10 Money-Saving Tips for Moms

My husband and I recently decided to put all of life’s most stressful events in a bowl and dig in all at once: We moved and had a second baby, and I stopped working to stay at home with our sons, now aged 8 months and 2. To stretch the budget of one paycheck over four people, I had to get very crafty, very fast. I called the smartest moms I know and came up with 10 ways to save, which came to about $250 per month.

Let’s face it: Sponges are disgusting. They’re covered with your toddler’s cheesy dinner and crawling with germs. Some take solace in running them through the dishwasher, others go so far as to soak them in bleach. I have a hard and fast rule of replacing them weekly. To save money, when I unwrap a new one I cut it in half, saving the other half for next week.

Instead of buying new books and DVDs every time my toddler wants something different to read or watch, we make weekly trips to the library every Monday and get a new array of books and videos. The media can even have a theme: When he was going on an airplane for the first time, I borrowed books and DVDs about travel.

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OK, you probably are shaking your head and thinking, “I barely have time to take a shower. How can I possibly craft something?” Fear not, friend. One easy toy requires no assembly: Simply save baby jar lids, run them through the dishwasher, and voila! Instant counting/sorting/stacking toy for a toddler. I also throw a pile on my 8-month-old’s high-chair tray as something to keep him occupied while I’m busy in the kitchen.

My cousin Eileen points out that buying individually wrapped food such as peanut butter crackers, pretzels, etc., can drive up the price. Instead, she buys the food in bulk and then distributes it, herself, in snack-size baggies for her girls' lunches.

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Eileen also had this idea: Don't get this year's hot car seat model. "What I did do, however, was purchase last year’s patterns and colors, and got them for close to 50 percent off compared to this year’s model," she says. "They don’t match our car’s interiors perfectly, but they were much more affordable.”

My sister-in-law Renee, who has a 5- and 7-year-old, buys clothing during end-of-season sales in the sizes her children will be during the same time next year, and saves them.

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Some towns have large swap groups through social networks such as Facebook or Meetup. Also, try sending out a text before a group playdate, asking each parent to bring one toy their kid no longer plays with. Placing your child's old toy where he can’t see it—like, say, your purse—might curb a case of “seller's remorse,” aka a tantrum.

We all have our preferences for where we buy fruits and vegetables, but buying store brands can save a lot of money, especially if it's on simple items such as plastic wrap, oatmeal, lunch baggies and paper towels.

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If digging in the dirt intimidates you, you are not alone. However, my friend Aviva, who's mom to 2-year-old twins and founder of foodie blog For the Love of Apples, says a green thumb isn’t necessary. “Growing food doesn't have to be expensive or complicated,” she says. “You can even use containers if you don't have a lot of space.” She suggests thinking of a rainbow when planting, such as strawberries for red, and kale for green, to ensure your children get the nutrients for a balanced diet. Not sure where to start? Check out plant nurseries in your community for introductory gardening classes.

Consider this simple rule: If you’re going somewhere half a mile or less, try walking instead of driving. Strutting your stuff to your local coffee shop, dry cleaners and playdate is cheaper than wasting gas, provides free exercise, helps the environment and will give your kids really cute pink cheeks from the fresh air.

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