As a single twenty something recent graduate, I was
committed to spending money; whether the cash was spent on buying new
extensions, shoes, attending the latest events or traveling; budgeting was out
of sight and definitely out of mind; along with the idea of paying off my
school debt.
When I became pregnant, the
things that I considered luxuries were replaced by new things. Nothing tests
your desire to spend like having a child, because now everything is a must
have. My daughter must have six different diaper bags, cute pink sun shades, a Dora
blow up toy, 25 sing-a- long cds (she is two and have only listened to one), and
God forbid, I would never let my kid wear hand me downs, are you kidding me?
As Adaya got older, I realized how my luxury spending now became
necessities; “I have to buy her fast food everyday because I am too tired to
cook a meal” $$ can you hear the money adding up? Well I heard it but
definitely ignored for quite awhile until broke met baby!
There are plenty
reasons why people make the decision to live a more frugal life, my reason was
not a choice and believe me it surely was not welcomed. The first frugal living decision I had to
make was hard but I had to be able to identify wants and needs. Only spend on what matters.
Today, I consider myself to be fairly frugal and to be
honest, I think I take it too far and cross into the realm of cheap! For
example, I have a pair of black shoes that I got about three months ago that
were $35.00 and they are busted! I know they are busted, I can see it, people
comment on it every day, yet I won’t invest in a new pair; mainly because it’s
a shoe and in my mind it really doesn’t matter!
Now, I am not suggesting that you live a pauper life like this, however
I would suggest as a mother, father or family with kids (especially the younger
ones) it is important to take on a more frugal lifestyle.
Frugal Living is not suppressive! In fact it is the complete
opposite. Here are a few ways that you can live a more frugal life:
· Track
Your Spending and I mean everything. See where you can cut back and find
ways to eliminate unnecessary spending
·
Attack
Your Debt easier said than done right? Nope. Take it from me, it’s much
more rewarding to pay off your car loan than to have $800.00 in your bank
account and have bill collectors calling.
·
Buy in
Bulk. My parents together have six kids, so it was necessary that they
purchase things in bulk. From toilet tissue to snacks and even kool-aid, every
couple months, we would get a shipment. Learning from my mom, I found the
saving sense in bulk buying. Not only are you saving lots of money, but you
also eliminate the hassle of going to the food store every week! For you new
moms, I am sure you understand the importance of this.
·
Think about
Why You Buy. Every parent wants the best for their child. But are what we
considering “the best” really necessary?
When I had to return to work from maternity leave, in selecting a school
for Adaya I wanted the best. In my mind, the best meant more money. That being
said we opted for a nursery that was said to be “one of the best” on the
island, four days into nursery, $745.00 spent (uniform, registration, seat fee,
and a month of care) Adaya got really
sick and had a diaper rash that was so bad she lost skin! So much for “the
best”. Needless to say, I have learnt my lesson. Big bucks don’t always mean
the best.
Frugal living means spending considerably less than what you
earn, which equates to unlimited opportunity for saving, creating memories and
following your dreams. My tip to all parents and families, spend when needed
and enjoy the best that life has to offer; most of which are free!
Written By
Ms. Worrell
Ms. Worell is a freelance Public Relations & Creative Guru, blogger, and JazzyMOM. Born and bred in Nassau, Bahamas, studied International Business and Marketing at Saint Leo University,Tampa Florida and is now completing her MBA. She has one little princess buttercup that has made her life complex, entertaining and most of all AMAZING! She loves makeup, fashion, hair (particularly extensions), blogging,and all things girlie!
Visit her blog at: http://annisbuble.blogspot.com
Twitter Handle: @annisbubble
Instagram: annisbubble
Instagram: annisbubble
