- Coupons, coupons, coupons: I never leave the house without them. I have a very organized system of coupons for things like baby food, formula, diapers, wipes, rice cereal, and every other baby necessity I can think of. I keep them in a zip lock bag in the diaper bag, which goes everywhere with me, so I never have the excuse that I don't have them. If I don't have a coupon, I don't buy it - unless I'm in dire need, which hasn't happened yet. If you need a way to get coupons, register on the respective websites of the products you use for your family. I get $6 a week in Enfamil coupons because I registered on the site to let them know what product I use. Once, I got a $26 rebate from Enfamil just for sending in my receipts when they were running a special rebate program!
- Water bottles - This family drinks water like it's going out of style. My Mom was kind enough to buy us the new 3M Filtrete Water System, which I now recommend to everyone. It's a filter system that has 4 water bottles you simply attach to fill and remove to drink. They are capped tight so we can fill them and store them in the fridge for later. This saves us at least $10 a week on buying water bottles and it's safe for the environment. The BPA water bottles provided are dishwasher safe and the same size as a water bottle you buy from the store.
- Rewards Programs - Become a member of the rewards programs of items your family uses. I love Pampers diapers, but don't mind Huggies wipes, so I'm a rewards member on each. I get coupons in the mail and when I enter in UPC codes of items I buy, the rewards add up to free products. I am also a Babies 'R Us rewards member, which is great because I get $15 a month in coupons on anything in the store!
- Grocery shopping - When I know we are running low on groceries, I immediately go for my grocery list. I add to this list through the weeks. I plan out dinners for at least two weeks before heading to the store and I make categories: quick dinners for those nights I'll be too tired to cook, easy dinners that Jimmy can make without my assistance and big meals. I'm the type of person who will buy whatever looks good on a shelf and then I find myself with a huge bill. With my list, I never have a reason to buy something I don't need, and I never have side dishes or main courses that have no counterparts. I used to buy hot dogs and forget buns or get Hamburger Helper and no ground beef. By the time I remembered I needed those things, I was too tired to head to the store for them and never remembered to pick them up the next time around. Money straight down the drain. When we have meals planned for two weeks, we know what to expect and it's easier to change things up. We also add in the occasional dinner out and dinner at both of our parents' houses, so after a successful grocery trip, we are set for about three weeks!
- Buy generic - I do research on products before I buy generic, but I'm not opposed to buying something that isn't name brand. 9 times out of 10, it tastes the same and offers the same nutritional value.
- Hand-me-downs - I have yet to turn away clothes or toys that people have offered to us. If the toys are still in good working condition and have no broken parts that can hurt little Jimmy, I simply make sure to disinfect them thoroughly. As for clothes, I look them over and if they are only gently used, I wash them in Dreft and add them to his wardrobe. I have yet to buy a single toy for Jimmy but still our house is full of things for him to explore and play with!
- Bottles - I wash my bottles by hand. If I ran the dishwasher every day my utility bills would be ridiculous. Jimmy drinks exactly 6 bottles a day, so I designate a certain time during the day (either first thing in the morning or last thing at night) to wash them. I don't let the formula sit all day in the bottles, either. We give the bottles a thorough rinse after every use and put them in a pan on the left side of the sink to dry out. When it's time to wash, we fill the pan with soapy water. It takes me maybe 10-15 minutes to wash bottles a day, but the amount I'm saving is worth it. (Yes, for those of you with two or more children, I fully understand this may not be the best option. Those spare minutes you get in your day usually don't want to be filled with bottle washing.)
- Netflix - My Mom recently got a Netflix account and has been kind enough to let us stream instant movies through our XBox360 at home. This way, we don't have to rent movies all the time or worry about late fees. Every night at 9:30, Jimmy and I can catch up on our favorite show or watch a movie. There are very few movies we are avid about paying $9 a piece to see, so we don't mind waiting a little longer and watching it from the comfort of our home. That way, we can enjoy snacks, be in comfy clothes, and not worry about a babysitter! Date night is every night! Thanks, Mom!
- Activities - With a little one, it's hard to really go out and do much without feeling overwhelmed. We love to take walks as a family and this allows for Brinkley to join in on the fun. In the evenings, we will drive to different scenic parts of the community and walk around. This time as a family allows us to decompress from the hectic day, catch up on what's going on in each other's lives and tires out the dog and little Jimmy. Best part - it's free!
Well, that's all I can think of right now. Saving money for us is like second nature for us and we really enjoy having the extra money at the end of every month to put aside for future vacations of a future big family purchase. It also allows us the opportunity to go out with friends and enjoy activities with them since we are saving money in other areas.
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