Hi There,

I hope I'm posting this in the right section.

We live on a tight budget (new baby.....HB is JUST starting his career and I'm a SAHM).

So for our food/baby budget which includes everything baby uses: formula, diapers, toys, clothes...ect... and everything randal and I eat including eating out is: $415 per month.

Is this to high? Should we cut it? Is it cuttible?

Thanks for any help!

Melina

I think anything is possible :)

First, do you already use coupons and shop sales only(or at least whenever possible)?

Are you elligible for WIC?

Can you cut out some of your eating out?

What does a typical day of meals look like for you guys? Maybe we could give you tips based on what you already do :)

I agree, anything is cutable.

First, the eating out can probably be cut way back. We are on a very limited budget, in fact we live below what they say is the poverty level in Canada. We eat out once a month and when we do, we try to go where we have coupons or to smorgs, where the 2 of the kids can usually eat free.

Second, the groceries can probably be cut back to by purchasing loss leaders, using coupons, B1G1F when you can. Even if you don't have double/triple coupons, coupons still save if you only purchase what you would normally purchase and use the coupons when those items are on sale.

Also when it comes to clothes/toys - many of these can be purchased at yard sales or goodwill at very reasonable prices, often for 25 - 50¢ an item.

So there are lots of different ways in which you can cut back. Do it in baby steps though. Find a couple of areas where you think you can cut back and work on those until you feel good about the level you've gotten to, then work on another couple of things. Before long, you'll find it old hat - it will just come automatically.

If you have more questions, ask away. Thats what were here for to help and encourage each other.

I think you have to get creative, now with a baby the budget is high with formula and diapers and other baby needs but just but eating a couple meatless meals a week you will cut the budget.. Coupons and sales also help a lot...
I would also watch theeating out, that gets expensive...
the toys and clothes yard sales, thrift stores friends...

Good luck it is tough sometimes BUT it can be done..
Eileen

Thanks for your replies!

We eat out once a month and it is for breakfast...it cost about $18 and it is our special treat.

The rest is home cooking and we have meat about twice a month.

When baby is off the formula maybe the expence will lighten up a bit. We shop in bulk for formula and diapers and have coupons galore. We pretty much have little to no junk food except for two sodas a week and a bag of chips for DH.

I getting to feel frustrated because we've cut SO much that I feel deprived. I'm all for his life style of being a sahm but getting use to it is hard for me. I actaully cried when mending a hold in my sweat pants instead of buying new ones.

But mostly I have a positive attitude about it. The money we do save secures a future for our family and with that in mind I'm a saving freak...although it only adds up slowly!!!


Thanks again for responding!

Yes it does get discouraging at times. There truly is a lot of support here. I agree with evryone aboov things can always be cut. Check out the grocery challenge in the challenges forum. It will give you a good idea as to what others are spending. We budget $200.00 a month for groceries for a family of 6, but that does not include eating out. I do not have one on formula, but she is still in diapers. That includes all personal care items and cleaners and food. Making from scratch helps a lot. Is the little one doing any table food yet? If not then when she starts that will help ion your grocery shopping budget. For me if I start to fell deprived I am sure to be found shopping. When I took up sewing and quilting it helped alot, but the best thing I have found so far is this forum. There is most often someone else feeling deprived too. And it is nice to not feel like your the only one who has to mend their sweat pants. By the way I just got done taping back together dd school folder. That at one point would have bothered me, but now I do not think twice about it! Well I think I am done with my novel now. Good Luck to ya!

You have probably already used all the free formula checks that they sent you, but I used to trade for extras that other people couldn't use. The most I would pay for a free check is around 2$ including shipping. Also, once in a while I would get a store coupon to combine with the store check and I'd get overage from that :)

Maybe you could cut the eating out to once every other month, and instead do a really special at home breakfast on the months you don't go out. Like spend say, 5$(savings of 13$ still) and get little treats to put by everyones plates, or buy some fresh flowers, or get a special food you don't usually get.

(((Hugs))) Melina! I know just how you feel. I mend my sweatpants a few times before I break down and buy new ones. But I think of it as being frugal, not being deprived. Sometimes it's all in how you look at things.

As far as your grocery shopping goes, have you tried making a weekly or monthly meal plan? It sounds so simple, but I'm always amazed at the difference it makes in our food cost. It also keeps me organized and prevents us from feeling like we need to eat out because I have nothing planned/defrosted/in the crockpot for dinner. Base your meal plan on what's on sale and/or what you have on hand.

Try one or two strategies this month and see if you can cut the food bill, even just a little. Learning to be frugal and stretch the dollars takes time :)

These ladies gave you some great advice! Best wishes from me! :angel:

Thanks y'all for the GREAT advice! I'm going to make a meal plan for the month of April and hope it helps....I'll reorganize the freezer to accommidate more meals.

THanks so much :):)

One other thing I forgot to mention.

If there is anyway you can begin to stock your pantry, you'll find that your spending less on grocery items.

What I do is try to take $25 per pay period and use it for only loss leaders or great sale items and stock pile it. That way, I always have a full pantry. It really does cut back in the amount of groceries I purchase.

You can also save on baby food by simply making it your self. Just put it in the blender with a little water and puree. Of course you have to cook it first.

It was very hard for me when I first started out. But you'll find it becomes sort of an inner peace when you are able to save on things you normally buy.

I do OAMC store it all in my freezer.
Beef, Chicken, Pork, Stews, Soups,Breads,Breakfasts, Snacks. etc... It's really fun once you get started. Like I'll do all the meats one day, then do the soups & stews while I'm doing Breakfast & snacks, I save ONE whole day for breads because I make a lot of it and you have the rising time to allow.

Make your own mixes (cost more to start but saves TONS in the long run).

I'm learning how to sew now, so that'll help at least with the Decorating aspect of things.

Gardening- Do you have room for a garden? Doesn't have to be a FARM to grow your basics, you can use 5 gallon buckets wash really good, drill holes in the bottom for drainage, fill with soil add plant or seeds.

You already do the coupons. so that helps. The other ladies gave you such great tips, I'm not sure you even needed mine.
HTH

Forgot to ask, do you use cloth diapers? That saves a ton as well, it's more time consuming but frugal in the long haul. None of my kids wore disposables they were all alergic to them. Instead of using baby powder for babys bottom try corn starch much better in asobing and preventing diaper rash.

Have you tried any of the Freebies online?

I just wanted to add my two cents here. I was a sahm for 11 years. I spent that time reading to my kids, taking them to free library, craft, park programs. I volunteered in their classrooms and did all I could to become thoroughly involved in their lives. Althought they do not say it I know that they appreciate it (they are teenagers, teenagers rarely say thank you you must just assume it) They are honor roll kids and for the most part pretty good. I contribute all of that to being a sahm for so many years. It is a hard job, but well worth it tin the long run. Good Luck and I admire all of you who are doing it, your children will too.

I thought of something else you can try...homemade baby wipes! They're great and cost a fraction of the store-bought ones. I bought a package of wipes that come in a round container and then just reused that.

Plastic or Rubbermaid Container (about 3.2 QT)
1 roll of Bounty Rinse & Reuse Paper Towels
2 T Baby Bath
1 T Baby Oil
2 C Water

Directions:


Cut the roll of paper towels in half with a very sharp knife. In your plastic container, mix the ingredients well. Add ½ roll of paper towels. Place the lid on the container and let it set for about 10 minutes. Then flip the container over for another 10-15 minutes. It might not even take you this long, if you keep your eye on it. You want to make sure that the ingredients have soaked through all of the paper towels. When all of the ingredients have absorbed, open the container and stand the paper towels on end with the jagged side that was cut down. Pull the brown paper out of the middle, so that you can pull the wipes through the center. Then you just pull the wipes as needed. They tear apart very easily and make diaper changing simple.

Don't forget to try the store brands of items you use regularly. Peaches are peaches, whether they say DelMonte or Flavorite on the label. The only difference is...about .50 a can!

If you don't have a Crock Pot, get one. These are your best friend! They can turn a tough cut of meat into fork tender goodness. They are also great for pots of beans, split pea soup, spaghetti sauce, etc. They are also frugal in another way: they only use about the same abount of power as a regualr light bulb. compare that to ANY stove!

I feed four people, a dog and a cat on abut $300.00 a month. This also includes our toiletries, paper products, cat litter and the like. My boys are 9 and 10 and they eat like linebackers! I was under this amount in February by a few dollars and stillmanaged to throw a party for 16 people!

Have you signed up at Enfamil, Similac, Gerber, Earth's Best and or Beechnut? How about Drypers?

I buy Drypers a lot of the time. I get coupons from them or trades and wait for them to go on sale for $7 or less. Otherwise I get "Smiles" at Sams.

Trade for formula checks, like Heather said. I'd rather pay $2 for a coupon for a free can than $7 for the can itself!

I have found some amazing deals on clothes on ebay. My yet to be born ds has an entire wardrobe for his 1st year of life from yard sales, ebay and clearance sales for maybe $75 all together, less than $100 easy.

I have such an amazing stockpile of groceries etc that I pretty much just buy stuff that is on sale and/or with coupons now. Have you been reading the grocery challenges?

You can get on the mailing lists for all the ciggy companys. The coupons have a pretty good trade value, then use your pphf to get the formla coupons.

I wasn't very good at the home made baby food thing, but it's worth a try. I will be trying again since I have a sil who used to do this.

Home made wipes are definately the way to go in my book! Even dh likes them better than the store bought ones. I make mine in "Luvs" wipes boxes with regular Bounty paper towels. Dh cuts them in 1/2 for me with the saw. I fan fold them in the box and use baby lotion instead of oil. I saved an old lotion bottle that I use to put my 2 tbsp of lotion in with part of the water and shake real good to mix it in before adding to the wipes solution.

If your WalMart price matches you can get better cuts of meat there when other stores adertise loss leaders!

Thanks so much for your help. This week I've started making some positive changes towards frugality:

1: Turn off lights and fans when not in the room
2: Freeze old 2 litre soda bottles outside then put them in my fridge and rotate 4 in fridge 4 freezing outside every 12 hours. I've noticed my fridge is on less.
3: hang dry laundry which saves a lot because we are in an apartment with those slot machine washer/dryers.
4: made homemade baby wipes
5: scrubbed kitchen/bathrum with baking soda and water.
6: bought two outfits at goodwill for sophia.

I still need to work on my groceries though. I only used two coupons this week and spent $20 and some cent......we'll imporve on that soon enough.

Thanks again for all your help! This site is AWESOME!!!

It sounds like you are on the right track and like it was mentioned earlier you have to take baby steps in the beginning. Every little bit helps!! :D

It sounds like you are on the right track. It does take some time to adjust to being a SAHM, but well worth it, in my opinion.:) It also helps to have this place to come to when I am feeling needy and wanting to spend!

Melina,

You've gotten some great advice here and it sounds as if you are off to a good start. :D Yes this is a great site! ;) Welcome to the Village. :smball:

Hi Melina,
I think not only have you gotten some great advice form the ladies here, but that you are also doing really well in your steps towards a more frugal life!:clap:
When my boys were babies (22 months apart between the oldest and the twins), we got on WIC to help with the cost of formula. I made lots of their baby food and we used cloth diapers. We used the cheapest baby wipes and wash cloths to clean their little bottoms. Most of their clothes were gifts from friends and family or things we found at yard sales and consignment shops. We had more clothes for them then we needed and I ended up giving some away to a teen mother. As for groceries, I learned to buy and cook in bulk, and shop sales. My husband worked the graveyard shift, so I would make up meatloaf "muffins", cook them and freeze them in a big ziplock bag. They worked great for quick meals to zap in the microwave. DH would get 2, DS#1 would get 1 and so would I. I made huge pots of rice and froze that in meal sized portions also. Same with chili, casseroles, stew, etc.. We would also hit the day old bread stores and stock our freezer with all kind of good breads. In those days, I didn't have time to bake as much.

Now that my boys are teenagers, we do even more cooking in bulk. I'm like a woman possessed when it comes to sales and getting the best deals! LOL!