The new year is here. That means that it’s time to plan for a new year of school runs, bills, and other commonplace expenses. However, you don’t have to let the stress of managing the family money get the best of you. If you’re feeling the strain of being a financially responsible mum this year, then there are plenty of ways that you can make handling your finances a smoother and less painful experience.
We’re going to talk you through some of our top money-saving tips for mums to use in 2020, so you can start making a real difference to your bank balance, and your stress levels.
1. Declutter
As a mum, you’ll know first-hand how quickly clutter can gather around your home. It seems like there are constantly endless boxes of “stuff” to put away around your property, from toys for the kids, to books from school and more. After Christmas, the amount of excess clutter in your house is sure to go through the roof. That’s why it’s such a good idea to start your spring clean early.
Ask your kids to get rid of any old items or toys that they don’t want anymore as the new year rolls around, and you do the same. There will be items that you come across that you might be able to sell for extra cash online, as well as presents you can re-gift next year to save money.
2. Speak to Citizens Advice
There are still a lot of mums out there in the UK today that doesn’t know what kind of help they’re eligible for from the government with things like universal tax credits. However, rather than just ignoring this money-saving strategy because it’s too complicated, you should be taking steps to claim all the benefits and assistance that you can get.
After the holidays are finally over, call up your local Citizens Advice office, and find out whether there’s anything that you can apply for to make managing the bills a little easier. You can also get in touch with HMRC if you think that you might be due a tax rebate too!
3. Invest in Yourself
Just because you’re a mum doesn’t mean that you can’t be a career person too. Now could be the perfect time to pursue the job of your dreams that you’ve always wanted. However, you could find that you need to invest in yourself a little bit first. If you’ve taken some time off work to look after your youngsters, you might want to update your skills with a new course. Taking on short term credit can help you to pay for that.
You can also think about buying a computer so you can do some of your education online. There are plenty of digital courses that you can take in your free time these days, which come with real diplomas and certifications to put on your CV.
4. Make More Lists
There’s a good chance that you’ve used lists before as an organised parent. However, when it comes to saving money in 2020, lists could be one of your most crucial tools. Whenever you’re going shopping – whether it’s for food or school supplies, sit down with shopping helpers, and create a list of the items that you’re going to buy. Let your kids know in advance that if an item doesn’t appear on the list, it’s not going into the shopping basket either.
You could even make a game of using your lists, by asking your children to help you reach a number for your final bill that’s lower than what you predict. If you can save some money, you can all choose a treat to spend the money on together.
5. Learn to Cook with Your Kids
Finally, make 2020 the year that you learn a valuable skill with your youngsters. If you’re usually embarrassed by your cooking and tend to order in more than you would like to, then it’s time to learn how to cook. There are plenty of courses, and videos available online that can help you with this. What’s more, many of the articles and content available for mums come with helpful tips on how you can get your children involved too.
Not only will you save money by cooking more often at home, but you’ll be able to teach your youngsters some valuable skills that they’ll use throughout the rest of their lives.
