In July we took our first trip to Yellowstone National Park. We met Mike’s siblings and their families there for a family reunion. It was an amazing trip! The park is huge and there is so much to see. We packed our schedule full while we were there and we have a list of what we want to see next time.

After I shared the complete cost breakdown for our Washington DC trip last year, many of you told me how helpful it was and asked that I do the same for other trips. So here goes!

Travel– $560

We drove. We spent roughly $550 on gas. Yellowstone is just under 1,000 miles away, plus there is a lot of driving in the park. Coming from California, gas everywhere on the road (even IN the park) was way cheaper than what we pay at home.

Yellowstone National Park is roughly 15 hours from us. While we could drive that in a day, we couldn’t leave until Saturday afternoon because of a morning swim meet on the day we were leaving, so we had to stop somewhere to sleep. We had planned to just find some national forest or BLM land to camp on since we had our camping things with us.

It was well after midnight when we decided we had better stop. We were near Twin Falls, Idaho, and Google told us that we were a few minutes from Murtaugh Lake Park, a county park with tent camping for $5 a night. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a campsite that cheap in my life! It was closer to our path than places where we could camp for free and it included bathrooms, so it was an easy yes. We didn’t even set up a tent. The kids were asleep in the car so we just laid out a tarp, got out the sleeping bags, and transferred sleeping kids into sleeping bags.

We ended up staying at the same place on the way home, which worked out beautifully since we knew where it was and what to expect. We spent a total of $10 for lodging on the drive.

Entertainment– $80

We paid $80 for a National Parks Annual Pass.

We have six kids, but none of them happen to be a fourth grader this year. In past years we have definitely taken advantage of the Every Kid Outdoors free National Parks Pass for 4th graders and their families. We could have just paid $35 for a 7-day entrance, but we knew we would be driving through Grand Teton National Park on the way home and be visiting other National Parks and Monuments later in the year.

Accommodations– $132

We reserved a campsite about a year in advance. My sister-in-law set the family reunion up. The park was very accommodating and put us in camp sites near one another. We were in Bridge Bay Campground (in Loop F, if I remember right). We stayed 5 nights so the total was $132 for camping in the park.

Side note: One of the coolest things about camping in the park was seeing the wildlife up close. We had huge elk walk right through our campsite the first day we were there, then next day bison walked right through. We didn’t approach them, but they weren’t shy about making themselves at home.

Awkward picture of me, but check out the rack on that elk!

Food– $0

We divided up food responsibilities for breakfast and dinner between families. Each family was responsible for cooking one breakfast and one dinner for the group (about 35 people).

When it was our turn for dinner we had a burrito bar. We brought beans, taco meat, salsa chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, salsa, and flour tortillas and let everyone make their own burritos. To make storing the meat super simple, I asked my mother-in-law if she could freeze dry the cooked taco meat and salsa chicken at home in her freeze dryer to that it wouldn’t require any refrigeration. We just rehydrated it and warmed it up on the camp stove.

Our turn for breakfast fell on our last morning there when we were all busy breaking down camp, so we wanted it to be super simple and not require much hands-on work that morning. We baked 12 loaves of quick breads (banana bread, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, etc) at home before we left. We also brought peaches and apples slices.

Each family handled their own lunches and snacks. We brought the makings for peanut butter and jam sandwiches, lots of apples to slice, granola bars, yogurt, nuts, dried fruit, carrots, crackers, hummus, bagels, and other easy foods. We stopped for pizza on our way home.

I am not including the cost of food, as we used our regular food budget instead of money from our trip fund. If you look at our July budget update you will see that we spent $638 on food for the month of July. It definitely takes some planning to work a trip’s food into the normal monthly budget, but keeping a stocked pantry and food storage makes it much easier than starting from square one.

Equipment– $342

We purchased a few things specifically for this trip. While we bought them for this trip, we look at them as investments in future trips as well.

$76 Bear Spray- While most of us thought it would be pretty cool to see a bear, we hoped we wouldn’t need to use bear spray. Still, we thought it was a smart idea to have a couple of cans anyway. It’s definitely pricey, but we will keep having opportunities to carry (but hopefully not use it) in the future. I think of it like insurance.

$150 Propane Stove– As we discussed the gear we could share for making our meals together, none of us had a propane stove that was big enough to cook for our group, so we decided we would make the investment. Mike has been wanting to upgrade our own camping equipment. Most of our outdoor cooking gear is for backpacking (read: small and light), so with a family our size who loves the outdoors, this Camp Chef two-burner stove was a good investment for us.

$60 Griddle attachment– Having the griddle makes the stove even more versatile. We used it to warm up tortillas (and even make quesadillas for some of the little ones). It will also be great for pancakes, eggs, and french toast in the future.

$52 Propane– We bought a 20lb Amerigas propane canister outside of a Walmart in Idaho. The initial cost was $52. We had plenty of gas left at the end of the week.  When we need to refill, we’ll exchange the empty canister for a full one for just the cost of the gas itself (something like $22, I think).

$4- Ice– We bought a small bag of ice from one of the gas stations in the park. While it’s way more expensive than what you would pay at the grocery store, it’s cheaper at the gas station in the park than in the convenience store/gift shop.

Total cost for 5-day Yellowstone Trip

Vacations can be expensive, especially with a big family. One of the great things about a trip like this, where we drive and then camp, is that an increase in the number of people doesn’t affect the total very much. When we stay indoors, we have to get at least two hotel rooms or a very large Airbnb for the family. When we fly, tickets for eight gets very expensive quickly. For us, driving and camping saves a lot, and is just as much fun!

In all we spent $1,114. Some of that, like the propane stove, is gear we’ll use again and again for years.

If you haven’t visited Yellowstone before, I definitely recommend planning a trip there. It’s a pretty incredible place. We had a great family trip!

The post Yellowstone Family Trip Cost Breakdown– Family of 8 appeared first on Six Figures Under.

Originally published July 31, 2015

Is it just me or does anyone else have a hard time resisting a box of new Crayola crayons for 25 cents this time of year?  Or how about a package of markers for just a little bit more.  Then there’s glue and scissors and notebooks, oh my!

In July, August, and September, the deals on school supplies abound!  I’ve been shopping school supply sales since long before I had kids in school (and after I was out of school myself).  I have my school supply stash all in its own special box.  That helps me keep it under control and also makes it easy to know exactly where to find what we need.

Here are 5 reasons that I like to stock up on school supplies.

1- Make Art Kits– A Fantastic Frugal Kid Gift

I love putting together little art kits for kids.  When one of my little ones goes to a birthday party and I don’t have time to make something handmade (like a skirt, t-shirt, apron, etc) or grab something at the store, then we often put together an art kit for the birthday girl or boy.  Sure, there are some kids out there who don’t like to get creative and crafty with art supplies, but most kids do.  It’s fun and inexpensive to put together an art kit and it’s always well-received (at least for ages 3 to 7 it’s been a hit).

Container— During back-to-school season, you can find pencil boxes for a dollar or less.  You can also find the plastic “shoe box” size containers with lids with all the other sizes of plastic bins and they are generally a dollar as well.

Art Supplies— Of course the sky is the limit here.  Some of the things we put it are:

• Markers
• Crayons
• Colored Pencils
• Glue or glue stick
• Scissors (if the recipient is old enough to use them responsibly)

By stocking up on the supplies during back-to-school sales, I not only get rock bottom prices, but I also have everything on hand to put together a gift.  That’s a major bonus when you’re an hour away from Target and you get a last minute birthday invitation!

2- Road Trip Entertainment

I don’t know about you, but I love new crayons.  There’s something special about a new, sharpened crayon that just entices me to take a break and crack open a coloring book.  My kids feel the same way.  A box of new crayons is magical.  Before a long road trip, I pull out a new box of crayons for each child from my stash.  I bring along a new coloring book or tablet of plain paper as well. The crayons won’t be in their beautiful pristine condition for long, but I don’t mind when they only cost me a quarter or two.

For older kids, a blank composition book and a new pen is exciting.  They can keep a journal, take notes, write stories, or just doodle.  With the digital age that we live in, I think it’s nice to pull out some honest-to-goodness paper every once in a while so our kids don’t forget what it is!

3- To Create Other Gifts

There are lots of creative tutorials out there to show you how to make some pretty awesome handmade gifts.  Many years ago, I made my kids and my nieces and nephews crayon rolls to put in their “quiet bags” for church.  I’ve seen some neat marker holders that hold a sketch pad as well.

Another time, I made my kids their own journals by decorating the front of a composition book for them. They loved having their own personalized journals where they can write (or dictate) the things that are important to them.  It cost me 50 cents, plus a little time and love.

If you really want to have fun, search “melted crayons” on Pinterest and see all the creative melted crayon art that people have done.  You’ll want to have some extra packages of new crayons on hand, for when the artistic mood strikes!

4- As Backup

Some things just have a way of disappearing around here.  Maybe it happens at your house too.  The most susceptible seem to be socks, hair elastics, and writing implements.  Some days I write phone messages in crayon for want of a pen.  The funny thing is that when it’s time to do homework all we can find is pens and not a single pencil.  Always having some extras on hand has been helpful.

5- To Donate

Whether it’s putting together humanitarian aid kits for needy children on the other side of the world or donating to my child’s teacher, there are lots of opportunities to give school supplies to those who need them.  Halfway through the school year, my son’s kindergarten teacher sent home a note saying that the class was running low on glue sticks and wondered if any parents could donate some.  Thanks to my school supply stash, I could easily send some in the next day.

Some stores have collection boxes at the store where you can give supplies to needy children.  There are local programs that put together backpacks with school supplies for needy children.  When opportunities like this come up, I’m always happy that I have my school supply stash available.

How About You?

• Do you stock up on cheap school supplies?
• What do you do with your school supply stash?
• Does anyone else have a thing for fresh, new, sharpened crayons?

The post 5 Reasons to Stock Up on School Supplies appeared first on Six Figures Under.

Updated! Originally published June 23, 2014.

Over the weekend, the boys in our family (my husband and four boys) got much-needed haircuts.  It probably won’t surprise you that we take care of these haircuts ourselves at home.

Cutting our family’s hair happens to be a family tradition. Growing up, my mom always cut my hair and my siblings’ hair.  My mom is talented at everything creative and artsy, so even when we were older my sisters and I trusted her to cut our hair.

My husband also grew up in a family where his mom cut all the kids’ hair.  When he got older he learned to cut his own hair.  To this day, my husband has never paid for a haircut.

Saving Money

How much you can save depends on how much you spend!

How much do your spend monthly or yearly on haircuts in your family?

Having never paid for a men’s/boys’ haircut, here’s a rough estimate.  If I paid $10 per haircut (that’s a low guess) for each of my boys (husband and 4 sons) every month, that would be $600 per year.

The clippers easily pay for themselves after one hair cutting session at our house!

And that’s just the for the boys. There’s also two daughters and me. Girls’ and women’s haircuts are more expensive, though they may not be as frequent.

Crunch a few numbers and see how much you could save by cutting your family’s hair.

Investments

The investment to cut your own hair is pretty minimal.  It will pay for itself in a haircut or two.  For girls’ hair, you’ll need a pair of basic, affordable haircutting scissors or even a simple haircutting kit that includes both straight scissors and teeth scissors.  As an untrained stylist, you really don’t need anything fancy or expensive.  The most important thing is to reserve your hair scissors just for hair so you don’t dull the blades.

For men and boys’ hair you’ll probably want clippers. My mom always cut my brother’s hair with scissors, but it takes more skill.  Probably the best clippers are the ones your grandma used to cut your dad’s hair.  They were made to last for generations and actually do!

If you didn’t inherit any clippers, there are many affordable name brand hair clippers on the market. Wahl, the classic brand your grandma’s clippers were, makes a very affordable set (currently priced at under $40 on Amazon) that consistently receives great reviews.

Learning

If you’re new to cutting hair, be brave and give it a try.  Between blog tutorials and YouTube videos, you have plenty of instruction at your finger tips.  The best thing about hair is that it grows back.  Even if you make a mistake, you’ll have another chance to try in a couple of weeks!

If you start cutting your children’s hair when they are young, your skills will increase as their awareness increases.  When they’re young, they couldn’t care less about what their hair looks like.  If you tell them they look good, they will believe you! We have teenagers now but we’re still doing haircuts at home. My oldest son will show Mike a picture of a haircut he wants and Mike does a pretty good job at figuring out how to make it happen thanks to lots of years of practice.

Is it Worth it to YOU?

For some people, paying big bucks to get their hair cut (and colored, styled, etc) at the salon is worth every penny. It’s their form of self-care. That’s fine!  We all have things that we’re willing to give up and things we just don’t want to sacrifice.  If you are trying to find ways to reduce your spending in order to reach your financial goals, cutting your family’s hair at home is a great way to save money.

How About You?

• How much and how often do you pay for haircuts?
• Do you (or have you) cut your family’s hair to save money?

(top photo) All my kids came out with a head-full of hair, but this little guy takes the cake.  He got his first haircut at 4 months (but obviously needed it much sooner).

(bottom photo) It took me a while to decide to finally cut my daughter’s hair.  I didn’t want to cut off her cute little baby curls for fear they wouldn’t grow back (they didn’t).  Finally, just before she turned three I cut her hair for the first time.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase something after clicking on these links you help support Six Figures Under at no extra cost to you.  For more information, see our disclosure policy.

The post Save Money by Cutting Your Family’s Hair appeared first on Six Figures Under.

If you’re under the impression that budgeting and being frugal means there’s no room for fun, then this post is for you! Our fun budget is usually zero, but our family has lots of fun. You don’t need to spend lots of money on entertainment to have a great time!

Whether you are looking for frugal entertainment temporarily while you work toward specific financial goals, or you want to change to a more frugal lifestyle, there are lots of great ways to have fun without spending a lot of money.

Community Events

Churches, community groups, libraries, schools, and college campuses are having events all the time and they are often free (and often include food).

The library is a great place to start. They have lots of free family activities, especially during the summer. We’ve attended magic shows, puppet shows, wild animal shows, concerts, and carnivals all for free at the library.  And that’s in addition to the story times, art projects, and science projects that they have going on.

Speaking of the library, ours actually has LOTS of fun and educational toys that the kids can play with anytime. It’s a great free place to go for entertainment in the summer (and it’s air conditioned)!

Look online for free local events and entertainment. You’ll be surprised at what’s out there that you didn’t know about. Whether it’s a parade, athletic event, or concert in the park circuit, cities and towns have a lot of fun things going on.

If you plan ahead you can even get free or reduced admission to events that normally charge a fee.

A few years ago I learned that our county fair gives free admission to anyone who brings an entry for the daily food contest. There’s also one day of the fair when kids get in free. Mike and I enter the daily food contest on the same day kids get in free and just like that we’ve got a free family activity!

Get Outside

One of our favorite forms of entertainment also happens to be absolutely free. We love hiking, camping, and spending time outdoors. Thankfully all of our kids do too. We live in a great area in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range where we’re an hour away from big mountains and deep winter snow and a couple of hours from the ocean. We have access to just about every outdoor activity you can imagine.

Even if you don’t live close to beautiful wildlands, most communities have well-maintained walking and biking trails that are free and very accessible. Take advantage of these places for entertainment and exercise. We love going on family bike rides together or even just a walk.

If you’re like us and enjoy a more rustic experience, find a park or forest near you. Did you know you can camp for free on most land managed by the  National Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. It’s called dispersed camping. We love it!

If you’re fine with no running water or bathroom facilities, you’ll get to enjoy the great outdoors without being surrounded by a bunch of other campers in close quarters.

Save on Food

What do we do when we get together with friends? We eat! That can get expensive though. Instead of going to a restaurant and paying too much for food, get together and have a potluck instead.

I know the word “potluck” sounds a little old fashioned. You’ve gotta think beyond your church function or dinner at grandma’s. Make potlucks fun by having a theme. You could have Mexican night where everyone brings their favorite Mexican dish. You could have a taco bar or potato bar. Or bring toppings for pizza and make gourmet pizzas together.

You could have a chili cookoff! Or an ice cream sundae bar.  The list goes on and on!

Host an Event

Instead of going out, host an event yourself and have others come to you! They’ll probably appreciate the opportunity to save money on entertainment too. It doesn’t have to be a big overwhelming event. Just invite another family or two.

• Have a barbecue, have everyone bring their own meat and a side dish to share.
• Have a movie night where everyone brings a snack to share.
• Borrow a projector and head outside for a backyard movie on a summer night.
• Have a board game night or video game competition along with a dessert bar.
• Have a bonfire with hot dogs and s’mores.

Our family loves doing karaoke.  Did you know you can search just about any song along with the word “karaoke” over on YouTube to get the music )without the words) and the words on the screen? If you have a microphone, great.  If not, it’s still a lot of fun singing with just a hairbrush!  It’s fun with friends or just with your own family.

Save Money with a Deal on Entertainment

Not everything is free, but when you can, take advantage of a deal on your entertainment. Group buy deal sites like Groupon and Living Social often have great dining and entertainment deals that are a fraction of the normal price.

Plan your entertainment based on the deals you find. In addition to saving money, you’ll also discover new places and events that you didn’t know about. We’ve been able to add some new restaurants and events to our family favorites thanks to these sites.

Plan Ahead

Be Sure to Plan Ahead. If you wait until Friday night to decide what you’re going to do for the weekend, you’re more likely to fall into old spending habits. Being frugal requires some planning, especially if frugality is a new habit for you.

If you’re hosting your own event, you’ll need some time to prepare for it to be successful. And if you’re going for free and cheap community events, you’ll need to mark your calendar ahead of time so you don’t miss out.

You can do this!

You can seriously have a lot of fun on a low or non-existent entertainment budget. Between activities at church, library events, other community events, exploring the outdoors, getting together with friends, and enjoying time at home with our family, we don’t really even have time in our schedule for costly activities.

What do you usually spend money on when it comes to entertainment? Do you love seeing new releases in the theater? Or going to concerts? Or regular trips to Disney or other amusement parks? Or maybe you regularly go out for drinks with friends.

Whatever it is that you’re spending your entertainment budget on– How can you cut out or cut back on the expensive activities and replace them with something that costs nothing or at least costs less.

Remember you can decide if this will be a temporary change while you’re working toward a goal or a permanent lifestyle change.

Day 19 Challenge

Grab your Frugal Fresh Start Workbook and write down a list of frugal entertainment options that you would enjoy. Look at your calendar and schedule one in.

You might also consider making a list of non-frugal activities that you will avoid or limit.

The post Frugal Entertainment– How to Have Fun on a Budget appeared first on Six Figures Under.

Do people still make baby registries?

Today’s post isn’t one that most of you will use right away, as it only directly applies to those of you who have a baby in your near future.  If that doesn’t describe you now, you can pin it for later or pass it onto a friend or daughter who is expecting.

Is a Baby Registry Worth It?

Gift registries are becoming more and more popular.  The idea of making a list of the gifts you would like to receive used to sound childish and tacky, but now it’s seen as a favor to those who wish to give gifts.  We all want to give gifts that will be used, appreciated and loved by the recipient.  Your creating a gift registry allows your friends and family the opportunity to do just that!

In addition to making gift-giving easy, a registry increases the likelihood of receiving gifts that will be the most useful to you, which means you won’t have to buy them yourself.  The items you do end up buying yourself can usually be purchased at a discount if they’re on your registry.

Creating a baby registry can definitely be worth the time and hassle.  Here are some tips to help make your baby registry worth it:

–> Do the product research

Creating a baby registry is a great excuse to research baby products and decide what you like and what fits your parenting style.  Ask other new parents or experienced parents what they loved and what they would avoid.  Having a well thought out and researched registry will mean fewer returns and more gifts that you sincerely love.  Even if you don’t receive a single gift from your registry, having done the research will make shopping (and looking for deals) much easier.

–> Focus on what you need

While you might be tempted to go crazy with the scanner and add everything that is cute or looks interesting, it’s not a good tactic for making the most out of your baby registry.  Be intentional about the items you choose.  A good test is to ask yourself “Would I spend my own money on this?”  If the answer is no, then I wouldn’t put it on my registry (I’m also the type who spends gift cards like they are hard-earned cash).  If you do, you might end up with a bunch of fru-fru for your baby, but left to buy all the essentials on your own.

Don’t be afraid to register for diapers, wipes, and other basics.  I’ve found that people love to give diapers and moms love to receive them.  While not a very original gift, they are definitely useful and appreciated.  Having the basics on your registry reminds people that simple, useful gifts are appreciated.

–> Register items from a wide price range

It’s fine to have a couple of big ticket items on your registry, in case your friends from work want to go in on a gift together, or grandma wants to get something extra special, but the bulk of your gift registry should be in the lower price range.  Having lower priced options allows people to shop on their own budget.  People who want to spend more can buy multiple items or put together a gift basket.

–> Don’t register for clothes

You will get clothes whether you register for them or not.  Many people won’t look at your gift registry and will just choose baby clothes that they think are cute.  Another reason not to register for clothes is that different store locations have different clothing inventories.  Friends will have a hard time finding the exact item you are looking for because the store might not carry it.  Finding clothes from your registry can be very frustrating.

–> Learn the programs, but keep it simple

Lots of major retailers have baby registries.  Each store has different perks or bonuses for registering with them.  Learn about the programs before you decide where to register.  For example, at Babies R Us you get up to 10% back from purchases made from your registry, even purchases you make yourself.  Target gives you a 15% off completion coupon so you can buy what’s left on your registry (another great reason to put basics like diapers and wipes on the list).

While every store has their own perks, keep it simple (for you and your shower attendees) by not registering everywhere.  I think more that two places is overkill.  People will wonder if you don’t have anything better to do than run up and down the aisles of six different stores with a scanner, drooling over baby gear.

–> Make Amazon one of your choices

Registering with Amazon’s Baby Registry is a no-brainer.  Not only can you stay at home in your pjs, but you can literally add anything you want.  With Amazon’s Universal Registry Capability, you can add items for anywhere across the internet to your registry.

The standard completion discount for Amazon’s baby registry is 10% off, but if you’re an Amazon Prime member or you join Amazon Family any time up to actually using your discount, your completion discount goes up to 15%!  You can use your completion discount on two orders of $2,000 combined value (up to $300 discount) for up to 60 days after your expected arrival date.

Amazon makes it super easy on your friends and family.  They don’t have to go on a wild goose chase through the store looking at bar codes to find the exact items on your registry.  They can be at home in their pjs too.  Plus, out-of-town folks can just have gifts sent directly to you.

I made a quick video explaining a little more about Amazon’s Baby Registry program and showing you what comes in the “Welcome Box” and what you need to do to get it.

Sometimes a registry isn’t right

I was not planning on having a baby showers for the last few of my babies (I’m currently expecting number 6), but it always seems that friends throw something together no matter how much I insist that we don’t really need anything.

For example, with my fourth, a good friend insisted that she was going to throw me a shower.  I would have felt presumptuous making a gift registry, as I really didn’t need anything, didn’t know the baby’s gender yet, and didn’t want people to feel obligated to bring a gift.

She had suggested that those who wanted to bring a gift could bring a freezer meal instead.  I was showered with freezer meals!  My deep freeze was jam-packed with homemade convenience foods.  And trust me– they came in handy when life got crazy!

How about you?

• Did you do a baby registry?  Where did you register and how did you like it?
• What tips to you have for making a gift registry?

You’ll Also Enjoy:

The post Is a Baby Registry Worth It? Tips to Make the Most of Your Baby Registry appeared first on Six Figures Under.

We do back-to-school clothes shopping a little different than most people.  Instead of hitting up Target or our favorite department store, we go to the thrift store.  And we don’t even pay full price at the thrift store!

I want to show you what we get (and don’t get) at the thrift store to maximize our back-to-school budget.

This year we spent $25 on each of our kids who are in school.  That money stretched big time at the thrift store and I’m going to tell you how we did it!

Here are my top 5 tips for saving money on back-to-school shopping at the thrift store!

I also have a new YouTube video where I’m sharing these tips and showing you the clothing hauls for each of our kids (minus the baby who wasn’t in need of anything).  It’s a fun one!  So grab a basket of laundry and fold while you watch or just listen.  Or keep reading to just get the thrift store shopping tips.

Tip #1: Know Before You Go

Before you head out to do any school shopping, taking inventory of what you already have.  Make sure the laundry is clean, then get the clothes out of your kids drawers.  Grab any storage bins where you keep clothes for the next season or the next size up.

Have your kids try everything on and keep track of how many pairs of jeans they have, how many pairs of school shorts they have, how many short sleeve shirts, how many long sleeve shirts, and any other clothing item that you might be tempted to buy.

You might be surprised with what they actually already have that still fits and is in great condition for school.  If your kids are like mine, they’ve spent half the summer in their swim suit, so it’s easy for them, and you, to forget what real clothes they actually have.

Once you have an inventory, decide what your kids actually need.

It sounds simple, but how many times do we just guess and end up buying the wrong things and forgetting the things we actually need!

Tip #2: Know Where to Go

Thrift stores vary greatly in what they carry.  Our local thrift stores are all run by the local hospice.  They are great thrift stores and we love them, but they have a serious lack of quality and quantity when it comes to kids clothes.

We found a really amazing thrift store chain about an hour away that has an excellent selection of kids clothes though.  We only go a couple of times a year, so I don’t mind making the drive.

Be adventurous and try out new thrift stores if the ones around you or the ones you’re familiar with aren’t cutting the mustard.

Learn about the sale/discount days so you can get the most for your money!

Tip #3: Know What NOT to Buy

I typically don’t buy underwear, socks, or swimsuits at the thrift store.  Those are items I prefer to buy new.

Even so, these are items I don’t usually buy at back-to-school time.  I’m sure sock and underwear companies love the tradition of socks and underwear being at the top of the back-to-school lists, but do your kids need new socks and underwear right now just because it’s August? Or are you buying it out of tradition?

Right now our kids are doing just fine in the socks and underwear department, so those aren’t on our list. I keep a bin specifically for new socks and underwear that I buy throughout the year when I find good deals.  When the kids are in need of new socks or underwear, I go straight to the bin, not the store.

Shoes are another item that I buy on an as-needed basis.  We don’t just buy shoes because it’s a new school year.

Being selective about the things that you buy new (or the things that you buy at all), will really save you money on your school shopping

Tip #4: Know the Pricing Scheme

Some thrift stores use “blanket pricing” where all items in the same category are the same price.  For example, all kids jeans are the same price no matter what the brand or condition.  The benefit of this pricing system is that you can find good quality or name brand clothes for the same price you’d pay for something less nice.  Just look carefully to find the best deals

Other thrift stores, like the one we go to, have items priced individually.  Items that are hot name brands are priced more.  They make up for this with their sale system.  Usually items that are ridiculously priced don’t sell until the price is heavily discounted.

At our favorite thrift store, this is how it works.  Each week they put out a new color tag and the color tags from the weeks that are older are discounted.  There is a color that is 25% off, a color that is 50% off, and a color that is 75% off.  The items that are 75% off are the ones that have been on the rack the longest.  They didn’t sell at full price, at 25% off or at 50% off.  Because this store has tons of inventory, lots of great things make it to 50% or 75% off.  And those are the things I like to focus on.

Tip #5: Have a Target Price

I aim for $2 per item at my thrift store, but this will vary depending on where you live, what store you’re at, and what your budget is.  I first look for the clothes my kids need based on size and style.  When I find something that fits, I look at the price tag.  If it’s at or below my target price, then I usually get it.  If it’s a little more, then I base my decision on how high the item is on our need list and what other options are available.

Since I buy lots of items at or below my target price, it usually averages out to my target price.

General Thrift Store Tip

Look everything over really well.  Always check everything for stains, holes, and excessive wear.  Make sure zippers and buttons work.  Try things on if at all possible.

All sales are final at most thrift stores, so you want to be sure you’re sure before you buy it!

Pro Thrifting Tip

Whenever I’m not sure if I should buy something or not, like when it’s something for someone who isn’t with me to try on or furniture that I’m not sure will work in our house, I ask myself if I could easily resell the item and make my money back (or make a profit).  If the answer is “yes” and I’m willing to do the work to resell it if I need to, then I go ahead and get it.

Thrift Store Back-to-School Clothes Haul

If you want to see the complete kids’ hauls (and what I got) at the thrift store, check out my latest video! I go through all of the items and prices.

Otherwise here are a few pictures so you can get a general idea of what we got:

For our 4-year-old daughter, I spent $15.50.

For our 7-year-old son, I spent $25.25.

For our 10-year-old son, I spent $25.50

For our 11-year-old daughter, I spent $25.50.

I bought a few other things for my husband and myself, which I talk about in the video.

Back-to-school shopping can be an expensive tradition, but it doesn’t have to be.  If you’re smart about it, you can get the things you need without breaking the bank.

• What are your best thrift shopping tips?
• Have you ever done your back-to-school shopping at the thrift store?
• Would you go thrifting for back-to-school or do you think it’s weird?

The post 5 Money-Saving Tips for Back-to-School Clothes Shopping at the Thrift Store appeared first on Six Figures Under.

Pregnancy comes with plenty of extra expenses, some subtle and some glaring.  Of course some expenses like insurance co-pays can’t be helped, but there are still ways that you can save money during those nine months of anticipation!

Without even talking about baby, there are definitely some increased costs during pregnancy.  Today, let’s focus on some ways that you can SAVE money on pregnancy!  Please chime in with your tips in the comments!

Saving Money on Pregnancy Tests

If you’re paying more than $1 for pregnancy test, you’re paying too much.  Did you know that you can buy pregnancy tests at the dollar store?  True story!  If they aren’t in the personal care section, they are often up near the register.

The science behind pregnancy test is very basic.  The $1 version is just as accurate as the $20 version from the drug store.

In fact, I have always bought no-frills HCG pregnancy tests online.  They aren’t anything fancy, but they do the job!  I’m not one who posts photos of pregnancy tests (or anything else I pee on), so I don’t care that they look simple and cheap.

They usually come in bulk (pack of 10 or more), but they cost around $.30 each.  Although they have an expiration date, we have found that they are accurate for years past the date.  For such a low price, you don’t have to feel guilty taking more than one test!  Share them with your friends!

If you’re trying to conceive, you can also get cheap ovulation tests in bulk online.

Save Money on Maternity Clothes

Call me weird, but I always get excited when it’s time to break out my maternity clothes, not only because it means I’m starting to show, but it means I get a wardrobe change!  A wardrobe change is pretty exciting for someone who rarely buys new clothes (by the end of pregnancy I’m definitely ready for another wardobe change!).  The best part about my maternity clothes is that I spent very little on them.  In fact, most of them were free!

Getting Maternity Clothes FREE

Most maternity clothes are only worn for 4 or 5 months for each baby.  They spend the rest of their lives in a box or bin in the garage or attic.  Many women save them for next time or “just in case,” but are totally willing to lend or give them to friends.  When I lived near my sisters, we shared our maternity clothes with each other.

While my husband was in law school, a tall friend was excited to lend me her maternity clothes since it can be hard to find pants and shirts that are long enough when you’re tall.  Another friend from church who had just had a baby (her last) gave me bags of maternity clothes when she heard I was expecting.

Spread the word!  Whether that means letting the ladies at church or your moms’ group know that you’re looking for maternity clothes, posting a wanted ad in the free section of Craigslist, or telling your Facebook friends that you’d be happy to take any maternity clothes off their hands, letting people know you are open to offers is the key to getting them!

Getting Maternity Clothes CHEAP

Before you head out to an over-priced maternity boutique, take a look at garage sales, thrift stores, Facebook marketplace, and Craigslist.  You can find lots of gently-used maternity clothes.  I try to look for timeless (not trendy) pieces, so that I can use them again in the future without feeling like I walked out of someone’s scrapbook.  Though, if the price is right, something trendy can spice things up a bit.

Also, keep an eye on the clearance rack at Target.  Most of the maternity clothes that I bought new came from Target and were often about the same price you’d pay at a thrift store or consignment store!

Online kids and women’s consignment-type shops have maternity clothes too. You can get a $10 credit when you sign up with ThredUp. ThredUp has a high standard for the clothes they accept, so you can be confident you’ll find quality, gently-used, top notch variety there.  They also give you additional credit for sharing with friends and family, so if you decide you love it, you can pass the news on to others and maybe get some Thredup clothes for free!

Save Money on Cravings

For some, it’s the classic pickles or ice cream.  Others crave eggplant or steak or ice chips.  When I’m pregnant, cold cereal hits the spot at any time of day.  Chocolate is also a safe bet any time of the year.

You know what you’ll want. Whatever your cravings are for, be sure to keep them on hand.  Stocking up on the foods that you constantly crave will prevent expensive midnight runs to the store.  Your husband will thank you.

Save Money on Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are recommended before, during, and after pregnancy, so if you’re planning on having more than one child, you can plan on years of prenatal vitamins.  The cost of vitamins can really add up.

When it comes to prenatal vitamins, there are all sorts of fancy brands that promise to increase your baby’s IQ or ensure 20/20 vision.  They’ll try to win you over with free samples and educational literature.  There’s plenty of guilt-ing out there along the lines of, “If you really love your baby, you’ll give her the best, most expensive vitamins.” And you might spend $30 on 100 capsules. That’s over $200 for two years of vitamins!

I’m not sold on them.  I’ve always gone with the generic brand at Target or Walmart, currently $4 for 100 capsules ($28 for two years.)  And my kids are all beautiful and borderline genius! I kid, kind of; they are cute and smart.  All my OBs and midwives have said that generic vitamins are just fine.  Combined with a healthy diet, you should be set.  If you’re curious, these are the very affordable prenatal vitamins I’m currently taking.

Some pharmacies will even give you free prenatal vitamins.  During law school, I remember hearing the ads for free prenatal vitamins in the checkout at Meijer.  When I got pregnant, I had my doctor write me a prescription for prenatal vitamins (basically just to prove that I was really pregnant) and I got all my vitamins for free at the Meijer pharmacy.

Save Money on Insurance

Know your insurance plan.  How much are the co-pays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs for you and the baby?  Read the fine print.  Know what care providers and hospitals are in-network.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions (i.e. “How much will this test cost?”  “Is this covered by my insurance?”) both of your insurance company and of your care provider.

Prices for the same procedure vary from hospital to hospital, so feel free to shop around like you would for any other major purchase.  If you’re paying out of pocket, you can always try to negotiate rates.

See if your insurance plan has a special “Future Moms” or “Healthy Moms” program.  Our current insurance plan has an educational program that helps expectant moms have healthier and longer term pregnancies.  The bonus is that if you enroll in and complete the program they will pay for hospital inpatient costs.  I’m in the process of signing up (there are some hoops to jump through), but it will be well-worth the money saved when it comes to the hospital bill.  I’ll keep you updated!

Save Money by Not Shopping… Yet!

To distract you from spending money and keep you busy, go over to Amazon and start your baby registry there!  In addition to having fun creating your wish list you also get a free box of baby goodies (valued at $35) and near the end of your pregnancy you get a “completion discount” which means you get 15% (or 10% if you aren’t an Amazon Prime member) on things on your registry.  That alone makes it well worth it, even if you’re just stocking up on essentials.

I literally just took a break from this post to go create a new registry for our baby due in November.  I don’t expect anyone to buy gifts from it (it is my sixth baby, after all), but it will be nice to have that 15% discount on some things I would have bought on Amazon anyway.

How About you?

• How do you you save money on pregnancy?
• What unexpected or surprising pregnancy related expenses have you had?

This post contains referral or affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you.  You can get details in my disclosure policy.  Thanks for your support!

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The post Smart Ways to Save Money on Pregnancy appeared first on Six Figures Under.

I have always been against the idea of giving an allowance to kids.  I mean the kind of allowance that kids just get, whether they’ve been helpful or awful, completed all their chores or none of them. I wanted my kids to earn money rather than give it to them.  I wanted them to learn that money comes from doing productive work, not just from existing.

In search of the perfect system for helping kids learn the value of work, we’ve tried a few different things. They always involved the kids doing chores.  A few systems included a specific task list for each child. In another, the kids could choose from a list of available prioritized chores, each of which had a value attached.  In yet another, it was luck of the draw during a designated chore time.

None of these programs lasted very long. It wasn’t the kids fault. It was the parents. Before the kids were old enough to keep their own records, it was our failure to remember and track who had accomplished what.  Then it was coming up with an appropriate chore for each age, and dealing with the inevitable differences in payment when one child’s work was better than another’s for the same chore. In a hundred ways, the relatively small role of assigning, verifying, and paying for work always seemed to turn into an ongoing job of mediation, arbitration, and record keeping. It was exhausting.

We knew we wanted our kids to learn how to work, and to learn how to make money choices, but our chores-to-cash systems were all failing. But we couldn’t just give our kids money, could we?

Nobody ever just gave us money when we were kids. Wouldn’t giving our kids money for “free” just spoil them?

Ironically, we found our answer in a book called The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids who are Grounded, Generous, and Smart About Money by Ron Leiber.

It’s definitely worth checking out. It discusses much more than just allowance, but today I’m focusing on the allowance section as background on the allowance system that we’ve been using for over a year. Then I’ll get into the nitty gritty of when and how much.

The idea of tying chores to allowance

Kids have a growing list of things they want or need. As parents, we have a huge list of things to be done around the house.  We naturally tie these two lists together by creating “chores” that we pay kids for, so that they can buy what they want.

A system like this has the potential to teach kids to work hard.  It teaches them that money doesn’t grow on trees, but requires effort on their part.

Those are good lessons, of course, but a chores-for-money system isn’t the only way to teach them.

Let me start by saying that if you have a chore-earned allowance/wage/commission system and it’s working, keep it up! Well done!

For us it wasn’t working great.  We tried lots of different systems.  They took lots of time and oversight from mom and dad. We weren’t going to pay them a full wage for a job half-done.  It was overwhelming for me to decide who earned what and to be fair. They were constantly begging for money chores but were picky about which ones they would do.

Then they’d use the system against me.  Any time I asked someone to do something, they would inevitably ask, “How much is it worth?”  No one wanted to do anything for free, when others jobs were paid.

They way it was going, if we kept up the chores-for-money model, the kids would have tried to pass up household chores altogether as soon as they started earning more money from babysitting or yard work for others.

Shouldn’t everyone happily help around the house just because they live there? After all, no one is paying me for loading the dishwasher, doing laundry, or making dinner, day after day (after day…).  We want to instill in our kids habits of contributing at home because they’re a part of our family.  We all contribute to help keep our house clean and our family running smoothly.   If we need some “leverage” to teach that, we will use privileges instead of money.

But we definitely want our kids dealing with money.

Why we give allowance that isn’t tied to chores

Succeeding with money is a super important skill that kids need to learn at home. While kids can learn hard work from school or sports, real financial lessons are a little harder to come by.

In order to really learn and internalize money management lessons, you need some money.

Giving our kids money is like giving them the resources they need to learn any other topic.  We give them books, sports equipment, and musical instruments so they can learn.  It wouldn’t make sense to expect your child to learn tennis without a racket or guitar without a guitar.

So we give them money for the sole purpose of practicing with money.

We want them to feel the remorse of blowing all of their spending money at once, while the stakes are low and someone else is making sure there is food on the table.

They can experience a sense of accomplishment when they deny themselves instant gratification and save up for something special.

After exploring the concept of allowance from this perspective, we decided to make some changes.

We started giving our kids an allowance, not to teach them about work, but to let them practice with money.

We were excited.  The kids were excited.  And a year later we’re all still happy with how it’s going.

How Much Should You Pay for Allowance?

In The Opposite of Spoiled, the author recommends between 50 cents and $1.00 per year of the child’s age for a weekly allowance.  For example, the weekly allowance for a 6-year-old would be between $3 and $6.

We chose the low end of 50 cents per year.  For our family, it currently looks like this (though the 3-year-old is getting a raise really soon):

• 11-year-old: $5.50 per week*
• 9-year-old: $4.50 per week*
• 7-year-old: $3.50 per week*
• 4-year-old: $2.00 per week*

We also have an 18-month-old, but he doesn’t know that money is a tool or a resource.  He still sees it as a snack.  He will start getting an allowance when he is 2.

For our four kiddos who get an allowance, the total is $15 per week or roughly $60 per month.  If you’ve seen our monthly budget you’ve seen this line item for the past year.

How We Teach Our Kids to Divide Their Allowance Money

Because the express purpose of giving an allowance is to provide our kids with “practice money” early and while the stakes are low, we give them guidelines about how to use it.

You wouldn’t throw a clarinet at your kid and wish them good luck.  You would at the very least give them a book to guide them.  Even better, you (or the school) would give them a human (or at least a YouTube video) to talk them through the basics.

The basic guidelines we give our kids about their money are:

1st: Give (10%)

We teach our kids to first pay 10% of their money for tithing.  Giving away 10% of your income is a good, solid financial principle to follow whether you’re religious or not.  Worthy causes abound.  Teaching your kids to be generous and think outside of themselves goes beyond just teaching finances.

2nd: Save (45%)

We help our kids think of things to save their money for.  At first they often don’t have any idea of what they want to save for, but with a few suggestions to get the ball rolling, they easily come up with a list.  From there they decide on a specific goal to start with.  Having a goal in mind focuses their efforts and lets them really enjoy the fulfillment that comes from achieving something exciting.

3rd: Spend (45%)

Half of what is left after tithing is for spending. When kids have money they are allowed to spend, they learn that their money can buy lots of things, but it can’t buy everything.  When the money is gone, it’s gone, and they’ll have to wait to get more.  They learn to be smart shoppers by looking at prices, finding the best deals, and weighing various options before making their final decisions.

Our kids have never questioned our requirements for dividing their allowance money.  After all, it’s free money to them, so they have no room to complain.

As they earn money beyond their modest allowance, they continue the same division of funds.  As they earn more “real money,” we will encourage them to save a larger portion of what they earn, for college and other larger goals, but for now we want them to save toward goals that will be attainable in a reasonable amount of time so they can know what it feels like to win with money.

Change Matters– The Nitty Gritty of Kid Allowances

I knew that the hardest part about allowance and teaching kids to manage their money would come in the logistics.

As adults who do most of our money management digitally, it’s pretty easy to divide our money however we please– down to the penny!

For a six-year-old who is given a $3 weekly allowance and taught to put 10% into giving and then split the remainder between spending and saving, it can be tricky when you just have three $1 bills to work with.

Don’t worry!  I solved this issue before we even started.

I made a note card for each age.  The front of the card shows:

• Age
• Total weekly allowance for that age
• How to break that dollar amount down into the three categories (Tithing- 10%, Savings- 45%, Spending- 45%)

On the back of the card I have a handy parent reference that shows the number of dollars, quarters, nickels, and dimes that will allow the child to have the right coins to easily divide the money between their categories.

*I didn’t want to deal with pennies, so when the kids have an odd age (meaning there is a $.50 in their payment amount), I changed it to be $.55 instead.  Let me show you why in this example:

If a 9-year-old gets $4.50 per week and gives 10% for tithing ($.45), he is left with $4.05 to split between spending and saving.  That will be $2.02 in one and $2.03 in the other, both involving pennies.  Ugh.

On the other hand, if we pay our 9-year-old $4.55 per week and he puts $.45 into tithing, he is left with $4.10 to divide between saving and spending, which divides beautifully ($2.05 in savings, $2.05 in spending) without using any pennies.  Hooray!

This works out the same in every odd year.  The even years work out perfectly on their own.

Yes, I realize that a full 10% would actually be $.455, so they are a half penny short.  In our own finances I always round up, but for the sake of sanity and simplicity, I’m avoiding pennies.  Now that I think of it, I could add an extra penny for tithing on odd years (adding $.06 instead of $.05).

Whatever you do, be sure to talk with your kids about money

Whether you give your kids an allowance or pay them wages for chores, the most important thing is that you talk about money with your kids.  They aren’t going to learn to manage money at school.  Their friends aren’t going to give them solid advice.  They need your help!

You don’t have to have a perfect track record with money in order to be a valuable teacher.  Kids are smart.  They can learn from our mistakes.  Wouldn’t you rather that your kids know about your mistakes so they can avoid making similar ones.  They’ll be forgiving and they’ll thank you later.

Need some ideas to get started?  Here are 4 things you should tell your kids about YOUR finances.

The Opposite of Spoiled also has lots of great ideas for embracing, not avoiding, conversations about money with your kids.  The author shares ideas for handling not just allowance, but chores, charity, savings, birthdays, holidays, cell phones, clothing, cars, part-time jobs, and college tuition.

Not every idea in the book fits our family, and not every idea will fit yours either. That’s fine. Thankfully, every family is different. But teaching kids to understand and wisely use money is a uniquely parental responsibility. They won’t learn it anywhere else.  It’s definitely worth reading and really thinking about.

What do you think?

• Do you give your kids an allowance?  Do you pay them for chores? Why or why not?  How did you decide on the amount?

The post Why we started giving our kids allowance that’s NOT tied to chores appeared first on Six Figures Under.

Today’s creative money-saving idea comes from Jennifer Byars. If you have a money-saving idea to share, you are welcome to submit a guest post (you don’t have to be a blogger).  See the guest post submission guidelines for details.

I have been told that we are only as frugal as our organizational skills.

I am frugal but, admittedly, very unorganized. I am a busy mom always trying to find ways to make life easier and save money.

I have a solution for organizing my children’s clothes for people, like me, that are lacking organizational skills.

Let me explain my need for an urgent solution.

The Problem

I get lots of children’s clothes and accessories from yard sales, thrift stores, and friends.  We also have lots of hand-me-downs. This should have saved me a lot of money.

However, I was so unorganized and forgetful that I would misplace things. My kids would outgrow new clothes before ever getting to use them.

The money I saved by getting a good deal was lost since my kids never wore the clothes.

It was also heartbreaking to score the perfect outfit for pennies at a yard sale only to discover it at the bottom of a clothes bin a year after it would have fit.

I had to fix this problem!

My Solution

I am a very visual person. I realized that if I buy clothes that are a size bigger and put them out of sight, then they are quickly out of mind. I had to come up with a way that the clothes stay in plain sight at all sizes.

First, I had my husband install long rods in a walk-in closet that most families would use for a utility closet.

I have my youngest girl’s clothes on a taller rod since she needs help picking out matching clothes. My older daughter’s are on the bottom where she can choose, and reach, her own clothing.

At the beginning are all the clothes the kids can currently wear. Next are the clothes they can still wear but are out of season. I live in the Southern United States where the temperature changes quickly. We are in shorts one day and jackets the next so I like having everything accessible.

Now here is the best part!

The next section is the size your child is growing into. When you see something at a thrift store that super cute, but too big, you can grab it. Hang it in this section so you won’t forget about it.

I buy things 2, 3, and 4 sizes too big then add them in sections on the rack according to size. I don’t have mine labeled but I have a coat hanger turned backwards between each section so I know where each size ends.

It sounds simple, but it works!  I never lose clothes anymore! My kids always have a row of clothes they are growing into and it feels so good to be ahead of the game. There is never an urgent need for clothes. I can quickly inventory what each child is lacking before I hit up the thrift store or go to garage sales.

The Closet Swap

In the past, like most people, I kept everything in separate closets in the kid’s individual rooms. They were constantly getting pulled off the hangers or out of the drawers. I never knew what was clean and what was dirty. Plus I had to go upstairs every time I wanted to inventory their wardrobe or help them with clothes, which was several times a day.

Now, with the big clothes closet, conveniently located next to the washer and dryer, I have one place for everything my kids need, including undergarments, coats, shoes, accessories, backpacks, hats, belts, and purses. It has rods long enough that I can hang new-to-them winter coats in bigger sizes and backpacks that I got on clearance for the next school year.

I have utilized every inch of the space in that closet. The tiny space near the ceiling is where I store the kid-sized blankets, throws, and beach towels. I have hand-me-down clothes for my younger daughter neatly stacked, by size, and labeled at eye level on a shelf.

Special outfits that I want to make sure I don’t miss are hanging in the appropriate section on the rack. Play clothes and sleepwear go in a labeled bin on a bottom shelf so the kids can get those themselves.

I have added shelving to store things like purses, Santa hats, and swimsuits with labels that the kids can easily read.  Having seasonal items (like Santa hats) in plain sight where they’re easy to find means we won’t have to go out and buy those same items each year.

So what about all of the space in the bedroom closets?  I store infrequently used items such like holiday decor and luggage in the kids’ closets.  It works out great!

How can this work for you?

We all have different living situations so I know this exact idea won’t work the same way for everyone, though I think a variation of the idea can be implemented in most homes.

You don’t have to buy an expensive closet system.  You could simply install a curtain rod on brackets.

Maybe you don’t have a walk-in closet to spare but you do have a small room, or even half a room, in your home that could be rearranged to use as closet space.

Or, you can use your kid’s closet and add some extra curtain rods.

Maybe you can’t buy bins for storage but you have extra clothes baskets or a spare chest of drawers that you could label. The plastic bins that I use for my closet were originally made for bulk produce in grocery stores. I just washed them well and painted labels on them with craft paints.

My dream house would have one room in the center that has a washer and dryer in it. That room would be the closet the whole family uses. We would store our clothes, towels, and sheets in one place and just take what we need.

More closet ideas?

I am so glad to get this opportunity to share my closet idea. I wish I would have figured this out sooner because I wasted so much money over the years.

I hope this helps you gather ideas that will work best for your family.  If you have anything to add that might help me take my closet plan up a notch please leave it in the comments. Busy families need to stick together!

Jennifer is a mom and registered nurse from Tupelo, Mississippi.  She helps run a small business with her awesome husband. She’s always looking for deals and ways to make life easier.

The post Money-Saving Kids’ Closet Organization Hack appeared first on Six Figures Under.

I’m excited to share with you the wisdom of one of our readers! Krystal has some great ideas for frugal family travel that I know you’ll enjoy!  Feel free to share your own best frugal travel tips in the comments.

While I love to travel, I’ll be the first to admit sometimes it is a little more challenging with kids.  Longer car rides are more difficult.  We need to stop more frequently for “potty” breaks.  And it takes a little more forethought when it comes to feeding a huge family on the road without spending an arm and a leg.

For those of you who will be traveling with kids this summer, here are ten tips that will help you save your money and your sanity, while creating a memorable experience for all.

1  –  Plan ahead.

The farther out you plan your trip, the more prepared you will be.  Give  yourself time to think about what you will wear, what you will eat, what types of things will you do, etc.

2  –  Pack snacks.

Hungry kids never make for good times.  Bring snacks that will keep them from getting too haaaaangry between mealtimes.  This will save a ton of money since grabbing a snack at the airport or gas station is so expensive.  Talk about highway robbery.

3  –  Stop for picnic lunches and let them have a break to run around.

Plan a picnic at a rest area where the kids can run and play, or stop for a bathroom break at a park or visitor’s center that has a built-in play area.  You save money by not eating out, and you keep your sanity intact by letting the kids tire themselves out BEFORE they get in the car.

4  –  Make travel fun!

Play Travel BINGO, a licence plate ABC game, 20 questions, etc.  In the past, I have printed out little images of toy cars and taped them to the side windows, one car for every hour.  If my kids went a whole hour without whining or arguing or any other behavior issues, they got to tear down a little car and got a treat.  Sometimes it was a snack, or a cheap dollar store toy, or a piece of gum or candy.  They LOVED it, and it has become a tradition every time we have a road trip planned.

5  –  Save electronics for when you are desperate.

Instead of starting a trip with electronics in hand, my girls play games, read books, or listen to music.  Then when they are starting to lose it, I pull out the Kindles.  They are easily distracted with a movie or games and we have ourselves another two hours of uninterrupted travel time.  The less you have to stop, the less you will be tempted to buy snacks or fun little knicknacks.

6  –  Bring an extra outfit or two.

It is always a good idea to overpack.  If someone gets sick or extremely dirty or you have last minute plans, you will have fresh clothes for the occasion.  Don’t break your travel budget by having to run to the store for an extra outfit because you forget about dear Aunt Suzie’s dinner party and the kids are filthy from exploring in her backyard. Always overpack to avoid buying last minute clothing needs.

7  –  Have 2 or 3 days’ worth of clothes in your carry-on.

I have heard horror stories about airports losing luggage, and I can only imagine how horrific (and expensive!) it would be to arrive for a week’s trip with only the clothes on our backs.  Can you imagine how much money it would cost to buy a whole week’s worth of clothes for the family?  A lot!  Whenever we fly, I always pack 2 or 3 days’ worth of clothes and toiletries in my carry-on.  If the unthinkable happens, we will still be clothed.

8  –  Give the kids ownership in the trip.

Before you leave, do some research together on what there is to do around your destination.  Let them point out some of the things that interest them.  Or if your itinerary is already set in stone, allow them to pick where you will eat for dinner.  However you do it, make them feel important and valued, and let them have a say.  Encourage them to save their money for the trip.  Or earn extra money around the house to save for an outing of their choice.  Find a way to teach them the value of a dollar while also instilling in them an age-appropriate appreciation for sticking to a budget, even on vacation.

9  –  Reward good behavior.

Long trips can be stressful on everyone, little ones included.  Find a way to be proactive and reward their good behaviors.  Hopefully this will cut down on negative behaviors, such as whining or bickering.  Different things will work with different age groups.  In the past, I have done a goodie bag filled with new treats for each hour.  In our most recent trip to San Francisco, my girls earned money.  For each hour of good behavior during our airport travel (15 hours total!) they earned a dollar. Even though we took a red-eye and had a ridiculously long layover, they were angels.

10  –  Give them their own spending money.

By giving kids a little bit of their own spending money, it enables them to make their own decisions about what is important to them.  They can spend it on a tangible memento or a cool experience.  But, most importantly, that decision is up to them.  Will they probably make some poor choices at first?  Absolutely.  But they will learn from their mistakes, recognize the value of a dollar, and learn to wait on some things so they can spend on what is most important to them. This also allows you to save money because you aren’t buying little things left and right.  Giving kids their own money to spend helps you avoid nickle and diming yourself (or your budget) to death.

And there you have it.  Ten tips that will hopefully help you keep your sanity and your budget intact when you travel with kids.  Happy travels,
everyone!

Krystal is a teacher turned homeschooling mama of two.  She recently paid off over $80,000 of debt with her husband, and now writes about making family finances simple.    

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