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Raising a family is expensive. Keeping a roof above your head while making sure that your little people have everything they need to thrive doesn’t come cheap, but with that being said, you don’t need to be rich to have a fun and fulfilling family life. By planning your money properly and spending it in the right way, you’ll find you can get by and that your kids have the childhood you always wanted for them, and you can live as comfortably as possible. Here are some of the areas of family life that you’re probably spending too much on!
Kids birthdays
Birthdays really are a reason to celebrate, to have fun and make your child feel special. However, it’s easy for parties to blow the budget and for the costs to add up in a big way. But it doesn’t need to be the case, kids won’t remember how much was spent on them- they’ll just remember what a great time they had. So make it fun while spending less, throw it at home or find a free function room, church halls and community centres often have these. Make a buffet of childhood classic foods, it doesn’t need to be expensive and there are lots of ideas for sprucing it up on Pinterest. Play party games like musical chairs, pass the parcel, pin the tail on the donkey and Simon says, offering fun yet inexpensive prizes for the winners. Make it a fancy dress party if you want to add another dimension to things, either way, it can be done on a shoestring and kids will have no idea.
Days out
Days out are a wonderful opportunity for your family to bond and make memories. But tourist attractions like zoos, theme parks and other days out can be really expensive. Save these for once in a while treats, the rest of the time make use of cheap and free activities. Parks, farms, museums and boat rides can all ideas. Check out sites like Groupon as they often have fun things to do for cheap prices. Take a picnic and your kids bikes if it’s outdoors and you can make a fantastic day of anywhere you go.
Bills
We all have to pay bills and expenses, it’s an unfortunate fact of life. However, you don’t need to pay over the odds. Use a price comparison site to bring down the cost of things like insurances and subscriptions, making use of new customer deals by switching companies every year or so. Consider switching your car to something more economical to run, companies like Affordable- Cars specialise in budget options so it’s worth taking a look. Something that’s lower on tax, insurance and is cheaper to run could save you hundreds over the year.
Groceries
Just about every household is guilty of wasting food. We buy too many fresh items that don’t get used in time, or make meals that end up in the bin. Often it comes down to a lack of planning. If you write up a menu each week, you can shop to a list and buy exactly what you need. If you stock up your store cupboard with herbs, spices, tins and dried ingredients, you’ll always have the staples you need for recipes. Buy these in bulk and when they’re on offer to save money.
Where does your family overspend?
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