8 Ways Our Family Saves Money

I've read so many blogs about being frugal and how a family of 10 survives on $28,000 a year. And I'll admit, I've found some good tips on these sites. But that just isn't very realistic for most people. We rent a mobile home with minimal yard space, so we really can't plant a garden, although I grew a few things in containers this year. We live on a hill and there are no sidewalks on our roads and I have no way to walk anywhere. When I go shopping, I have to go to just one store to conserve gas, and our choices are very limited. If I need toiletries as well as food, I go to Walmart. If I need produce, I go to Safeway. If I need coconut oil or anything organic, I go to Shop N Kart. Those are my only choices. So couponing doesn't usually work for us, especially since we can't afford the newspaper and we don't have a printer. But, there are lots of things we do to save money and they are very easy and realistic.

1. We buy doTERRA essential oils. At first glance, they may seen expensive, but a 15 mL bottle contains 250 drops. So when you consider how many uses you get from each bottle, it's actually much cheaper than buying over the counter medications. And most oils have MANY uses. For example, peppermint can be used for nausea, headaches, fevers, mouthwash, and more. Lavender can be used on cuts and scrapes, burns, bug bites, and as a sleep aid. I'll be writing a post about giving your medicine cabinet a makeover, so be on the lookout!

2. I plan meals that use similar ingredients. We are a family of three, so I cook our meals fairly small and without tons of leftovers. So when we buy produce or things in bulk, they are never used up in just one meal. So I find recipes that use a lot of the same ingredients so I don't have to buy as many things. Ricotta is one example. One container can be used in two or three meals, so I'll make lentil meatballs and tomato soup with ricotta dumplings in the same week.

3. I hang clothes to dry. Did you know that your refrigerator and dryer are the two appliances that use the most electricity? So I try to hang our clothes to dry as much as possible. During the summer, I have a short clothesline on the porch that I use. The rest of the time, I hang clothes from the shower curtain rod and put a fan in the bathroom. Air flow is very important so that your clothes will dry faster and won't smell mildewy. And if you don't like the stiff fabric after clothes have hung to dry, just throw them in the dryer for 5 to 10 minutes to fluff them. We saved over $50 in two months just by hanging a few loads to dry a week.

4. We use cloth diapers. Seriously, if you can do this, it is one of the smartest ways to save money. It takes only a little bit more work and can save you hundreds of dollars a year. We use Flip water-proof diaper covers with prefold inserts. I bought them at the neatest shop in downtown Olympia, WA that specializes in cloth diapering. The covers can be reused after wet diapers and are adjustable for newborns up to potty training.

5. We make our own baby wipes. We actually started doing this because our daughter has sensitive skin and every brand of wipes we tried made her break out in a rash. Not only do our homemade wipes help her little bottom stay clear, but they are way cheaper. I buy a big package of Bounty Select-a-Size paper towels for less than $15 (you want to avoid cheap paper towels) and use a knife to saw each roll in half (don't use a good kitchen knife though because you will dull it very quickly). Then I fill a plastic storage container with 2-2 1/2 cups of warm water, add 2 drops each of doTERRA lavender and melaleuca essential oils and about 4-6 Tbsp of coconut oil. I mix it until well-blended, then put a half roll in the bowl, cut side down. I squash the roll down, put the lid on, turn it upside down and let it sit for 10 minutes. Then I pull out the cardboard tube and pull the wipes from the center. Ta da! Easy as pie!

6. We buy second-hand clothes. Especially for the baby. Babies typically do not wear out their clothes before they outgrow them, so you can find some almost brand new outfits for just a couple dollars or less! And I don't typically shop at the Goodwill (although I did find the cutest bumblebee costume there!). I go to local children's and adult resale stores.

7. We make homemade cards. You can make really cute, personalized cards in just a few minutes for virtually no cost, especially if you already have the paper on hand. Like the one below. (Sorry, I haven't added the picture yet). Who says you have to pay $5 for a card that's probably just going to end up in the trash?

8. We make our own baby food. Check out my previous post for some creative baby food combos. I also liked recipes like beef and barley stew, spaghetti and meatballs, or hearty chicken noodle soup that my husband and I could eat for dinner, then throw the leftovers in our Baby Bullet and freeze them for our daughter's meals. And although my daughter is mostly eating solids these days, we still keep a few fruit vegetable purees in the freezer to throw in with her oatmeal or barley cereal.

I hope some of these ideas inspired you to think of your own creative ways to save money wherever you can. Every family has different needs and different budgets, but there are some great ideas out there!