Budgeting Tips for Big Families

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Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a never-ending supply of money and never had to worry about budgeting? Everyone knows that this isn’t the case and sometimes you just need to budget. Having a large family like ours, things can get quite expensive. Try feeding a teenage boy. He alone eats us out of the house and home. Having a large family requires a lot of discipline when it comes to saving money but it can be done.

Check out these budgeting tips for big families.

Create a Budget

When it comes to using a budget for a bigger family, you really need to sit down and create one. You need to know what money is coming in and what money is going out. By actually sitting down to create a budget, you will be doing yourself a huge favor. I use this budget sheet for my family budget & I love it!

Plan Things Out

One of the biggest tips for big families when budgeting is to plan things out. Plan things like your meals out, so you know much to spend on groceries. Plan to save for big items and also plan to save for items you will need. Planning will help you keep your budget in check.

Be a Cheapo

In being realistic, if you have a big family, you know that it can be really expensive. Which is why you need to be a cheapo. Instead of going out to eat, eat at home. Instead of spending a ton of money bowling, create your own games at home. While going bowling or eating out is inexpensive for a small family, it can really add up whenever you’re a big family.

Always Go for the Secondhand Stuff

When it comes to being a big family, always go for the second hand stuff. Honestly, you probably won’t use the items long enough to get your money’s worth if you buy from a retail store. Look for a quality consignment shop near you and don’t be afraid to shop.  I love my local Goodwill store.

Always Double Check and Shop Around

Buying items or looking for the best deal can be time consuming. When you have a big family, you could really use all of that savings. A big piece of advice for big families is to do a little shopping before you commit to something. You may put a little time into it, but it’s so nice to shop around and get a reward with big savings. My go to site for checking online grocery store and pharmacy weekly sales and coupons is Southern Savers.

Let Your Kids Entertain Themselves

Something that you will quickly learn overtime with a big family is that kids can learn to entertain themselves. You don’t have to do every little thing for them when it comes to entertainment. Encourage them to use their imagination and you’ll save a ton of money. While it’s fun to do “extra” stuff, it’s not a requirement to be happy.

Having a big family doesn’t have to be a big financial burden. In fact, if you take your time to plan things out and think about every dollar you spend, you could actually be ahead financially.

Do you have any tips to add to this list?