
Mothers can take charge of the household finances by doing things like making sure they have an equal say in household finances or teaching their kids about money. But what about practical ways moms can save money on everyday purchases?
Being a mom means constantly being on the go, which means you need financial solutions that can keep up with you. Stay-at-home-mom Kelly Whalen writes on Moolamony about mobile applications that can help moms–or anyone–keep close tabs on their personal financial information. Whether you’re using Mint.com with your Ally Bank account or tracking a package, there are no shortage of mobile applications to help you keep your life in order.
Visual Economics created a graph that clearly displayed the average annual expenditures for the typical American household. According to their calculations, the average family’s annual food costs make up $6,133, almost 10% of their annual salary. Thankfully, the web has no shortage of ways to cut down your grocery bill. These include everything from starting your own food club to things like planning a menu the way you would a budget.
Buy local, seasonable fare whenever possible. Many people forget that when you buy that strawberry in the middle of December, you’re paying for it to be transported from a warmer climate. Buying local, seasonable foods saves money because the overhead cost of bringing you that item is much less. Seasonable foods can also be much more bountiful, meaning they may be less expensive. As an added benefit, local and seasonable foods can be healthier options, which can be cost effective when you consider all the medical expenses you’re keeping at bay.
Sometimes cutting costs around the house involves using a little ingenuity. Blisstree has a list of 25 cleaning supplies you can make on your own. The list includes insights on everything from removing tough carpet stains (cornstarch, vinegar, and water) to waxing a wooden floor (equal parts olive oil and vinegar). The author of the piece also points out that she started making her own cleaning supplies in an effort to save money, but soon realized that it was also great for the environment. You’re re-using the same spray bottle, meaning less packing, and using things like vinegar and baking soda means you’re not putting noxious chemicals into the environment.
But what about all that stuff you can’t eat or clean with? Thanks to the popularity of deal and coupon websites, money saving solutions are easy to come by. Websites such as Dealnews offer discounts on a wide variety of items. And there is no shortage of coupon sites that allow consumers to create shopping lists consisting solely of bargains.
When it comes to all those things you don’t need anymore, donate or sell them rather than toss them in the trash. Again, it’s environmentally friendly and could help you out financially by way of a tax-deductible donation or some extra cash in your pocketbook.
Have you figured out a way to save money at the grocery store or around the house? Do you use deal websites to save on household products?
Comment on this article
Comments
Amy on March 25, 2011 at 9:20am
So.... how is this a Mom sort of list of tips? It sounds like this article is about household management, not being a Mother in particular. I would knock out the gender and parenthood aspects of this post to more accurately reflect the content.
Ally on March 25, 2011 at 6:55pm
Not a bad idea here. We labeled that because we reached out to “mommy bloggers,” but it’s pretty universal. Thanks for the feedback, Amy!
Scott on March 31, 2011 at 3:32pm
Speaking of mobile apps... why isn't there an Ally mobile banking App? Or at the very least, mobile version of the secure site!?!?
Ally on March 31, 2011 at 5:32pm
We’re working on a mobile solution, Scott. Definitely something that we’ve been moving towards over here. Hope you liked the post!
Edwin on April 1, 2011 at 3:54pm
Glad to hear you're developing a mobile app. Please be sure to include Android in addition to iPhone. Thanks!
Ally on April 1, 2011 at 7:30pm
You got it, Edwin. Thanks for the feedback!
Sarah on April 14, 2011 at 11:45pm
Well I hope the last post from Ally also includes Apple IPhone. Thanks
Claire on September 13, 2017 at 11:56am
I agree with Amy. I was very surprised to see a headline assuming mothers aren't in charge of household finances, and even more shocked to see that assertion repeated in the opening line of the post. Even just saying "stay-at-home moms" in the first sentence would have made a big difference.