You’ve bought the new backpack, lunch box and school supplies. Your kids have new shoes, and a few new outfits or uniforms. School is back in session and your bank account can take a breather, right? Well, not exactly. While back-to-school shopping is a big expense that takes a bite out of the family budget, spending for the school year doesn’t...
When the initial shock and excitement wears off, it hits you. Being pregnant is expensive! Of course, you’ll have plenty of reasons to spend money once the baby arrives. But the months leading up to the big day bring their own new expenses, too. Here are some ideas to help you save money during your pregnancy.
Don’t Buy, Borrow
If you ha...
From the time they’re in diapers until they leave for college, managing the costs of growing kids can be challenging for any family. But with some planning, discipline and creativity, you can save money on many of the most expensive aspects of child rearing. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Reduce Child Care Costs
If you’re fortunate...
For starting out so tiny, babies sure need a lot of everything. There’s no denying that having a baby forces you to rework your budget and rethink your priorities. That doesn’t mean, however, that you can’t save on all the things your baby needs day in and day out. Here are several smart ways you can save on baby basics — and have more to c...
Welcoming a new baby into your home is one of the most exciting — and expensive — things you will ever do. You wouldn’t dream of skimping on your new baby’s needs, but the cost of furnishing and decorating a nursery can easily climb into the thousands of dollars if you get carried away. Luckily, it’s possible to put together a beautifully...
Any working parent will tell you that childcare is expensive. But even they might not realize the true cost. A recent study by Child Care Aware revealed that in 31 states, the annual cost of childcare for a child under 15 actually exceeds the cost of yearly in-state tuition and fees at the states' public colleges . So while planning for a child’s...
It might surprise you to know that the back-to-school shopping season comes in second only to the holidays for total spending. According to The National Retail Foundation, this year’s spending is expected to ring in at a record-setting 80.7 billion for all students from kindergarten to college.
The annual spending spree on backpacks, school su...
A baby changes everything – including your bank account balance. Before you reach into your wallet for all the latest and greatest baby “essentials,” review these 11 tips for practical money-saving advice:
Baby budget: Revise (or create) a new budget, adding up the costs that will arrive the moment your baby does. Among the categories to c...