Every single person who will read this article will feel a connection to the above image ^
As our economy continues to experience fluctuations, you cannot scroll through any platform or watch a news source for more than a few minutes without seeing stories highlighting the challenges facing growing families. Groceries, gas, interest rates, pretty much everywhere you turn, it is costing more to sustain the same or less amount of necessities your family relies on.
Amongst the doom and gloom, at some point we have to sit back, take a breath, and look at our purchases to see where we can make changes, to make a positive change in our wallet.
Let's see if we can brainstorm some ways to save a buck or two!
1) Check out this link for grocery shopping tips! If you have a bulk food store nearby, saving money on staples can make a big difference. My biggest tip, meal plan and make a list (and stick to it! If you are unsure if it is a need or want, sleep on it a few nights, you can always come back and get it later). If you don't have food allergies in the house that prohibit these items, planning meals around less expensive but nutritional staples can cut back on expensive meats and other ingredients. Pasta, rice and grains are great foundations for these meals.
2) The cost of heating your home continues to rise. This link has some great tips for keeping your utility costs down. My favorite tip is this method of cleaning your dryer duct without having to pay a company to do so. On sunny days, leaving my front door open for the glass door to filter in lots of sun does a great job on keeping our main floor more toasty.
3) Activities for kids can be expensive! The cost of theme parks, after school activities, sports and clubs can quickly add up, especially adding in supply lists, uniforms and other needed equipment. Check our your local Parks & Rec page in your town or county, many free or reduced fee classes can be found for qualifying families. Great free places to have a good time with little ones can be at local libraries, indoor playgrounds at malls, children's museums and zoos often have free events for families. This link has more ideas to help you get moving with little ones in tow.
4) Finally, when you are looking to save both money, and our planet, sustainable and reusable purchases can make a big difference. Reusable food bags can save on single use plastic bags, Wet Bags can reduce gallon ziplock bags or grocery bags, and keep items inside from being damaged in a larger bag. Cloth diapers can save thousands over disposables for the time your baby is in diapers, and reusable menstrual pads save hundreds over disposable pads every year.
Little changes can create loose change in your wallet, and it may be enough to weather the storm to see sunnier financial times ahead. Join our Facebook group to brainstorm with thousands of like-minded parents, exchange tips and tricks for not only using our products to save money, but broader discussions on family life and support. Thank you all for being devoted Thirsties fans!
