1. Join a Clothing Exchange Group If you live in a town or city of any reasonable size you can usually find clothing exchange groups. Once a month or so, families will meet to trade in their gently used clothing that no longer fits their kids for clothing of larger sizes. If you don’t have a group like this in your area why not start one? There will likely be quite a few families that will that will thank you for it.
2. Buy in Bulk
When you find clothing or food that you will be able to use in the future that is on for a really great price, buy as much as you can afford. Until they are 10 or so, most kids don’t care if they are wearing shoes that look the same as the shoes they wore last year, as long as they fit. You can especially save a lot of money on food if you buy in bulk. When you see that great deal on Cheerios or whatever other brand of cereal your kids can’t live without, take advantage of it and buy a lot. Set aside a portion of your income every month to put in the bulk buying fund so you have the money when you need it.3. Shop for Gifts Ahead of Time
Start shopping for birthday presents and Christmas gifts before you actually need to. Some people think that the best time of the year to buy for Christmas in in November or December when all the sales are on but there are great sales all year long that you could take advantage of. If you see a toy or other gift at a great price in June but your child’s birthday isn’t until November, grab it. Better yet, watch for those January sales that can be the best sales of the year and stock up on birthday and Christmas gifts for the rest of the year. If you are creative and think ahead of time you can find lots of ways to save money when you have children. Be prepared for events and occasions that are going to cost money and plan for them. Children don’t have to be as expensive as you might have thought! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)