Frugal Mania

We all know that being a parent can put a serious dent in the plans of even most dedicated frugal maniac, but Erinn at Parenting Children recently made a post on “The Cost of Babies” that was a real eye-opener for me. It made me think seriously about the possibility in this day and age of raising healthy and happy kids without breaking the bank. It is possible, believe it or not.

Here are a few tips that can help you save big bucks on raising your little tykes:

Clothes

• It is a simple fact of life that kids grow out of clothes faster than they wear them out. It shouldn’t surprise you that thrift stores and yard sales almost always have children’s clothes that are still in fantastic shape and you’ll pay a fraction of what they would have cost at retail prices. I find it difficult to understand people’s fixation with “new stuff”, to be honest. I was brought up to believe that so long as I was clean and looked presentable, nothing else mattered. I even had a cheap knock-off version of a Member’s Only jacket when I was in school and it lasted longer than the fashion tragedy itself did. These days my name brand clothes come from a thrift store, and so do all of the clothes I buy for my adorable 1 year old nephew Malachi.
• While on the topic of clothes, there is bound to be someone in your circle of friends, family or church members whose child is just a bit older than yours. Ask them what they do with the clothes their kids outgrow. By the same token, be sure to ask around for families with new babies to pass your clothes on to.
• I’m not even going to get into the diaper debate, but if you use disposables, you really need to join your local Freecycle list. Mine always has people offering coupons for diapers and baby formula.

Toys & Recreation

• Talk to friends, family and neighbors with children about exchanging toys from time-to-time. It won’t cost you anything and your kids will be happy to have toys that are new to them.
• Arrange play dates at the park or even at your home, and make it a pot luck picnic. The kids will have a great time playing, the adults can socialize and you’ll save money by bringing the food yourself.
• What kid doesn’t like Disney? Heck, I’m almost 36 years old and I still have to have a tissue handy when I watch Bambi! I can sing every note from the Aladdin soundtrack, too. I recently found a way that You can get three Disney movies for $1.99 each and get free shipping to boot! Don’t believe me? See for yourself!

If I get enough comments, I’ll share some more frugal with children ideas, including my recipes for homemade baby food.