Modern mums and dapper dads are well aware of how expensive it is to raise children in today’s world. Even if you and your partner are still working as much as you did before you had your baby, there’s a good chance that you’ll be struggling to make ends meet, as you’ll need to pay for extra expenses like formula, clothes, school supplies and more.
If you’ve been stressing over your budget and wondering how to get money lately, don’t panic. We’ve put together this list of quick money-saving hacks for mums who want to have a little extra room left over in their budget each month.
1. Make the Most of Hand-Me-Downs
Whether you’re having your first child or your third, there are few things better for your budget than hand-me-downs. If you’re having another child, see whether you can re-use any of the clothes or items that you bought when you were having your first baby. On the other hand, if you’re having your first child, ask around friends and family members to see if they have anything that they can give you for free.
Most of the time, babies will end up using clothes and other items only once or twice before they’re thrown in a drawer never to be seen again. Make the most of those purchases by re-using them.
2. Borrow the Things You Can’t Get for Free
If your friends and loved ones aren’t willing to just give you their baby car seat, in case they have another child again in the future, then simply ask whether you can borrow it from time to time. You might be able to borrow a bunch of different items from Moses baskets to nursing chairs that you’ll only need for a short period before you and your baby outgrow them anyway.
Most of the time your loved ones won’t mind giving you access to expensive items for a brief while, as long as you can promise that you’ll take care of their belongs.
3. Share Babysitting Tasks with Friends
If you know people in your social circle that have babies like you, then you have a great opportunity to take advantage of some free or cheap babysitting opportunities here. Gather as many people as you can together and create a roster for each night in a month where each of you will be able to babysit for the others. If you can agree to looking after your friends kids one Saturday each month, they might be happy to offer you the same deal, that means more free babysitting opportunities.
You can use the same strategy to share carpooling responsibilities when your kids start going to school later too.
4. See What you Can Get for Free
There’s a lot of great support and assistance available for mums and dads across the UK, you just need to know where to look. For instance, you might be able to get some freebies when you’re expecting a new baby by signing up to parenting clubs with companies like Tesco or Boots.
On the other hand, if you’re looking for some more long-term assistance, consider visiting the citizens advice bureau for insights into the kind of benefits that you can apply for to help you out with things like childcare and council tax.
5. Don’t Over-Spend on Baby Clothes
As exciting as it is to buy new clothes for your baby when you’re expecting, try not to go over the top. Remember that your child will likely grow out of their clothes faster than you would think – so they won’t have time to make the most of the designer coats and dresses you buy them.
Additionally, it’s best to avoid buying baby shoes altogether. The chances are that these shoes will only be worn for special occasions like christenings, and even then, they won’t last long.
6. Don’t Buy a New Diaper Bag
Finally, remember that when you’re prepping for a new baby, there are some things that you just don’t need. For instance, if you’ve got a large handbag or backpack already, then you don’t need to over-spend on a special diaper bag. There’s nothing particularly special about these bags that would mean you need to spend extra cash on them.
Diaper bags are generally just normal bags with baby-themed artwork and a much larger sticker price. Stick to the bags you already have and save yourself some extra cash.
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