It is totally an understatement that being a single mom is tough. No one can imagine how cruel this world is when it comes to judging a single mom! Single moms are prone to anxiety and depression, as they have to face a lot to raise their child.
They have to worry about how they can manage the ever-growing monthly expense within a limited income. They invest various new tricks to reduce expenses and cope up with the budget each week.
So, with the intention to provide a helping hand to those brave single mothers, I am now sharing some small but cool frugal tricks and tips that can help out every single mom.
1. Ask your kids to help
If they’re old enough, ask them to join you. They can help you in every bit of your work, such as in the garden, mowing, laundry, home cleaning, etc. Try to keep them away from fire or some electrical jobs. When they grow up, ask them to do part-time jobs so that they can handle their own expenses. This way they may even be able to save a decent amount for their college!
2. Grow veggies in your garden
If you have time, use that and grow a few of your favorite veggies. It can save you a lot from the grocery bill every week. If you can grow enough amount of veggies, you may even sell them in your neighborhood, and earn good money. If you have a big space, you may start a new business and open up an option to earn more.
3. Make cheap meals
If you can try, you may buy some cheap veggies from the market and cook some cheap meals from there. You can use okra, pinto beans, cornbread, potatoes and prepare easy meals for everyone. Avoid eating expensive junk foods, they are bad for health and also for your wallet. Teach your kids to eat well while saving money. Collect recipes from others, like friends or neighbors. If you feel shy about that, just search in google!
4. Ask your kids to eat properly
Don’t let them get away with keeping leftover on their plates. Serve food in small portions so that they can finish it off easily. If they want more, give them in a small amount. Letting kids eat more than they require may lead to weight issues. Tell them to eat properly so that they don’t waste the food too much.
5. Save leftovers for the next day
Do not dump the leftovers after each meal! It can be used to create a whole new meal for the next day. You may freeze those leftovers and use them in soup or stew in next week. Using leftover mashed potatoes to prepare a potato cake is a good cooking trick. This way you may save money as you don’t have to buy new veggies for these meals.
6. Avoid dining out
Teach your kids to avoid fast food. You may occasionally hit the pizza store and have a meal. But make sure you don’t visit there too often. You may make those pizzas at home, it will be much healthier and safe.
7. Reuse old clothing with modifications
Kids normally do not want to wear old clothes. So, you may ask them to use those clothes after doing some modifications. Do some stitch work on those clothes, they’ll look like new ones. Also, do not just dump them if they aren’t dirty. Hang them up for a while and wear the next day. If you want you may iron them again if you need to. This way you may save on laundry bills.
8. Turn off the light switches
This is one of the most important frugal living tips that you may teach your kids as a single mom. Whenever you leave the room, turn off the lights immediately. This rule should be applied to all of the house members, especially kids. They should learn about the value of electricity. This way you may lower your utility bill as well as the cost of light bulbs.
9. Pay off your debts first
You have to make payments on your necessary expenses every month. But sometimes you may have to handle a few emergency costs out of your monthly budget. As a result, you might fall into a debt trap. To manage these sudden expenses, you may have taken a payday loan. But that high-interest loan may destroy your finances in the coming days. So, to get out of this mess, you have to make your debt payments first. If you don’t, the total debt amount will rise, as the interests will be piled up.
If you can’t handle the pressure of making multiple debt payments, you may consult a credit counseling agency and opt for a debt elimination plan. This way you may pay off your debts entirely while making only one payment per month.
10. Cut your kids’ hair yourself
Sounds weird! But, it may make sense if you can save good money from it. What’s the point of spending $10 to $15 for a stylish haircut for your kids? Trust me, I have tried this trick, and it works!!
11. Shop wisely
This means everything from food to toys, garments to books, everything. Do not shop from malls or big shops. Instead, check out the dollar stores and thrift shops. Find out great deals and discounts in these shops, choose things that you need, and don’t overspend. Also, check out for yard sales. You may find tons of clothing and toys at yard sales. You’ll find so many items that you just need to clean and use.
Conclusion
Your credit is a lot like your health. To keep it in good condition, you have to take care of it, minimize risk, watch for warning signs, consider credit card debt consolidation when you have maxed out cards, and make responsible decisions. Healthy credit habits help you take control of your finances and establish good credit.
Hope these frugal living tips will help you solve all your financial worries. Open up your mind and find more tricks to save money, and don’t forget to share with us.