You could be saving more by simply unplugging what you can.
- Contact your cell phone provider to ask how to save money on your bill. They may have a discount plan to offer.
- When other phone companies cold call you, ask if they can beat your current company’s price.
- Are you looking at a phone for your child that’s only to be used for emergencies? Try buying a prepaid phone rather than something on contract.
- Comparison shop. This is huge for every major purchase in your life – from cribs to colleges.
- Don’t buy “convenient foods” when you can make something from scratch. Frozen meals are quicker to prepare but you pay for the convenience and they’re often much less healthy for you.
- Buy in bulk versus smaller quantities at traditional supermarkets (Costco, Amazon’s Subscribe and Save).
- Batch your meals on the weekends. By preparing a large quantity of breakfast or snack foods during the weekend, you’re setting up your week to be more frugal and freeing up a considerable amount of time.
- Save those pennies and dimes. Designate a family piggy bank for all your coins. When it’s full, go do something fun together.
- Don’t balk at used items. Yard sales, thrift stores, and online garage sales may have just the items you’re looking for at a fraction of the price. Children’s clothing is a prime example, especially when they’re very young. They grow so fast!
- Whenever you can, shut off your heat or air conditioning and throw open those windows. You’ll save a considerable amount on your utility bill in the long run.
- Get creative with transportation. Can you carpool, ride a bike, or even walk to work? These may seem like extremes, but they’re also fantastic ways to save money on gas as well as preserve the life of your vehicle.
- Reconsider that credit card “deal.” As popular as it is to accumulate airline miles or to snag that 30% savings at Kohl’s consider the long-term drawback your experiencing.
- Be mindful of your spending habits. If you’re bringing home a paycheck, but there’s nothing left at the end of the week to drop into savings, then it’s time to dig in and evaluate what you’re really spending.
- Clip or download coupons. Apps like Cartwheel or Paribus or RetailMeNot can give you convenient methods for saving on weekly expenses.
- Wait at least 24 hours before making a large purchase. Give yourself a chance to come down from your “fever” to make a more thought-out decision.
- Check your wallet. By knowing how much money you have before you walk out the door, you’ll be aware of what you can and cannot spend throughout that day.
- Pack your lunch.
- Find some free hobbies.
- Identify wants versus needs.
- Lower your car insurance by combining policies or paying it annually instead of monthly.
- Learn how to save money on child-related taxes. See a full run-through of your options here.
- Launch a “No-Spend Challenge”. Choose a spending category (i.e. fast food) and set a time for not spending any money in that category.
- Try the 52-Week Money Challenge. Learn how to save over $1,300 a year here.
- Use a monthly budget. I know from experience that this will help you conquer debt more quickly and save money before you ever spend money elsewhere.
- Find deep discounts on Amazon merchandise through SnagShout.com.
- Don’t spend your tax return; save it.
- Automate a monthly transfer into savings. You’re much more likely to stick with it!
- Pay $100 extra on your mortgage each month. This doesn’t save money in the short-term, obviously, but you’ll save thousands in interest over time.
- Get accountability. However you’re saving money for your family, one of your most powerful tools is support. Not only does my spouse hold me accountable on a continual basis, but I love feeding off the positive energy in a supportive Facebook group of like-minded savers called “Your Debt Freedom Family.” We only discuss things related to our families and our finances – no spam or marketing. If you’d like to join, you can do so here!
The biggest progress I made when I was trying to figure out how to save money as a parent was remembering my “Why.” In my case, it was the little one growing rapidly in my tummy. She didn’t know it at the time, but my first child gave me strength, every day, to cut back, live on the budget, and save. It was worth it for her.
What’s one money-saving tip you’d add to this list? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Are you a stay-at-home mom? Check out these bonus resources just for you!
- 10 Steps to a Successful Stay-at-Home Mom Budget
- How to Afford Your Dream of Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mom
- 14 Online Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms (That Are Worth Your Time)
- 13 Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money
- Loans for Stay-at-Home Moms – What Are YOUR Options?
- The SAHM Budget Test: How to Afford to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
How to Launch a 52-Week Money Challenge for Kids
As you set your goals each year, it’s fun to include your children in the process. Involvement helps them learn to set goals of their own. In the interest of helping them develop strong savings habits, why not have them participate in a 52-week money challenge for kids?
Similar to the well-known 52-week money challenge for adults, the kids’ challenge helps kids to save more money by determining a set amount of cash to put into a savings account, and then increasing that amount each and every week.
How to Personalize Your Child’s 52-Week Money Challenge for Kids
Based on your child’s age and his or her ability to access money, you can pick the weekly money amount that works best for their particular situation.
Even with the smallest weekly contribution, the savings will add up. If your child is younger, you can start with a small amount – for example, a nickel – each week. Here’s how the challenge works:
- $0.05 contribution – WEEK 1
- $0.10 contribution – WEEK 2
- $0.15 contribution – WEEK 3
And so on. If you choose to use a nickel for the challenge, your child simply increases each weekly savings contribution by one nickel. By the end of the 52 weeks, your child will have saved $68.90.
Here is a breakdown of other coin values and potential savings amounts:
- Dime = Save $137.80 by the end of the 52 weeks.
- Quarter = Save $344.50 by the end of the 52 weeks.
- Dollar = Save $1,378 by the end of the 52 weeks.
Why Teaching Kids to Save is Important
We’re living in a time where it’s easy to not save money. Clever marketing and social pressures encourage kids to spend rather than save. Therefore, they start to believe they can have the latest and greatest of everything on the market – without the hard work of earning it.
Saving money is becoming less and less important to people as generations go by. America’s declining savings rate proves it. In May of 1975, the personal savings rate in the United States reached a high of 17%. At the end of 2016, it was 5.4%.
By teaching our children to develop a habit of saving money, we give them a head start on the road to financial responsibility.
Other Ways to Teach Kids to Save
Besides using a 52-week money challenge for kids, there are other ways you can teach your children to make saving money a consistent habit.
- Require your kids to save a percentage of all money they earn or receive as a gift
- Boost your child’s enthusiasm for saving by committing to match what they put into savings dollar for dollar
- Create a savings contest between you and your child (or between your children) to see who can save the biggest percentage of their income for the year
The 52-week money challenge for kids is a great way to encourage children not just to save money, but to challenge themselves to save more than they initially thought was possible. So, give your kids the gift of making savings a habit starting today.
Bonus Reading: “6 Fun Money Games for Kids”
Would you ever do a 52-week money challenge with your child? Have ever done one on your own? Let us know in the comments below!
Image Credit: Nathaniel_U (Creative Commons)
Are you a stay-at-home mom? Make sure you bookmark or pin some of these resources for later!
- 10 Steps to a Successful Stay-at-Home Mom Budget
- How to Afford Your Dream of Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mom
- 14 Online Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms (That Are Worth Your Time)
- 13 Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money
- Loans for Stay-at-Home Moms – What Are YOUR Options?
- The SAHM Budget Test: How to Afford to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
- 52-week Money Challenge by Saving Advice
4 Creative Money Challenges for Kids
One of the biggest – and most important – hurdles parents face is that of teaching their kids to save money. In today’s instant gratification world, kids are often led to believe that spending is more beneficial than saving. It’s our job as parents and caregivers to teach them the benefits of saving over spending. By utilizing these money challenges for kids you can help your child learn the importance of saving money.
4 Creative Money Challenges for Kids
The 365-Day Money Challenge
The 365-Day Money Challenge has flexibility in both the amount of money you can use and when you earn it. The first step is to print out a chart that has 365 days of money amounts on it, starting with $.01 up to $3.65. Then, post the chart somewhere where your child will see it every day. Each morning when your child gets up, they pay their piggy bank or money jar an amount from the chart. When they pick a money amount to save, they then cross that amount off on the chart. Each money amount can only be used once throughout the year. By the end of the year, they’ll have saved $667.95!
Wants some ideas for how to help your child earn money? Check out these chores here.
The Matching Money Challenge
This money challenge will involve parents and/or grandparents as well. The first step is to have your child decorate a jar with a lid, such as a large canning jar. They can also use their own piggy bank. Each week your child will put in their bank the money they’ve earned through different sources. Money earned for chores or allowance, or money received from gifts are some ideas for finding money to save.
After the jar is filled up, parent and child bring the jar to the bank to deposit the money. When the money is counted, parents or grandparents match the amount the child has saved. The final deposit into your child’s savings account will be double what they have saved!
The 52-Week Savings Challenge
Similar to the 365-day challenge, this challenge requires kids to save money on a regular basis. First, they print out this chart. Each week has a money amount – payable in quarters – listed on the chart. Your child chooses which amount he or she wants to save each week, crossing that amount off as they go. By the end of the year, your child will have saved $344.50.
The Make-it-Your-Own Money Challenge
This challenge can be implemented in a number of different ways. The goal is to help kids improve their lives in some way or teach them that work produces income. The first step in this challenge is to determine a dollar amount payout. Parents can work with children to help decide how much they want to earn in a given time period. The challenge can be modified to work for every family’s budget and specific goals.
For instance, some kids may have a goal of earning $10 in a week. Others might want to earn more over a longer time period. It also helps to determine with your child why he or she wants to save. Having a reason for saving helps motivate kids to save more.
After you’ve determined how much to save and in what time period, parents create jobs or tasks with coordinating payouts. The “jobs” can consist of several different options, such as:
- Doing chores around the house that are outside of normally assigned chores
- Doing learning challenges such as reading books or completing math worksheets
- Implementing healthy habits such as exercising or making healthy eating choices
- Choosing to cut down on screen time in favor of reading or spending time with loved ones
The challenge can be customized to fit whatever goals your family or your child may have. As a bonus, your child will earn a reward them for achieving those goals.
Teaching kids to manage money well is just one of the things we can do to prepare them for independence. By helping our children develop a habit of saving money, we can prepare them to be financially responsible adults.
Got any money challenges for kids of your own to add? Drop it below!
Are you a stay-at-home mom? Check out these hot tips and pin one for later!
- 10 Steps to a Successful Stay-at-Home Mom Budget
- How to Afford Your Dream of Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mom
- 14 Online Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms (That Are Worth Your Time)
- 13 Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money
- Loans for Stay-at-Home Moms – What Are YOUR Options?
- The SAHM Budget Test: How to Afford to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
My Paribus Review: Is Paribus Receipt Fetcher the Next Money-Maker for Your Family?
According to a Pew Research Center survey, 79 percent of Americans made online purchases in 2016. Fifty-one percent purchased something on their cell phones. Parents make up a massive percentage of those shoppers, so that’s why I’ve put together this Paribus review. It’s here to help you find ways to earn cash back on those online purchases this year.
My Paribus Review: Is Paribus Right for Your Family?
If you’re handy with your smartphone, you probably already use money-saving apps like RetailMeNot, Swagbucks, or Walmart’s Savings Catcher, but there’s a new kid in town called Paribus, and it’s different than any other app you’ve tried.
What Is Paribus?
Paribus is an app available to all Apple devices and is free to download. Every time you shop online, Paribus automatically scans your digital receipt to see if there are purchases eligible for cash back over the subsequent weeks.
For example, let’s say you bought your son a $60 LEGO kit at Walmart.com for his birthday last week, but you’ve just noticed the price dropped to $40! Paribus automatically contacts Walmart to find out if you can get that $20 refunded. If they agree, then you get 100% of that refund!
Not bad for doing basically nothing, right?
What Are the Benefits and Drawbacks to Using Paribus?
It goes with the territory that every new product has its pros and cons. Your days are filled with tending to kids, running your household, and keeping your head on straight. My job is to help you make an informed decision about products that may or may not benefit your family as honestly as I can.
Therefore, here are the benefits and drawbacks I observed when using Paribus.
BENEFITS
It’s free. From the moment you download the app to your first cash back alert, there are no charges or hidden fees. Although, you do have to spend money shopping online, obviously!
It could be great for the holidays. Last Christmas, I asked a group of moms to share their favorite way to go Christmas shopping and the majority answered, “Online.” If you rack up most of your holiday spending money with online retailers then you could be in for some cash back on some of those purchases.
DRAWBACKS
You have to share quite a bit of private information with Paribus. Like I said earlier, I want to be totally honest in this review, so I need to share one drawback that gave me considerate pause at first. Paribus will have authority to read, send, delete, and manage your email. They also request your Amazon login and password, as well as your credit card information.
I worked for years in fraud prevention at a financial institution, so those were automatic red flags to me. I dug in and researched user experiences since the app’s inception in 2014. Despite the scary amount of personal information, I did not read one report of fraudulent activity or compromised information from users.
I’m just reviewing this product as a consumer and don’t have authority to ensure this software is secure, but you can hear directly from Paribus and learn more details about how they handle our information via this CNBC report.
Watch out for hiccups. I experienced a technical bug when I tried to sync my Amazon account with Paribus. Upon further research, I discovered several other complaints about technical hiccups like that. I’m sure they’re updating and ironing out bumps all the time, but just be aware that those may cause some delays.
Not every purchase or store is eligible. A number of users complained that Paribus only pays back on eligible stores and purchases, so their cash back wasn’t as much as they hoped. Considering your family’s needs over the course of this year, you may want to evaluate where you’ll be shopping for them and how often. Paribus updates the list of eligible retailers regularly.
Paribus Review – Final Thoughts
The million dollar question is this: Did I actually get cash back using Paribus?
Not yet. I believe the reason is because I shop infrequently online and have only just started using Paribus.
Paribus is a free app that requires minimal upkeep, so if your alright with the parameters discussed throughout this article and you already shop online regularly, then it’s likely this app will make you some money. If you don’t shop a lot until Christmas, then it may still be helpful. If you just don’t shop a lot, ever, then you may not hear much chatter from Paribus.
Are money-saving apps like Paribus a wise replacement for good financial habits? Not at all. We use terms like “personal finance” and “financial living” because you must live out certain principles in order to succeed. Laying a foundation with things like budgeting, saving, and spending less than you make are far and away more important than using the right gadget or app. Are apps still helpful? Yes. But don’t let them tempt you to spend more than you intended to and wreck your foundation.
The Sign-Up Process
The following four steps taken directly from Paribus’ sign-up page will help you get started:
In other words:
- Download the app.
- Sync your info to Paribus.
- Shop.
- Get paid.
Where are some of your favorite online stores when you’re shopping for your family? Share one below!
This post was sponsored by Paribus.
P.S. Are you a stay-at-home mom? Make sure you bookmark or pin some of these resources for later!
- 10 Steps to a Successful Stay-at-Home Mom Budget
- How to Afford Your Dream of Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mom
- 14 Online Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms (That Are Worth Your Time)
- 13 Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money
- Loans for Stay-at-Home Moms – What Are YOUR Options?
- The SAHM Budget Test: How to Afford to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
How to Save Money On Birthday Parties (and Still Have a Great Time)
Pinterest is a magical place for party planning, especially for kids’ parties. Due to the unspoken pressure created by social media, DIY-themed events can become a financial sinkhole quickly. That’s why I’ve put together how to save money on birthday parties, and still have a great time.I’ve seen
I’ve been the Pinterest mom, scouring professional cake designs and theme-consistent decorations, utensils, favors, mascots, and skywriting airplanes. OK, maybe not the last one. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have fun stuff; I’m just saying sometimes we all need to step back from the culture of excess that permeates the internet and reboot.
We all need to take a moment and remember how things were when we were kids. No Instagram filters. No professional photographer.
I’m talking homemade sheet cake with mismatched birthday candles. Party hats made from construction paper. Running around in the backyard with friends.
We didn’t have many elaborate birthday parties growing up. But every birthday, large or small, was great. Odds are, your kids will feel the same way, too.
So here are a few ways to lift some pressure off your shoulders, save money, and have fun.
How to Save Money on Birthday Parties (and Still Have Fun)
1. Scale back.
Not every year needs to include a birthday party with 20 guests, a main course, three dessert options, and a bouncy castle in the back yard. For example, my daughter turned four shortly after Christmas, so we had a simple celebration at home with her grandparents. She helped me bake a cake from scratch and got a kick out of sticking the four candles in the cake, herself.
She’ll have bigger parties in the future, but I believe it was good for her to have a simple celebration with family this time. She had so much fun, and it certainly saved us a small bundle.
2. Give experiences.
One of our gifts to our daughter this year was a playdate at one of her favorite indoor bounce house entertainment centers. There was a discount on Groupon, so we set the date, invited friends, and enjoyed an afternoon together. You could even do this at a later time instead of a large birthday party.
To learn of discounted events in your area via Groupon, click on their website and type in your city. These deals fluctuate constantly, so make sure you check in from time to time.
3. Utilize the power of the Dollar Store.
Perhaps you’ve chosen your party theme and it’s time to pick out decorations. When I threw a “Thomas & Friends” party, Amazon had bundle upon of bundle of great decorations. My cart was filling up quickly. I finally realized I could buy a few of those items in generic colors and they’d still tie into the theme.
That brings us to the power of the Dollar Store. If you want to save money on birthday parties, don’t force yourself to make every item match perfectly. You can have plain, white cups and napkins to go with your Frozen theme. Plastic table cloths are another great example where solid colors work well.
If you have a budget for party items and need to save money, try out a few of these suggestions and see how they go. Like I said before, it’s great to have a party and celebrate your child, but you don’t have to go all out just to make them happy. Kids come predisposed to love birthday parties.
How do you find ways to save money on birthday parties?
Image via Alvimann (MorgueFile)
Are you a stay-at-home mom? Make sure you bookmark or pin some of these resources for later!
- 10 Steps to a Successful Stay-at-Home Mom Budget
- How to Afford Your Dream of Becoming a Stay-at-Home Mom
- 14 Online Jobs for Stay-at-Home Moms (That Are Worth Your Time)
- 13 Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money
- Loans for Stay-at-Home Moms – What Are YOUR Options?
- The SAHM Budget Test: How to Afford to Be a Stay-at-Home Mom
5 Ways to Save Money on Diapers Using Amazon
Every parent knows having a child drastically changes your finances. One of the largest expenses to enter the picture is diapers. It’s a fixed expense for the first three years of a child’s life, right? So, how can we save money on diapers?
The list is long. I wrote a post about this earlier called “How to Save Money on Diapers.” That would be a good place to head once you’re done here.
Since there was more to say after writing that first article, I decided to write a follow-up post specifically talking about Amazon.
5 Ways to Save Money on Diapers Using Amazon
I’m not saying you should only shop at Amazon for your diapers. I actually buy mostly off brand diapers in bulk at places like Target or Costco. That’s just how I do my shopping.
If you’re a pretty active online shopper looking to save money on diapers, then give these tips a try.
1. Subscribe & Save
No Prime membership required. All you do is sign up for Amazon’s Subscribe & Save program and choose from their selection of products. If there is something you need regularly, like paper towels or diapers, then subscribe. They’ll show up on your doorstep on the selected date saving you up to 15% off each time.
2. CamelCamelCamel.com
Want to know when diapers are at their lowest market price? Head over to CamelCamelCamel.com to find out. Enter the name of the product and look at its track record of the last year. That’ll help you determine when it’s best to shop next.
3. Price Tracker App
Do you prefer shopping on your mobile device? Save money on diapers by using the Price Tracker App. If you have Amazon’s store app already on your phone, then you have the Price Check feature within that app. That is a second method you could use to save money on your phone.
4. SnagShout.com
Find deep discounts on Amazon products on SnagShout.com. I first described SnagShout as a great resource when you’re searching for frugal Christmas gifts (read the full article here). But SnagShout can also be great for everyday items that aren’t quite as exciting but cost just as much green stuff in your wallet.
A.K.A. diapers.
Up until October 2016, SnagShout users were required to leave a review on Amazon in exchange for receiving the deep discounts on products. However, the policy was revised to reflect Amazon’s choice to make it illegal to require anyone to leave a review.
So, now you simply need to check out SnagShout’s merchandise, find the kids & baby section and see if there are any cloth diapers or nursing covers or other gems up for grabs.
5. Register for an Amazon baby registry.
If you’re having a baby shower, then consider registering on Amazon. Some perks include: free 90-day returns, millions of products from which to choose, 15% off Completion Discount on eligible items for Prime members.
Plus, people have the option of giving Amazon gift cards. Combine those with the 15% off through Subscribe & Save and you’ll get a bunch of diapers for not a bunch of money.
Have you ever tried to save money on diapers online? What’s one thing that worked for you?
Image Credit: Janko Ferlic (UnSplash)