Money-saving tips that really work
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When you're raising kids, it can often feel as if your money is evaporating before your eyes. But as the saying goes, every little helps, and small changes really can make a big difference to your finances.
Money is incredibly tight at the moment thanks to the ongoing cost of living crisis. And that means squirrelling money away into savings may seem impossible if your cash seems to disappear into thin air.
And you're not alone: according to the Financial Conduct Authority's Financial Lives 2022 survey , 30% of UK adults have less than £1,000 in their savings (or none at all).
But there are ways to save, simply by making a few tweaks to your daily routine ... and with many of them, you won't even notice! We've rounded up tips from other parents to help you find easy ways to save (or even make) money in 2023.
Save money on groceries
Being a savvy shopper is the first step in cutting your spending. Aldi was the cheapest supermarket of 2022 according to Which? and has everything you need, all in one place. From 'swap and saves' on baby supplies (which could save you up to £250 a year !) through to their weekly Super 6 and Super Weekly Offers, give it a try and see how much you can save.
Here are more top tips:
'Keeping meal costs down can be done without compromising on those important vitamins and nutrients... All it takes is a bit of thought and planning in advance of the weekly shop.' Tabatha J
'We have basic no-frills weeks which seem to save money. Meals like tomato and cheese pasta , rice and stews all work well if you're on a budget.' Vicki H
'Baked beans or scrambled eggs on toast are filling and light on the wallet; they make great breakfasts and snacks during the day.' Tom G
'I write a list of meals for the week; I tend to search the cupboards and see what I already have first.' Emily M
'Know your budget and stick to it. I allow myself £45 every week to do the shop for two adults, a toddler and a baby with a large appetite. This includes nappies, wipes, f ormula milk for the baby, cleaning products, etc.' Lindsey A
'Shop online. If I plan meals properly, I find I can do an online shop for £60 including delivery but if I go into the store I'll end up spending £80-90 because there's the "ooh, that looks nice, I fancy trying that" temptation.' Laura A
'The best value-range products for me are baked beans, chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, tuna, bin liners and jaffa cakes.' Mark S
'I tend to buy the own brand of whatever supermarket I'm at, but I always have Heinz beans and Hellman's mayo.' Lyndsay M
'Value tinned sweetcorn is like bullets, the loo roll is thin (which means you end up using twice as much) and the coleslaw is mainly cabbage and not a lot else. I suppose it's about trial and error and finding cheaper items that actually taste OK.' Emma K
Cut your bills
'Consider changing your car for a more economical one. Smaller cars can cost less to tax and insure as well.' Emma H
'I realised I didn't need all those Sky channels, so I've reduced our package right down to the basic one.' Rachel
'We're saving by not switching the heating on unless absolutely necessary. When it's cold we put on jumpers and woollies.' Amanda D
'My main thing is not using the tumble dryer willy-nilly like I used to.' Lynne C
'We got rid of Sky and have started buying videos from charity shops and car boot sales for when the kids want to watch a fim. All their books now come from charity shops, too.' Sam R
'Don't leave your TV or other electricals on standby. That little red light is still using energy! And if the house feels too warm, turn your thermostat down by one degree. You could cut your heating bills by as much as 10%.' Paul P
'My daughter has to have a light on at night so I use a low energy light bulb. I also only wash the pots once a day (or twice if I've been baking) to save on water.' Hannah H
'A great thing to do is look on uswitch.com for price comparisons. I personally have found EDF energy to be the best and cheapest for gas and electricity.' Cassie R
Try money-saving life hacks
'Fill your car up with petrol when it's cold (evening or early morning). You get more for your money as petrol expands in the heat.' Ruth B
'I drink endless cups of coffee at home so I boil the kettle once, make a coffee and then put the rest of the water in flask and use that. It saves me boiling the kettle every half an hour... OK, you can all stop laughing at me now!' Rob B
'I try to use sandwich boxes for lunches rather than foil/bags/clingfilm.' Jayne H
And if you smoke – consider quitting, which you can do with the help of y our GP and the NHS .
Avoid temptation
'When I go out and know I have little money, I leave my debit card at home: no temptation!' Helen W
'Empty your purse of change every day; you're less likely to buy things if you have to break into a note. Then store all the change in a jar and use it when you're really strapped for cash. Shops don't mind the change.' Caroline G
'I put all my 1ps, 2ps and 5ps into a jar, which helps when we're really skint.' Charlotte R
Earn cashback
'Over the last year I've earned £300 in cashback from purchases I would have made anyway. I got £120 back for my car insurance, £50 for changing my gas and electric supplier, £50 for pet insurance and another £70 for my buildings and contents insurance.' Susan B
'The cashback I've earned will almost pay for my car MOT and tax.' Daniel M
'I've been with Quidco for three months and have just had my first payment of £117 through.' Esther H
Start earning
'I do a lot of nearly-new sales (NCT and private ones). I even run my own twice a year. I make, on average, £40 per sale.' Stuart H
'I do an ironing service and babysitting all for a small price.' Vikki C
'I'm an Avon rep which brings in about £100 every three weeks. I also make cards and have just started selling them on eBay and at fairs.' Mel P
Make the most of Netmums
As well as being an all-round fabulous place to hang out (modest, us?), we have loads of resources to help you save and make money.
Check out these links which could make a big difference to your finances:
Nearly new : buy baby gear in great condition at a fraction of the price, or even for free, on your local nearly new page.
Meal planner : planning your weekly meals can save you money and prevent pricey impulse buys.
Keeping in touch and making friends : hold your meet-ups at the local park or a free event like storytime at the local library, rather than meeting at an expensive coffee shop.
Cooking on a budget : practical solutions for healthy meals that don't cost a fortune.
Flexible working : from freelancing and home working to part-time jobs, you'll find everything you need to know in our working from home section.
Budget planner : take stock of your spending habits and identify areas where you can cut down.
Help in a crisis : organisations and information that can help if you're in financial difficulties.
Where to get help in a financial crisis
Sometimes, through no fault of our own, life deals us tough cards. The following organisations may be able to help if you're in financial difficulty and don't know where to turn.
- Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB) Run by ordinary people often working as volunteers, who've been trained to help with a whole host of problems, from debt to housing to education.
- Home-Start Volunteers offer regular support, friendship and practical help to families under stress, in their own homes.
- Gingerbread Advice and support for single parents.
- Credit unions Community-based savings and loans organisations that are owned, run and controlled by its members.
- Samaritans Confidential non-judgemental emotional support, 24 hours a day, for people who are experiencing distress or despair, including suicidal thoughts.
- Shelter Free, confidential advice on housing, debt, welfare benefits, care and health needs (including disability rights and entitlements).
- AdviceUK A network of independent advice centres for people living in England, Scotland and Wales.
- Salvation Army Churches and community centres offering a range of activities and services within their local communities.
- Turn2Us A simple benefits checker to work out how much you could claim.
- Working Families A free legal helpline giving parents and carers legal and in-work benefits advice.
- StepChange Debt Charity Free, anonymous debt advice.
- Healthy Start - A grant for people on low incomes towards milk, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins.
