Family life is busy and that means it can be difficult to keep a tight hold on your budget.
But there are a lot of tiny changes you can make in your day-to-day life in order to keep your family finances under control.
These practical frugal family living tips will help you save more money and avoid spending beyond your means.
They are divided up into four categories that play an important part in your day-to-day budgeting.
Budgeting and spending
Let’s start off with budgeting and spending which is a general look at your attitude towards your own finances and how you budget your money weekly and monthly.
Understand what’s important to you
Is it a trip to Disneyland or upgrading your home at some stage? Once you know what you truly want your money to do for you, then you’ll find it easier to say no to extra expenses that will derail you from affording those priorities.
Having this clear in your mind helps you to avoid lifestyle creep and the temptation to keep up with the joneses where you spend to keep up with other people’s lifestyle choices.
You don’t have to have a strict budget
Everyone’s financial situation is a little different and while budgeting down to the penny works for some people, it doesn’t for others.
A budget can be too restrictive, especially for families who often have unexpected costs such as school trips and events to cover or new clothes to buy thanks to a sudden growth spurt.
Strict budgeting can be like crash dieting, if you splurge and feel guilty about it that negativity may make you more likely to quit. Instead if you change your spending habits then you’ll save without having to actually count every penny.
The best value can come from cutting your big expenses like housing, transportation and food. For example you could downside to a smaller home or have one car instead of two.
And you can make small savings that add up over time by cutting out wasteful spending, such as spontaneously picking up extras at the supermarket that you do not need.
Use a spending rule of thumb
You can use basic rules of thumb to help you keep your spending under control. For example, you can try the 50/30/30 rule where 50% goes on needs, 30% on wants and 20% is saved.
As I said before, budgeting to the penny doesn’t work for some people, but it can really help to get your savings on track if you set a direct debit of 20% of your income to leave your bank account and go into savings every month.
If you have irregular income or come into an unexpected windfall, like birthday money, a lottery win, premium bonds win or bonus from work, either plan to save it all or have a rule of thumb, for example a 50% rule where you save half and spend half.
Ditch chaos and organise your stuff
A disorganised home and life will inevitably lead to you spending more money. When you have systems in place and you know where everything is you’ll avoid buying unnecessary items like food and clothing.
Plus you will be less likely to make panicked last-minute buying decisions, such as paying over the odds for your child’s costume for the school play in a rush, as opposed to being able to shop around or come up with a cheaper homemade solution.
Challenge yourself to do your own version of Sort Your Life Out – for those who don’t know it’s one of those shows where all your stuff gets laid out in a big warehouse and you’re challenged to get rid of loads of it. I don’t think you should hire a big warehouse, but have a good declutter. If time is tight, aim for one small area of the house, one box or one drawer, per day.
Take care of your stuff
I have saved hundreds by passing down clothes from one child to the next. And taking care of my own things also means I have clothing and shoes that have lasted me for years. Then when you don’t need it, you can sell it.
Shop secondhand
Vinted is a goldmine for second hand clothes. Facebook buy and sell groups are great for getting toys and furniture cheap or even free in some cases.
Embrace a minimal skincare regime
The beauty industry is so out of control there’s now a wave of products being targeted at kids. Dermatologists are warning that children simply do not need all of these products.
And as an adult I know I don’t need more than the basics to cleanse and moisturise my face. So many products have different names like serum, tonic, hydrator and they’re all ultimately doing the same things. Find products that work for you and stick with them but don’t overdo it on the volume of expensive products.
Do it yourself
There’s a ton of household jobs you can do yourself and if it’s something you’ve not done before there’s probably a YouTube video or 1000 explaining how to do it. I also do my hair colour and nails myself at home.
Get a pet that fits your budget
Our kids have been desperate for another cat since our last one sadly died a few years ago and so we are preparing to welcome a new furry addition to the family.
We won’t be getting an expensive breed, some breeds are over £1k to buy, we’re planning to adopt from a rescue centre.
We’ve also had to factor in the monthly cost of their food and vet bills, but it’s at a price point we are comfortable with. And the kids have begged for two, but we’re sticking with just the one so we don’t double the cost. Pets are a luxury category in your budget, however frugal living is not about going without those things in life that make you happy or bring you comfort.
It’s about prioritising them, getting best value for money and saving in other areas so you can afford it.
Get your kids involved
It is never too early to start teaching your kids about the principles of money, budgeting and being frugal. Make it fun for them by introducing a system for giving them pocket money.
If they grow up to be smart with their money then that ultimately means they won’t be needing a bailout from the bank of mum and dad when they’re older. Plus encourage them to help out by turning off lights when they leave a room.
And remind them to take care of their things, so that they last longer. My husband, who is a qualified financial adviser, wrote a book for our kids about money. Check out Mini Money Masters here.
Do not free pour stuff
With washing up liquid and laundry detergent always measure out the amount you really need, and maybe even a bit less, so that it will last longer.
Cheap is expensive
The cheapest thing is not always the best. I tried to go down a brand on our washing up liquid and the supermarket own brand was just terrible. It didn’t clean well and I had to use more, so we got through it faster than a more expensive brand.
Go for the item that will do what you need it to do for longer and won’t frustrate you so much you end up replacing it anyway.
Saving money on food
Let’s take a look at how you can cut back on your spending on groceries.
Cook once, eat twice
Buy food in bulk and cook in bulk so that you have leftovers to enjoy a second time. It works out cheaper. I do this with lasagne, shepherd’s pie and roast dinners.
Stop second helpings
When food is good it’s really tempting to go back in for seconds. However you’re costing yourself money by eating extras, when those could be saved for having tomorrow.
I used to cook a lasagne and we would have it for dinner one day and then for two of us the next day. I adjusted portions, and added a side salad, and one lasagne can now feed all four of us over two days.
Have a leftovers shelf
Make it easy for yourself to see what you have left in your fridge, instead of hiding it at the back where it can grow mouldy and ultimately be wasted.
Be clear on what you won’t skimp on
There are some foods I am happy to spend more on because the flavour and quality is better, for example eggs. So I prioritise where I will save money on our groceries and household budget, so I can afford more expensive versions of other things.
Head to the world foods aisle
If you head to the world foods aisle of your supermarket then you will find the herbs, spices and canned goods, such as tomatoes and beans, are way cheaper. You may not be familiar with the brands, but you can get food for as much as a third of the cost.
You can also try visiting a local world foods supermarket, where there’s a huge selection of herbs and spices and they are way cheaper.
Cut up your own fruit
Pre-cut fruit packs are so much more expensive. Pre-cut watermelon wedges at Tesco are £3, whereas a whole melon is £2.20. It’s the same with pre-cut veggies.
Buy meat on sale and freeze it
There are often deals on larger packs of meat. So just divide it up into portions and freeze it.
Make your own version of your fave takeaways
I got a pizza oven for my birthday a few years ago and it’s saved us a fortune in takeaways. We also figured out how to cook our favourite Indian dish at home.
Bills
These are some smart ways for you to cut back the costs of your regular household bills such as insurance and energy bills.
Don’t accept renewal prices
Occasionally your renewal price for your home or car insurance is a fair one.
But it’s always worth checking. I saved £100 this year on my car insurance and my husband saved similar on our house insurance by heading to a simple comparison site and checking out whether we can get a better deal. It takes minutes to do.
Find the cheapest (efficient) broadband deal
Your regular bills like this are where you can make some really impactful savings. Even if you only manage to get £10 off a month, that’s £10 towards your savings goals.
Limit yourself to one or two streaming subscriptions
Because you can cancel most subscriptions on short notice, we just cycle through the different ones when a new show comes up that we would like to watch.
You don’t need the latest smartphone
Upgrading your smartphone to the latest gadget every time your contract is up for renewal will cost you hundreds and ultimately your current smartphone has more than one year of life in it.
If your old phone is dead, swap it for a newer model but not the latest model.
Cut back on your energy bills
There are multiple things you can do around the home that will save money on energy:
- Use LED lightbulbs.
- Get rid of draughts that mean your home losses heat.
- Turn down the thermostat a degree or two.
- It is not, generally speaking, cheaper to leave your heating on low all day. We manually switch it on when we need it, rather than having it timed. It’s the same with our hot water.
- Turn devices off standby
- Wash clothes at a lower temperature
- Cut the time of your shower
- Do not overfill the kettle
Family fun
Take advantage of free community events
Get into local Facebook groups so you know what’s coming up in your local area and attend free community events that entertain your family.
Use your library
There are so many ways to save by using your local library more often. Not only can you get your hands on free books, newspapers and magazines, but it’s also usually a great place for free entertainment for kids.
Ours has a summer reading challenge with stickers and rewards for reading books, so we will sign up to that and get the kids to the library on a regular basis over the summer holidays.
Use a library app
Most libraries here in the UK and in the US now offer access to ebooks, audio books and magazines through an app. So if getting to a library is expensive for you, consider this option.
Art for kids tutorials on Youtube
I am not a crafty person, but there are tons of people on YouTube who are. Find some YouTube tutorials your kids will enjoy, get in the stuff to do it and have a crafting afternoon. No need to spend money on expensive classes or activity sessions elsewhere.
Go for a picnic
My kids love packing up some food and eating outdoors. It feels like an adventure to them. We have lifetime National Trust membership (in the UK the National Trust is a charity that maintains old properties and land around the country) that was gifted to us by my grandparents and so we take advantage of that visiting new and cool places.
Be content with what you have
Our society is constantly telling us we need to spend in order to be happy.
Recognise that companies profit from selling you the idea that your life will be better if you spend money on their service or products. Be grateful for what you have, and find joy in simple things like a walk with your family or meeting up with friends.
I hope you have found these tips useful. You do not have to change everything all at once. Maybe you are already doing some of these things, or maybe you’re doing none.
Start by adding just one that you think may work for you and take it from there. Small changes lead to progress over time.
