Top 10 Money Saving Tips for the Frugal Parent

I have been brainstorming a bit tonight. Kids, we love them with all our hearts, but wow, they can be expensive. From formula, clothes, shoes, food, toys, medical care, books, to education and much much more. So what are some ideas that might help a bit? I have come up with a quick list and encourage everyone to go to the end of this page and post their ideas to help parents save a bit.

1. If you have babies, how about making your own baby wipes! We are on our second young one and know how this little expense can add up. Here is an article we wrote on baby wipes a while back.
2. Thinking about babies. How about making your own baby food?
3. Ok, this next one is easy for me. I save my loose change. In the evening when I come home I take any coins I have in my pockets and put it away. Its a great way to save for yourself, or you could put it in your child’s piggy bank. If they are old enough its a great way to use this loose change for an allowance. You would be amazed as to how much extra money you have by the end of the week.
4. Save with credit cards? Umm you say! Lean to manage your credit cards instead of having them manage you. Not every credit card is created equal. Shop around. Some cards, such as the Discover® Open Road Card offer great gas rebates, and with summer travel we could all use a hand, other cards such as the Toys "R"Us credit cards applies rebates at Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us. The key, to taking advantage of these great rebates is to pay off the cards right away. Only use them to buy gas or items you can pay for at the end of the month and you will be on your way to taking advantage of credit cards and not having them take advange of you. Click here to browse, compare, and read reviews of all our credit card offers. 
   
5. Buy clothing at second hand stores. These stores are becoming more and more common, and at a young age your child won’t know the difference. We have found some great deals and bargains at second hand clothes stores.  
6. Get your children involved in crafts and create hand-made gifts with them. This not only can save money, but in my personal opinion is a much better gift then buying daddy a tie on fathers day. Hand made crafts are extra special and will make special memories for yearsto come. Check out our site for some craft ideas. All check out http://www.allcrafts.net/. This is a great directory of craft links. My dear friend Melissa also has a great craft site at Caftyplaces.com 
7. Did you know you can print manufacturers coupons from the internet? This can be a great time savings. You will no longer need to hunt and peck through the newspapers to find coupons, unless you really want to 🙂 We have recently partnered up with a company to let you print out manufactures coupons. Click Here to learn how you can print these coupons.
8. This is common sense. Plan head, and shop wisely. Compare prices and buy in bulk when you can at places such as Sams Club. And whatever you do, don’t go shopping on an empty stomach!!
9. Time is money. Did you know that a mom has a value of a 6 figure job! Check out this article from CNN Money. That being said, make the best use of your time and get your kids involved in chores at an early age. It is not only a great way to share some of the workload, but also a great way to teach your child responsibility. Check out our article on Chores and Teaching Responsibility
10. Last but not least, if you have more than one child try hand me down cloths. The clothes don’t have to come from older children, they can come from parents too. I try to make it fun for my oldest son, and he thinks it is very special to be able to wear one of Daddy’s old unicycle shirts to bed.

Thats my quick list, I will have to make a more comprehensive list someday. What does everyone else do to save money? Scroll down to the bottom of this page and put in your comments. We would love to hear from you!!

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