In life, it’s so easy to find yourself in the trap of keeping up with the Joneses – especially when you have kids. Whether you realize it or not, you can often see what others have, and want it for yourself. Then, the next thing, you’re working your but off or attempting to stretch your money so that you can have or do the same. And it can be quite intense – especially when you get swept up in it.
It’s worse with kids, because they’ll often feel left out if they don’t have what everyone else does. But at the same time, you don’t want them to be spoiled, or for your to be financially worse off because of it. The good news is, you don’t have to. Let’s take a look at the ways you can be frugal and still afford what you need, so that you’re teaching your kids the value of money, but not feeling left behind.
Create A Budget
Rule number one – budgeting. You’re going to want to learn to keep budgeting better and better. Each month, work harder to make your money stretch further. Create smaller budgets for things that don’t really matter, and put the money into other areas. Saving on your groceries could allow you a stress-free vacation this year. So make sure your priorities are reflected in your budget.
Use Coupons
From here, you should then think about using coupons. And yes, this can mean that you drastically save money in pretty much every area. So whenever you’re going to buy anything, no matter how inexpensive or expensive it is, find that coupon and save! It may seem like a chore to do each time, but the savings are always worth it.
Sell Your Old Stuff
Next, it’s time to try and recycle what you’ve got. Because when you’re buying upgrades and new things that are released, especially for the kids, you’re going to have older or unused things lying around. So sell them, sell music here and old games online to get money back. That way, the upgrades are kind of paying for themselves and you won’t have to feel like you’re being too materialistic all of the time.
Set Your Children Chores
If your kids want things in their life, you’re going to want to teach them they need to earn them. Because nothing is ever free. So why not give your children chores so they can earn money for the things they want? Not only will this teach them the value of money, but it will make them more disciplined and ready to get a job when they’re old enough.
Save Up
Finally, you’re also going to want to think about saving up in general. Because it’s always difficult trying to pay for something when you’re not prepared. Instead, when you’re constantly making savings and looking to keep a pot of money aside, then you’ll always have funds available for whenever you need to spend them.
