No matter how many ways we try to look at it, two incomes are always better than one. When a couple break up and kids are involved, most will struggle in some way financially. Kids are not cheap and making sure they have what they need is always top of mind. Finding money saving ideas becomes a matter of survival for many.
If you find yourself one paycheck behind seemingly every week, here are some tips to help loosen things up a bit:
Begin Meal Planning
Controlling your food costs is a great way to change your financial outlook and it is relatively easy to do. The key is to have a solid base you can work from. This means having a meal plan and sticking to it. Meal planning can be as simple as making out a menu for the week and shopping for specific needs to control food costs. You can even work leftovers into the mix and reduce waste entirely! Less waste means more savings. {Getting started with a meal plan.}
Hop on the Water Train
This is without a doubt one of the easiest changes to make and it will also benefit your entire family health-wise. Decide to drink water and stick to it. Make having anything else a treat that you only do on occasion and you will save a fortune on beverages alone. To make it more interesting for the kids, you can always add in some of the flavored mixes. Best of all, you can drink healthy water for free most anywhere.
For those that really want to embrace this idea, you could get a huge boost by using a filtered cup. For $15-20 bucks on Amazon you can get a cup that filters tap water for you anyplace you go! Head over and grab one and start saving now. Just click the image below!
Eliminate the Excess
For some this might mean 2000 channels on Cablevison and for others it might mean not spending money going out to eat each week. The key is to look at your own lives and ask yourself….”What am I doing to excess?”
Most all of us are doing something we can cut back on.
Figure out what your easy wins are
Easy wins are those things which we can give up without much effort. Some people can resist that chocolate cake with no problems and skip dessert, while others might be able to go months without watching television. Find the things that are easy to cut budget wise and do those things first.
Go generic
Generic products were created for people that are struggling, so like it or not, we sometimes find ourselves in that position. Knowing which products to go generic with is the key. If you are buying electronics, for example, generic is not necessarily a good idea. If you are buying a can of green beans, the savings makes sense. {My favorite products at ALDI}
Saving money as a single parent is not easy but it can certainly be done. The keys are to recognize your opportunities and take advantage of them when they present themselves.
What money saving ideas do you have to share?
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