It’s festival time and celebrations are around the corner. It can be expensive, and sometimes the expenses can often come in the most unexpected ways. Parents often spend a lot on various things in the first year of birth itself and slowly these expenses go on increasing. I am sharing some money saving tips for moms this festive season.
There are some things like baby diapers, formula milk, wipes, clothes, or medicines that are a necessity but there are some things that take us by surprise.
So how to manage the expenses and how to calculate all your spending and savings during festivals?
There are different ways to keep things under control-
- Make a realistic budget– It’s better to make a small budget when its festival and celebrations time. A budget gives you an idea of how much you want to spend that particular month.
- Write down all your expenses- It’s not easy to write down every small thing but it’s important to write down your big expenses every day as this gives an idea. You will not miss anything that way and also you will have a record for yourself.
- Make a shopping list- I am an impulsive buyer and sometimes buy more than required. To keep a check on this, I make sure to carry a list with me whenever I go shopping. This way you know what all to buy and what all not to buy.
- Online shopping – I love shopping online as it’s much easier for moms like me who do not prefer to stand in long billing and trial room lines. You do get great deals online but take care of small things like – Check for return policy, check for cash on delivery option and also it’s better to compare prices on different websites.
- Save on travel- Festivals are a time to travel and sometimes can be very expensive. Book your tickets online and it’s better to book before time to save on hotels and flights. I shared some tips here to book cheap airline tickets.
- Think ahead – While buying clothes and shoes for kids, do not only think about the size, and the style. Rather than simply buying for style and fashion, try to find clothes that offer a bit of room and also allowance for growth spurts. There should be room for the growth spurt and this will ensure that your kids can keep using the clothes even after going through several growth spurts.
- List of essentials– There are some things which cannot be ignored and something’s which can be taken care of later. A list of essentials helps us to get a fair idea of all the things we need to spend money.
- Gift shopping– It’s always better to buy gifts beforehand especially when it’s a discount period or sale period. Online shopping is better for this as you are saving petrol money too.
- Bulk buying- Things like groceries can be bought in bulk as you know during festivals you need a little extra. It’s better to buy all the important stuff in bulk for the full month together. Sometimes you get a discount on bulk orders too.
- Cook at home – Festival time means food and if you want to save money, try to cook at home. It’s not only healthy but also saves you money. Going out is convenient but won’t save you money.
Festivals can be quite expensive, but so long as you stay prepared and think ahead, you’ll find that there are many ways to work around the costs that are necessary. Hope these money saving tips for moms were helpful.
How do you save when it’s festival time? Share some tips with other moms.
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September 18, 2017 at 6:20 pm
This is quite an exhaustive list that you have provided and also very useful. I completely believe in making a list and a budget.
September 18, 2017 at 11:02 pm
Thanks Anupriya
September 18, 2017 at 7:09 pm
Great tips on saving and shopping. Will come in quite handy in the coming days 🙂
September 18, 2017 at 11:02 pm
Thanks Khushboo
September 18, 2017 at 8:22 pm
These are some great tips.Thank you
September 18, 2017 at 11:02 pm
Glad you liked it.
September 18, 2017 at 10:22 pm
Thinking ahead is the way to go in regards to saving money! I like to lock down a budget and then shop right about now for this December.
September 18, 2017 at 11:01 pm
Thanks Karyn
September 18, 2017 at 10:23 pm
All of these are useful tips! Glad I found this blog post just before the festive season?
September 18, 2017 at 11:01 pm
Thanks OPhira
September 18, 2017 at 10:24 pm
These tips come at the right time. I am an impulsive shopper and love eating out too. Thanks for the reminder.
September 18, 2017 at 11:01 pm
Thanks Aesha
September 18, 2017 at 11:35 pm
All these points are so practical. I think the one I need to work on most is ‘cook at home.’ We tend to eat a lot outside during the festival times. Need to work around that.
September 19, 2017 at 7:45 pm
Thats a great idea. Thanks
September 18, 2017 at 11:43 pm
Lovely tips there. Festivals come with a lot of expenses that may lead the budget haywire..planning ahead and following these points will definitly help. Saving your post.
September 19, 2017 at 7:46 pm
Thank you
September 19, 2017 at 1:26 am
This is great advice. Making a budget during celebratory seasons is definitely so important to stay on track! I also like to try shopping for gifts in advance of a holiday so I can take advantage of sales and find the best prices on things.
September 19, 2017 at 7:46 pm
Thank you
September 19, 2017 at 1:40 am
Yes its so true that the holidays as christmas is very expensiv! If we are not careful we realised when its to late that all our money is gone for this and that! So your tips are great reminder that we need to plan ahead!
September 19, 2017 at 11:11 pm
Thank you
September 19, 2017 at 5:29 am
I am so guilty of impulsive buying especially if I happen to pass through the kids section of the department store or any stationeries section. Asides from having a list of what to buy, as much as possible I had to avoid areas which I am sure could make me buy impulsively.
Also to add about the budgetting, one common mistake we tend to do here is we also include “imaginary” money. When I say imaginary, it means it hasn’t arrived yet (ie. bonus for the holidays). The problem is we sometimes include it in the budget but may come in different amount than expected and so the budget is ruined!! Hahaha
September 19, 2017 at 11:12 pm
Haha..Imaginary money is dangerous. We cannot imagine and shop. Thanks Aya.
September 19, 2017 at 6:58 am
love the tips… It’s always good to plan ahead and buy gifts in bulk during festive season!
September 19, 2017 at 11:12 pm
Thanks Suchi
September 19, 2017 at 8:39 am
These tips are handy for any time of the year really. I’d nt celebrate any mainstream festivals so that’s a big help right there. I can purchase gifts and spend time with my family in a leisurely way. .
September 19, 2017 at 11:12 pm
Thanks Ola
September 19, 2017 at 11:18 am
Very practical tips which can be easily followed. This post comes at the right time.
September 19, 2017 at 11:13 pm
Thanks Vidhi
September 19, 2017 at 1:57 pm
Super tips, for Mom’s and everyone else too. Just in time for the festive season!
September 19, 2017 at 11:13 pm
Thanks Mayuri
September 19, 2017 at 2:28 pm
You have listed almost everything on saving money. I too have the habit of writing down the expenses daily. This has helped me many a times to analyze our spending pattern and to make changes on it.
September 19, 2017 at 11:13 pm
Thanks Vasantha
September 19, 2017 at 9:10 pm
This is a really exhaustive and helpful list Deepa. Especially points about making a realistic budget, thinking ahead and bulk buying. During sales, I do tend to buy randomly, but this time, I’m definitely gonna think ahead first! 🙂
September 19, 2017 at 11:14 pm
Thanks Shubhreet
September 19, 2017 at 9:36 pm
That’s quite a helpful post, I do write my daily expenses and plan budgets beforehand, still sometimes everything goes out of hand, will try to keep the pointers in mind that you have shared. Happy festival season.
September 19, 2017 at 11:14 pm
Thanks Neha
September 19, 2017 at 11:20 pm
These are some great saving ideas during the festive season! I also try to book my flights early to save on a travel.
September 20, 2017 at 10:48 am
These are really helpful tips, especially “eating meals at home”. This is where we can save a lot and become one step closer to mindful and healthy eating.
September 20, 2017 at 6:08 pm
Thanks Neha
September 20, 2017 at 10:12 pm
Thinking ahead is where I struggle the most when it comes to saving money. Great list!
September 20, 2017 at 11:49 pm
Thank you
September 23, 2017 at 1:03 pm
Budget is always important for a lady whether it is festive time or not. I also try making a list in advance to avoid confusions and over spending at the end.
September 23, 2017 at 10:44 pm
Thanks geethica for reading.
September 24, 2017 at 12:37 am
Great tips Deepa, planning and scheduling in advance help me a lot when it comes to shopping during festivals. Love your list and I too go for online offers and discounts.
September 25, 2017 at 10:29 pm
Excellent tios Deepa to save money shopping.A list and a budget is always helpful