As the cost of living continues to rise, it’s no surprise that many families are feeling the pressure to stay within their budget and making sure they don’t overspend. If you’re looking for ways to keep your family’s budget under control, budgeting ideas for families and make ends meet in these challenging times, here are some budgeting tips to take into consideration to help keep the stress levels down without having to go without.
Keep a close eye on your spending
Know where your money is going each month and be aware of how much you’re spending in certain areas such as groceries, eating out, entertainment and shopping, as well as all the other usual household bills and kids fees that seem to endlessly pop up. This allows you to see where there may be room for cutting back or getting more bang for your buck. It’s amazing the things that stand out when you scan your bank statement.
Identify the leaks
Identifying ‘leaks’ in the family budget bucket – this could include things like daily coffees or cold drinks from the servo while you’re getting fuel, too many stops at the sushi train or even small online purchases here and there which quickly add up. One cafe coffee a day at $5 + can be easily over $25 a week if you bought one every work day!!
Cancel unused/unnecessary subscriptions
Check if there are any ongoing subscriptions that aren’t being used like streaming services, audiobooks or prize home tickets so that payments aren’t taken out unnecessarily every month adding strain on the family budget bucket!
Meal Plan
A great way to save on excess grocery shopping trips (and spending a small fortune each trip!) is to meal plan. It is one of my top tips for budgeting ideas for families and ways to save money. Plan out your meals ahead of time so that you buy only what you need instead of constantly stocking up on items no one will use. This also helps with food waste reduction since you’re less likely to buy excess items that will go bad before you eat them and also saves on fuel by reducing last minute dashes to the shops with overtired kids. You can plan your meals around your kids sporting commitments and extra circular activities. Amy definitely has some busier nights of the week, with sporting and band practices and needs to plan ahead with her tribe!
Split bulk buys among family & friends or you could even start a community co-operative (in your spare time lol).
Buying in bulk can often save money in the long run but it does require an upfront investment of both money and a little time. To avoid burning a hole through your pocket consider splitting large orders of pantry items among family members or friends. We do this with things like rolled oats, nuts, seeds and flours and more. You can also go shares in bulk meat and fruit and veg. Every little bit makes a difference and it’s also a great way to build on community as you have to meet up at some stage to chat and split the produce between you. Talk to those in your community and see if they are interested. Most people are feeling the pinch at the moment.
Get outside and do fun activities outdoors and connect
Instead of opting for expensive outings (e.g., movie nights or themeparks), explore nature together as a family! There are plenty of free activities available such as hiking, biking or swimming at local beaches/waterparks/waterfalls (watch out for crocs and check they are open during the wet season) that everyone can take part in without breaking the bank. Sit down with the kids, jump on google and as a family you can write a list of all the places you’d like to go that are near by and tick them off one by one. Not only is this super fun and a great way of deepening connection as a family, but it’s also great for health and fitness. Kill two birds and all! Or check out our blog here for our Top 10 Free things to do with kids in Darwin
Compare bills, insurance and loans
Make sure you’re not paying too much each month by comparing rates from different providers such as telephone, home & contents insurers, healthfunds and loans. You may be able to find better deals elsewhere without compromising coverage quality! Hit them up, they will often give you a better deal if you say you’re switching to a new company.
Make some more money!
Gather unused items from around the home and sell them on Marketplace or Gumtree – clear out old items (e.g., clothes, furniture, electronics) that no longer used. This is a great way to make some extra cash while decluttering your home so there’s less mess to clean up! Win win.
Automate savings and direct debits
Another of my budeting ideas for families, is to set up automated transfers into a savings account each month so that budgeting and saving becomes easier and less time consuming. You can work out the budget and automate the payments so that you don’t accidently overspend and leave yourself short. Also setting up a bills account and direct debit for regular bills like rates, electricity, water/sewerage, loans, insurances helps to have bills all paid on time or ahead of time. One of the best things Amy did while starting maternity leave was set up regular direct debits to PAWA and Jacana to cover these electricity and water bills and she isn’t shocked with a large bill every quarter.
By following these tips and staying super aware of where money is going monthly, families can save money while still having fun together without breaking their budgets!
Thank you to our guest blogger, Meagan Scott.
About Meagan from The Gut Healing Community
Meagan’s life was turned upside down not long after the arrival of her beautiful daughter Meika who had serious gut issues. Her family had to make a sudden switch from the standard Australian diet to a new way of eating – Gut healing and wholefoods only.
She also made the switch to a low tox lifestyle, ridding her home of toxic beauty and cleaning products and more. It was a massive thing to do with a newborn but she makes it way less overwhelming for her amazing clients.
Meagan has since completed her Holistic Nutrition certification and coaches mums to raise (and heal) healthy little kids. Meagan shows busy mums how to make healthy=easy, all while sticking to a manageable budget. She teaches meal planning, bulk cook ups and meal prep, fermenting, all about kids gut health and more. She’ll teach you how to create beautiful nourishing food with simple, easy to cook recipes that your family will love.
Find out more about Meagan and the Gut Healing Community:
Join The Gut Healing Community – Empowering Families to Heal
The Gut Healing Community Website
