I will only speak for myself when I say that I get a bit of a thrill from saving a few bucks here and there. It’s like I’ve beaten the system in some way – or pulled the wool over the eyes of society. Pathetic? Possibly – but just let me have this.
I won’t say I’m cheap – I’ve been known to spend some money on items that others may find ridiculous – gourmet meals, luxurious vacations, even fancy sheets. But in most other areas I practice strict frugality and thriftiness.
Now with three kids in my life, money has to be stretched farther than ever. And when it comes to saving money – there are the things that most people already know about like:
- Making home-cooked meals as opposed to eating out
- Coupon clipping
- Stock-piling on sale items (so long as they don’t expire and you aren’t about to appear on an upcoming episode of Hoarders)
- Allotting a designated amount of cash to spend per day or week (and sticking to it)
And when it comes to my kids, I’ve learned that spending enjoyable quality time with them never has to be pricey. In fact, based on my own personal experience, the best activities have always been the cheap (or free) ones. Most libraries and community centres offer a variety of free drop-in (and sometimes even registered) programs and activities.
But these suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many other, more interesting ways to save a few bucks. And I’m going to share 9 with you now. Enjoy.
#1 Freebies Galore
There are many companies that are generous with their freebies – especially where babies are concerned. Go online to find out which companies routinely offer freebies for baby products, cleaning supplies, even vouchers for groceries.
The site rather-be-shopping.com boasts a list of 12 companies that happily offer a variety of free products to die-hard as well as potential customers; Companies including Procter & Gamble, Snuggle and Johnson & Johnson to name a few.
Sometimes these freebies come with strings attached such as: signing up to receive a newsletter, providing honest opinions on the products and services, filling out brief surveys and/or being willing to test out their new products. Still – free is free!
And if you have the time, there’s nothing stopping you from looking up the contact info for your favourite brands and then shooting off an email asking for any coupons, promotions and/or discounts they can provide. The worst possible outcome will be nothing.
Freelance writer and blogger Amy did just that. She made it her personal mission to receive as many free products from companies as she could. Her quest paid off bigtime. Click on toughnickel.com to see which 50 companies she contacted as well as an itemized list of all the free stuff she received.
#2 Bargain Requesting
Typically, I pay my credit card bills off in full each month. The few times I have not, I have called up the credit card company and asked them to forego the interest. When I decided to upgrade my card for one with a better rewards system, I called the company up first and asked that they waive the annual fee for a couple of years. And guess what? They did this for me – on both counts.
The moral here is: don’t be afraid to ask. Don’t shy away from haggling with your credit card company in order to procure a better interest rate. The worst case scenario is that you are told “no”.
When service is below my expectations, I’m not afraid to speak out and ask for a discount. If my internet service has been spotty or a few of my cable channels haven’t been working consistently, I never hesitate to call up and ask for a rebate on my monthly bill. I have never been denied.
#3 Rebates And Ebates
Have you heard of Ebates.ca? I hadn’t either but from the sound of it, it’s pretty amazing. Here’s what happens in a nutshell: you visit their website and sign up (it’s free and only requires an email address), then you check out the stores and brands available through the site (there are 750 to choose from so chances are you’ll find stuff you usually buy anyway), then you make your purchases as you would normally.
Ebates tracks what you buy and from the commissions they earn from the participating stores, they will provide you with cash back. There are several ways you can opt to receive this money – either by cheque, through paypal or you can even earmark the money to be donated directly to a charity, organization or individual of your choosing.
#4 Dinner Deals
It makes sense that home cooked meals are often the thriftier way to eat as a family. But for special occasions when you want other people cooking and cleaning up after you, there are definitely ways around spending a small fortune.
Many family-friendly restaurants offer kids eat free deals on a specific night of the week or with purchase of a regular meal. A quick google search provided a list of Canadian establishments that offer this promotion including: Applebee’s, Denny’s, Crabby Joe’s and East Side Mario’s to name a few.
And if you can prove it’s your birthday, some places (such as: Applebee’s, Tucker’s Marketplace, Jack Astor’s, Montana’s and Boston Pizza) will offer a free meal and/or dessert.
Keep in mind that oftentimes, these promotions aren’t widely advertised so it pays to ask around and make good use of google before heading out to a restaurant for a family dinner.
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#5 DIY
If you have the time and energy – there are many things you can make yourself that will save you a few bucks in the process. A quick google search will provide you with recipes for items including:
- Baby wipes
- A variety of condiments (such as ketchup and mayo)
- Toiletries including shampoo, shaving cream, toothpaste and lotion
- Cosmetics such as blush, foundation and nail polish
- Cleaning supplies and detergents
- Pet food
If DIY is your cup of tea, then get to work.
#6 Unique Saving Strategies
Some creative individual once decided that any $5 bill that came into their possession would immediately be socked away for savings. Pretty soon, their piggy bank was full of fivers that they were free to spend on an extravagant vacation they were saving up for. This sort of outside-the-box thinking can be put to use with any dollar amount.
A couple of other novel savings methods include cutting out a habit for a few months – such as drinking alcohol or smoking – and then setting aside the money you’d normally spend on this habit. Or selecting an unnecessary utility or service – such as cable tv or a cleaning service – and cutting it out for a few months – in order to stockpile some savings.
If there is a big ticket item you are saving up for like a car or vacation or you just want to cut back on spending, this may be the unique break you are looking for.
#7 Ask And You Shall Receive
You need something specific like a portable highchair, umbrella stroller or a snowsuit? Start polling friends and family, put out a message over the internet, make a direct plea via social media. Chances are there is someone out there trying to get rid of the stuff they’re done with – that you may be in need of.
In my experience, most parents are extremely generous with their hand-me-downs – it’s just a matter of keeping a keen eye out. I’ve never had to spend a dime on winter boots, coats or even clothing for my son – thanks to several amazing friends (you know who you are!)
#8 Secondhand Love
Just because you have the money to buy new is not necessarily reason enough to do so. Get started by checking out a couple of these excellent haunts: Value Village, The Salvation Army, Good Will, Once Upon a Child, Kijiji and Facebook parent groups. I guarantee you’ll find all sorts of baby and kid stuff in excellent condition.
One of my children, who shall remain anonymous, is mortified at the mere thought of buying used clothing. And each time we make our bi-annual trek to Value Village to stock up on seasonal clothing, I entice him/her along by promising him/her $5 if he/she cannot find a single item of clothing to buy. I’m happy to report that to this day, I’ve never had to shell out the fiver.
One more quick tip – as you cycle through your baby and kid stuff, consider selling it yourself – over the internet or to second-hand stores. It’s a great way to clear out your house while making a few bucks in the process.
#9 Less Is More
Once at the grocery store with my baby in tow, I saw a mother with a quilted thing-a-ma-jig that she draped across the shopping cart so her baby wouldn’t have to touch the germ-ridden plastic seat or metal bar that kept her safe.
Immediately, my mind went straight to “Ohmygod, my baby is going to die of salmonella poisoning unless I get one of those STAT!”
But then I took a deep breath, the panic passed and I continued with my grocery shopping. I’m happy to report that my baby was fine – she’s now 13 and as far as I know, she has never contracted salmonella poisoning.
My point is, it’s easy to get caught up in the feeling that you need something desperately or are worried that you are under prepared or don’t have enough – especially when you see what other people have and feel judged.
As a parent, when you make a purchase – whether a big one or a bunch of seemingly insignificant little ones, you want to ensure they aren’t for the wrong reasons.
Trust me on this – those nagging feelings of parental insecurity and worry rarely go away. The good news is that you can train yourself to ignore them or talk yourself out of them.
This is what I have to do every year at Christmas time. I always compile a list of gifts and force myself to stick to it in order not to over-buy. Yet come December, I’m always awash in a cold sweat that I haven’t bought enough.
Then I remind myself – when it comes to stuff – less is always more.