I was scrolling through Facebook the other day (yep, I’m back on… 🤭 had to for work!) and came across a post from someone I really enjoy following.
In the post, he had listed what an average family spends on groceries. I think it was somewhere around $1500 for a family of four? I can’t remember.
But it made me feel so good!!
Prices everywhere have skyrocketed!
When money was real tight for us, I was super cheap with my grocery budget. So, if I ever received unexpected income (like a state tax refund or something – we just got one again here in Minnesota), I’d take it to the grocery store to stock up!
I’d come out with two carts full and my suburban would be packed!!
😅 Ahhh good times, good times.
It’d cost anywhere between $300 and $500. 😂🤣 And that was a lot of money to me, for groceries!
Now, when I don’t watch what I spend on groceries, I can easily spend around $1,500 a month. And I’m a family of seven!! (But I constantly feed a family of 11, because I always have my son and his family, and my other son’s fiancé over…)
If I’m watching my budget like I should be though, I usually spend around $1,000 a month on groceries.
And before seeing this post on Facebook, I felt horrible about how much money I was spending on groceries.
Do you know what I could be doing with that kind of cash?!? And instead, it’s being consumed! 😱 Oh the horror.
I have a lot of ways I save money on groceries, and you can read all about them in this post.
But I also have a lot of other weird little ways I save money. Things I do that I don’t even think about.
But when new girls are introduced to the family, they take note! And find me one odd duck. 😂🤣
And so, because you probably live on one income too, I’ll share with you my weird little money-saving tips – the ones I can think of right off the top of my head. I’ll have to come back and edit this post as I think of more.
Maybe if you can save money in weird ways, it’ll leave more money in your budget for groceries momma! 😂🤣
1. I use natural light to save on electricity bills
I love pulling the shades up and the curtains back and letting that sun come in!
But it’s a constant struggle here at my house.
I want the blinds open. Did you know that using natural light can save you a considerable amount of money on your electricity bills?
Instead of using artificial lights, I like to open my curtains and let the natural light shine through. This can significantly reduce your electricity consumption and save you money in the long run!
But the struggle is real because my husband likes to keep the shades drawn. Why?
Because if we are trying to cool the house, and the sun is baking in, it’s heating the house up! So, the air conditioner is having to work that much harder! 😂🤣
We get along nicely in the winter though when my natural light can shine through freely – because it helps warm up the house. 😁
2. I’ve made my own cleaning products
I don’t do this currently (although I should start again!) but I have in the past.
When money is super tight, cleaning products can be crazy expensive! It’s one place you can cut corners.
Not only are they expensive, but they are also full of toxins and chemicals that can harm your family’s health!! (I’ve been on a clean eating, clean beauty, and clean cleaning journey!)
Instead of buying expensive cleaning products, you can easily make your own. All you need are some essential ingredients such as vinegar, baking soda, and lemon. Not only is this a cheap alternative, but it is also eco-friendly.
3. I don’t buy clothes
Yep, you read that right.
Clothing has never been in my budget.
Buying clothes can be a massive expense for many families.
And when you have little money to begin with, it can really eat a pretty penny out of your budget.
I have amazing friends and family who buy beautiful clothes. And when they are tired of them or outgrow them, they pass them on to me!
I seriously get hand-me-downs for everyone in my family – all of my children and even my husband and myself. We very rarely have to buy clothes.
But Toots is now at an odd age where nothing seems to fit, and I do have to go shopping for him. So, when I do, I start with second-hand clothing stores and clearance racks.
Many used clothes are still in excellent condition, and you can find some hidden gems in thrift shops and online marketplaces.
Garage sales are amazing too. The best time to hit them is in the spring.
And if I have to buy sports equipment or cleats, I look at places like Once Upon a Child and Play It Again Sports first.
I had to buy cleats for the boys this last summer for baseball. All these little 8 year-olds and 11-year-olds were showing up in beautiful (expensive!) cleats!! For literally FOUR games. So not kidding.
And you know how fast their feet grow!
That’d have cost me well over $300!! To outfit my three.
I got my boys’ cleats at Once Upon a Child for $60. 😁 That was in June. It’s now September. They haven’t touched those cleats since July. 😂🤣
4. I don’t spend money on beauty products
I’m a girly girl and I like to look nice. When I was younger, I loved spending money on clothing, hair, and makeup.
But as I had more and more kids, I just had to let that stuff go.
I’m lucky because my mom and my sister both own their own hair salons. So, I often get their leftover products. Stuff that they are tired of, or can’t sell, or was samples, or whatever.
I’ve been using this huge jug of conditioner my sister gave me over a year ago! And I’m still not done with it yet. It’s a professional product, so go ahead and swoon momma! ☺️
They always cut my hair for free too. They just love me. 🥰 I’ve been very blessed; in that I haven’t had to spend money on that. My mom cuts my boys’ hair. Do you know how much haircuts cost?!? And how fast a boy’s hair can grow?!?
But on top of that, I also don’t buy a lot of hair products myself or make up. I don’t do my hair anymore. 😆 Since the twins were born, it’s been wash it and ponytail it.
This last year I got a perm, because my husband so badly wanted his 90’s girl back. 😂🤣 So now I lost the ponytail, to save on the curl. But I still just wash and go!
You don’t need a lot of hair products when you don’t do your hair.
And as far as makeup, I only wear mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow. So, there is minimal expense there as well.
BUT I follow this amazing website – Essential Moves to Wellness. She has a lot of DIY recipes on there that I want to try. I just haven’t had time!
Even then though, momma, we need to be careful. Because some DIY recipes can cost more than actually buying the product. The only turn on then is that the DIY recipe is so much better for you.
5. I don’t buy furniture
It’s not that I’ve never bought furniture. I’m currently sitting at my dining room table, that I absolutely had to buy. Because no one was going to give me a hand-me-down table that seats 12. 😆
But most of my furniture is hand-me-downs. 🤷🏻♀️ I have a very large family with a lot of aunts and uncles. When they update, I’m the first person they think about.
So, when they update, I do too – with their old stuff! 😁
6. I don’t buy house décor
Do you know how much money it costs to decorate your house?!? It’s crazy!!
I just moved into my dream home three years ago, and I’ve been slowly trying to decorate it. I absolutely love the farmhouse look, and it’s not something that the rest of my family has.
Because I don’t buy décor. I usually wait for hand-me-downs here as well. My family gets tired of their décor and passes it on to me, and then that’s how I decorate my house.
But because of Pinterest 🙄 I have fallen in love with the farmhouse look. So, I’m slowly trying to decorate that way. And the rest of my family does not have that same taste.
So, what do I do?
I wait until we have a big event and then add it to that budget! 😆
We just had my son graduate last spring, and so I added décor to our graduation budget. Anywhere that guests might be. 😁
The guest bathroom, entryway, laundry room (because it’s a back door entry), and living room (because it’s another entry into the house) all got decorated. 🙌🏻🙌🏻
7. I rewash my baggies
Okay this is the one tip that makes my girls giggle.
When my boys introduced the girls to me, they noticed the first time they had dinner here that I rewash zip lock baggies. 😆
And they later asked my boys why I do that.
But it’s to save money on buying zip lock baggies! 😂🤣 It’s something I grew up doing and have continued to do with my own family. 🤷🏻♀️
If you decide to do it as well, just be sure to let the water sit in the bag for a minute before rinsing it. That way you can see if it drains out anywhere. If it does, there’s a hole in the bag and you need to throw it.
Of course, now they have “washable” zip lock baggies. 😂🤣🤦🏻♀️ I promise you, momma, you can wash any of them – even the “normal” ones.
I don’t wash plastic forks though! 😆 My mother-in-law does that, and I draw the line there. Because if you are going to wash it, then you might as well use real silverware. 🤷🏻♀️
8. I try not to burn my candles
I LOVE candles. I love to buy them and I love to burn them.
I’d have a candle lit all the time if I could!
But they are crazy expensive!!
So, I buy them on clearance, and out of season. And now and then, when I’m feeling rich or want to treat myself. 😂🤣
But then I try really hard not to burn them.
Because they smell just as amazing if they are just sitting there, not burning, as they do when you burn them.
The one I just bought for my living room – a fall cinnamon apple one – Oh my I love walking through my living room and breathing that scent in!
If you don’t burn them, they last all season. And then the next year too!
So, this fall, I’ll pack away my spring/summer scents and pull out some fall ones. (Just as soon as I finish all my canning! 😆)
When I really do want to burn a candle, I’ll take an out of season scent, and burn it downstairs in my office, while I work. And I’ll wait for a gloomy overcast day to do it, just to kind of cozy it up a bit.
Right now, I have Passionfruit Cream in my office. 😆 And it’s September.
9. I’ve used rags instead of Swiffer refills
I have a Swiffer broom, because it does a great job picking up dog hair. But I don’t always buy Swiffer refills for it.
When I’m pinching pennies, I just use microfiber cloths. They tuck into the little refill holes just as nicely as a refill, and they pick up dog hair too.
I use a spray bottle and a Swiffer instead of a wet Swiffer or a wet vac
Those wet Swiffers or wet vacs are all the rage right now. But I’m telling you, a simple spray bottle and a normal Swiffer does the trick! And it’s way cheaper.
You can use a microfiber cloth for the Swiffer, or you can use the dry Swiffer refills. You don’t need the wet ones! The spray bottle does the trick.
And buy your refills in bulk. That’ll save you some cash.
10. I use a bagless vacuum
When you are on a tight budget, you often find yourself having to choose between a second jug of milk, or things like vacuum cleaner bags. 🤷🏻♀️ 😂🤣
I used to dump out my vacuum cleaner bags and reuse them because my boys really needed that second jug of milk. 😆
I got sick and tired of that and just opted for a bagless vacuum. And I love it!!
11. I don’t buy plants and flowers
I love them!! I really do.
I just don’t buy them.
My mom, my sister, and all of my aunts do though! 😆
And when theirs need splitting in the spring or fall, they split them and give them to me! 🙌🏻 🙌🏻 I have filled up many a flower bed that way.
I’ve also created strawberry patches and raspberry rows that way.
And my mom is so good to always start me a plant from one of her house plants.
12. I save my garden seed in the fridge
If I don’t use all of my garden seeds, I save them for next year! 😁 I just put them in the back of the basement fridge. (A nifty little trick I learned from my farmer-son, who graduated with a degree in agronomy. 😁)
So far, it’s been working! But do this at your own risk. I used to save seeds from year to year, and just keep them in my garage. Some years, they wouldn’t take.
Putting them in the fridge makes them go dormant. So that seems to help. They’d freeze over the winter in my garage which I thought was good too. But maybe not… 🤔
13. I don’t waste food
Or I try not to! It’s really hard to do with little kids, which I’m sure you know. 😂🤣
I don’t make my kids eat everything on their plates. Because as an adult, if I don’t like something, I’m not going to eat it.
So, I don’t make my kids do that either.
Also, as an adult if I’m full I’m not going to keep eating. I don’t make my kids either.
What I do do, though, is dish out very small portions. Because you can always go back for more.
And if there is any food left on the plate, if it is something my dog can eat (like meat), it goes to her. That makes me feel better about waste and it makes her happy! 😆
If it’s produce, it goes in the compost.
And if it’s anything else, then it does sadly get thrown. So, we try really hard to serve only what we know our kids will eat.
We also make them try everything, but if it’s something we know they don’t like, we don’t make them put it on their plate. We don’t want to have to throw it out later!
Oh – and I meal plan. I’ll start the week with something like a meat and potato meal, and then I’ll use leftover meat in a hot dish or a soup.
And I plan two meals, and then a leftover night, two meals and then a leftover night. So that we always eat up our leftovers.
14. I don’t have a lot of subscriptions
I cut my Amazon subscription. That got too spendy and I just don’t use it enough. I shop in person still.
I grew up in a world where we didn’t have to pay for things on a month to month basis. Our software – we bought it! Paid for it in full and installed it on our computer. 😆
Our TV was free. Our phone was minimal.
Subscriptions were for things like magazines.
So, I have a hard time getting behind this pay-every-month society we now live in.
We do not have TV at all, so I do pay for Netflix. And I’ve tried axing that from the budget so many times now! 😂🤣 Every time I try its mutiny at my house though!
We do pay for Xbox every month because my kids play online. 🙄 When they turn 17 I make them pay for it themselves though.
And that’s it! For household stuff.
For my business I try to keep it very minimal as well. But I do pay for some things.
Here’s what I’ve found worth paying for every month:
- Canva
- ConvertKit
- Tailwind
- Surfer SEO
I recently canceled Tailwind though because I just haven’t had time to pin, and I picked up Jasper instead, because I’m playing around with it. 😁
15. I don’t buy garbage bags
I do buy the tall kitchen garbage bags. In bulk.
But for literally every other garage I our house, I reuse the bags you get at the grocery store. So my garbage’s are full of Walmart, Target, and Hugo’s grocery bags! 😆
If you decide to do this for your kitchen garbage (mine is under the sink) just double them up though. Because they do leak.
16. I buy used appliances
We very rarely buy appliances. Only when ours break.
I love updating as much as the next person, but it’s just not necessary.
Sometimes I do get hand-me down appliances, though, which is nice. Right now, we have three refrigerators. I didn’t buy a single one.
They were all given to us. Which is nice, because when our refrigerator in our kitchen took a crap, we just moved the one from the basement up.
That one sucks though! It is way too small for our large family. We definitely need a bigger one.
So, while we are saving up for it, I’m keeping my eye out on Facebook. We’ll either buy one there or at a scratch and dent appliance store. We never buy brand new though.
They work just as well with tiny dents as they do brand new!
17. I don’t use credit cards
Speaking of saving up, I don’t have a credit card.
I really used to struggle with managing my money. I sucked at it!
So, I axed all my credit cards and worked really hard to get out of debt. Yes, on a stay-at-home mom’s income! 😁
Let me tell you, it’s not easy. But it is possible!!
So now, I don’t have credit cards. Everything I buy is paid for in cash. So yes, we have to save up for that fridge. 😆 Most people would go put it on a card. But I refuse!
If you don’t have a credit card though, momma, you need a back up plan! Like a nice little savings, for emergencies. (Or a few more fridges in the house that you can use! 😆)
18. I don’t buy kitchen appliances or dishes
I really want an Instant Pot. But I’ll never buy it.
Maybe at a secondhand store or at a pawn shop… 🤔 I have seen them there.
The thing is, I don’t need one. It’s just a want.
I don’t buy things like that. Or new kitchen dishes. I use what I have. 🤷🏻♀️
If I do get new, it’s from my kids or my hubby, as Christmas and birthday gifts. And believe me, I LOVE it when they give me stuff like that!
I got a new Kurieg that has a coffee pot and coffee pod place on it from my son and his fiancé last year, and a new pot and pan set from my other son and his wife. Best Christmas ever!
19. I pack a meal or don’t eat
Okay this is a weird one, but I live way out in the boon docks. When I go to town, it’s an all-day affair! 😂🤣
So, I’ll fill up on an egg mc muffin before heading out the door, and that’ll get me through the entire day, until I come home and eat supper. I don’t stop to eat while I’m shopping unless I have my boys with me.
Then I do have to feed them. 🤷🏻♀️
If we go to football games or watch track and field events, I always packed my kids a lunch box. Sometimes for basketball too.
These games are often over the supper hour, and concessions is expensive!! Especially if you are feeding three to four boys. They don’t fill up on just one slice of pizza. They are still hungry after that!
I know concessions is used to support the school and sporting events though, so as they’ve gotten older and our budget hasn’t been so tight, I do from time to time treat the kids to concessions, so that I can help support the school as well.
But don’t feel guilty if you can’t! You first have to take care of your family. And then you can take care of the community, as you are able to. 💞
20. I don’t go anywhere!!
I really don’t. Going places and doing things costs money. 😂🤣 Even if you are just window shopping. At the very least, there is always gas and a meal involved.
So, I really don’t do a lot of extras.
Phew! 😅 That was a lot!!
This was supposed to be a quick 30 minute, one-and-done kind of blog post for you, just to give you a few ideas for saving money during these very stressful economic times.
And it turned out to be very long! I guess I had more ideas to share with you than I originally thought!
I hope that some of these will work for you and your family.
Saving money is a challenge, especially in the world we live in today!!
But it is essential for every family’s financial stability – especially sahms. By using these weird ways 😁, you can save money without sacrificing your family’s needs and wants.
And sometimes, it comes down to priorities. Do you want to buy vacuum bags, or a second jug of milk?
Do you need that new frying pan, or do you want to put that money towards a Christmas gift?
Remember that every penny counts, and small changes can add up to significant savings in the long run!
As a busy stay at home mom, you can implement these ideas in your daily life and start saving money today.
And if you have any off-the-wall ways that you save money, let me know! Post it in the comments below! I’m always looking for more ways to save my pennies. 😁
