There’s nothing better than planning outings with your kids, creating memories you’ll enjoy looking back on for years to come. Of course, the only thing more challenging than planning a fun outing is paying for it, especially when you’ve got kids.
We get it — kids are expensive. On average, you can expect to spend more than $230,000 raising your little ones from birth to 18. If you have a few outings you’d like to take with your kids, fret no more.
Here are a few easy ways to save money and have fun and enjoyable outings with your kids.
1. Be Smart About Your Kid-Related Purchases
When you learn you’re about to have a baby — whether it’s your first or your twenty-first — it’s easy to get caught up in a flurry of preparation. You stock up on diapers, baby clothes, and other necessities.
You may decide to throw baby showers to let other family members spend money on expensive things like furniture, and even consider tossing money at things like college funds, all before the baby is even born.
Stop that!
Having a few outfits in various sizes is great but don’t stock up on things like baby clothes in a single size before your little one is born. Infants, especially, go through regular growth spurts and depending on their birth weight, might not even fit into the majority of the things you have on hand when you bring them home.
An 8lb baby will not fit into those boxes of newborn-sized diapers — speaking from experience. Be smart about your kid-related purchases. There is a fine line between being prepared and wasting money on things your little one will never use.
2. Settle Your Debts
It’s easy to run up a lot of credit card and medical debt when you’ve got kids. Having a baby in a hospital can cost you nearly $9,000 without insurance. This number only goes up if there are any complications during delivery or after birth.
If you’re looking to save money for family outings, one of the first steps you should take is to settle your debts. Carrying a balance on a credit card will end up costing you more in interest, in the long run, cutting into your outing money.
Start by paying off the debts with the highest interest rates first. This includes those crappy credit cards you signed up for in a moment of desperation with a 26%+ APR.
After settling this, then you can work on the accounts with lower interest rates. Try to only make purchases on credit you can pay off in full. Maintaining credit cards and on-time payments is good for your credit rating, but carrying a balance is expensive.
3. Meal Plan and Avoid Eating Out
One of the easiest traps to fall into, especially as a new parent, is the problem of ordering in. You’re tired, you’re taking care of this new life, and the last thing you want to do is slave over a hot stove to cook something tasty.
The problem with this trap is you end up spending a ton of money on less-than-healthy food options. Surveys have found you can save upwards of $16 per meal just by staying home.
This means if you replace one meal a week with a tasty home-cooked recipe instead of eating out, you can save more than $830 a year. That’s a trip to the museum — with souvenirs — or a good chunk of a Disney vacation, just by eating at home once a week instead of going out.
Enjoy Your Outing Funds
These might sound like challenging changes to make. However, by shifting the way you think, paying down your debts, and eating in once a week instead of ordering out, you can easily fund any outings you might have planned with your kids.
Couponing is also a great way to save money and reduce your household expenses. If you’re wondering how to start using coupons, then here are some tips for using, organizing and saving coupons.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by PSECU, a Pennsylvania-based credit union.
