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Money Saving Tips from a Frugal Stay-At-Home Mom

January 27, 2014 by Missy Rakes 19 Comments

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Check out these 8 simple money saving tips from a frugal stay-at-home mom on gracefullittlehoneybee.com © foliavectorolirz  / Dollar Photo Club 

 

While I don’t claim to know it all, I’ve always been a pretty frugal stay-at-home mom. We’ve lived off of one modest income since we got married and I’ve learned some things along the way. So I thought I’d share some of my tips for frugal living and successfully surviving as a one income family! 
 
Set A Budget
I know it sounds boring & cliche, but the only way to take control of your money is to tell it what to do with a budget. A budget is nothing more than a written plan for your finances. If your just starting out I would recommend going to your local library and checking out The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey. You can also visit DaveRamsey.com for lots of budgeting resources. 
 
Live Below Your Means
This means spend LESS than you MAKE!! Seems pretty obvious, but so many people just don’t do this and they’re going deeper and deeper into debt each month. Once you set a budget and you know what your working with then you can figure out what you can actually afford and what you can’t. 
 
Set up Automatic Savings
We have a certain amount every week that automatically goes into savings and we don’t miss it because we never see it. Another great tip is to up the amount your sending to savings every time you get a pay increase.
 
Limit Eating Out
Eating out is a privilege, not a right and if you can’t afford it then don’t do it! Seriously, eating out costs you way more than if you cook for yourself at home. Especially if you cook from scratch, plus eating at home is healthier for you. This is a major budget leak for a lot of families and it can be challenging, but with some plan and prep it can be done!
 
Menu Plan
If you aren’t currently menu planning then you are wasting money. Just like a budget is a plan for your finances, a menu plan is a plan for your food. I promise if you will just do this one thing then you will start to see your grocery bill decrease. The best way to do it is to plan as many meals as you can with what you already have in the pantry. Some other great ways to save on groceries are to eat meatless as much as possible and cook everything you can from scratch. Seriously, those prepackaged foods come at a premium price. 
 
Use Cash
For most people, it is harder to spend cash than it is to swipe a card. We get out a set amount of cash each pay period for groceries, eating out and blow money. This helps us to keep track of what we have and when we’re out we’re out. 
 
Stay Home 
This is one of the best money saving tips I can give you. If you don’t go out in the first place then you won’t see all the things you didn’t know you needed. If shopping is a hobby then I would suggest finding a new one that keeps your bank account happier such as hiking or reading.
 
Do Without 
This is almost unheard of in our society. You want a new dress? Go buy it, you deserve it! Out of milk and bread? Go to the store right away because otherwise you might starve! Want a new car? Go ahead and finance because every body’s doing it! Seriously, we have an entitled culture on our hands that tells us we deserve cable and expensive dinners out. This is a lie. These things are privileges and not deserved by anyone! The next time you think you need something right away stop and think about it for awhile and try to come up with something you can use that you already have. Or consider downgrading your phone or cancelling your cable. We’ve never had cable and don’t plan to get it. We don’t pay for Netflix or Hulu. We just watch free TV with our antenna and save about $800 per year doing it. What could you do without that would save you some money?
 
While these tips may seem simple, they really work! Frugality is a lifestyle and you really have to implement some money saving habits in order for your wallet to grow. 
moneysavingtips2
 
Good luck & happy saving!

Other posts you might enjoy:

15 Easy Ways to Save Money as a Stay-at-Home Momlivingononeincome

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  1. Oak Springs Farm says

    January 27, 2014 at 4:01 pm

    Here at OSF we use many of these money saving tips. The menu planning is were I personally see a lot of savings. Since we grow our own meat or purchase from a local farm (yes writing that large check for beef and pork once a year hurts, but we have saved so much at the grocery store we have the money) it is not uncommon for me to spend $40 or less a week to feed my family of 5. This includes 2 gallons of organic milk at $10. One day, I hope to own a dairy cow and make my own dairy products. I do shop at Costco once a month, to stock my pantry (sugar, nuts, coffee, etc.). This also helps to spend less on my weekly grocery run. Thanks for a great post!
    Reply
  2. Becca says

    January 27, 2014 at 4:29 pm

    Great tips! My husband and I did Dave Ramsey back in 2009. Between then and 2013 we were able to pay off our debt, plus save enough money to live on for the next few years. My husband quit his banking management job last summer and we moved out east so he could enroll in seminary. We now are living frugally off of our savings. I stay home and home school our son, cook from scratch, and sell things on eBay for our "fun money". We never would have been able to do this had we not put into practice the principles you wrote about in this post!
    Reply
  3. Holly says

    January 27, 2014 at 10:43 pm

    Love these tips! We live by these also! Much of our society believes that debt is a normal way of life. Especially our generation. Nice to see others striving for the less is more, simple life. Love all your posting lately!
    Reply
  4. Em @ And Nothing Else Matters says

    January 30, 2014 at 2:02 am

    We do a lot of the same. When I do shop, I have saved for it and it's within our budget. If we can't pay cash for it, we don't buy it. People seem to have this, oh it's broken let's toss it and get a new one mentality. I always try to fix or make over things we already have, it's so much cheaper and always way more satisfying.
    Reply
  5. Todd Crispin says

    January 31, 2014 at 11:47 am

    For us, we do the same things; however, with one additional category: Cell Phones. There are so many people I know that justify a $80+ smartphone service/month because they dont have a home phone. We dont have a home phone either and have switched from a contracted plan (costing us $126/month) to prepaid with only the services we USE. For hubby, it is a dumb phone with internet, texting an 500 minutes/month for $35 through Verizon. For me, it's a dumb phone with 250 minutes and unlimited texting for $25/month through AT&T. The switch saves us $700/year. So many people believe a cell phone is a necessity, but in my opinion, it is a luxury. I can survive without checking my email and Twitter feed for a few hours until I get home. :-)
    Reply
  6. Gilbert McNally says

    February 5, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    Thanks for sharing these helpful tips! Saving up money is easier said than done, even an effective plan may turn to nothing if the self control to spend is weak. “Spend LESS than you MAKE!! “ is one good practice to hone self-control. Good day!

    Gilbert McNally @ Brandon Accountant
    Reply
  7. NEBA Corp Rentals says

    February 6, 2014 at 6:34 pm

    Couldn't agree more with all of your tips. Funny story...I bought a pair of boots (I desperately needed new boots and I bought them with my Christmas money). While the pair I loved was over $50, I didn't want to spend that much and in the meantime found a pair that I loved more for $35. I said the word frugal to the cashier who was maybe 18 and he had no idea what frugal meant. If only everyone took your advice...
    Reply
  8. Arnel Sweizz says

    February 27, 2014 at 4:48 am

    Yup, saving money can be challenging especially to those who are not really into it. But with these practical, easy tips, it can help one to slowly but surely save.
    Chicago Bankruptcy Law Office of Lorraine Greenberg
    Reply
  9. Katie says

    March 14, 2014 at 8:40 pm

    I found a great company that focuses on living a natural and healthy lifestyle. While being able to earn an income staying home with your kids. Take a look at http://glhb.momsprovide.com
    Reply
  10. Shah says

    July 10, 2014 at 10:42 am

    Thanks
    Reply
  11. Kate Marie says

    August 1, 2014 at 4:20 am

    I think your Staying Home tip is the best! Every time I walk into Target I spend more than I intended to. Too many cool things that I didn't know we needed. ;-)
    Reply
  12. Tracy Fredrychowski says

    September 3, 2014 at 7:41 pm

    What wonderful tips...we have really embraced frugal living as we just went back to one income. I always love to learn how others live frugal lives and am always learning new things. LOVE this! The next time you think you need something right away stop and think about it for awhile and try to come up with something you can use that you already have.
    Reply
    • Missy Rakes says

      September 6, 2014 at 1:49 am

      Thanks for stopping by Tracy!
      Reply
  13. Jayleen Zotti says

    September 19, 2014 at 5:47 pm

    'Do Without'?!!! What a concept;0) There is so much we could do without! Currently, we are trying to grocery shop once a week instead of running out for stuff we forgot!
    Reply
    • Missy Rakes says

      September 19, 2014 at 8:25 pm

      Limiting shopping trips is a great way to save money!! Thanks for stopping by and commenting! :)
      Reply
  14. Diaper Coupons says

    September 11, 2015 at 3:27 pm

    Thanks for sharing those tips... :) That would surely help, specially for new parents out there!
    Reply
  15. Rebecca T says

    March 12, 2016 at 11:14 pm

    Hi! I'm putting together some handouts to go in a booklet for our Ladies' Retreat. We are discussing how to live wisely in a foolish world, taking many of our studies from the book of Proverbs. One session deals with financial wisdom. Would you mind if I include a copy of this blog post in our booklet? I will, of course, leave your webpage and information included on the page. Thanks, Rebecca T
    Reply
    • Missy Rakes says

      March 14, 2016 at 2:12 pm

      That sounds wonderful Rebecca! Thanks for asking.
      Reply
  16. Daltone says

    August 7, 2019 at 3:43 am

    Hello Missy, I love your tips for saving money.
    Reply

Welcome, I'm Missy and I'd love to help you cook from scratch, save money and live a more simple and abundant life. Click the buttons below to follow along on social media and get to know me better. Have a lovely day!

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