To all single moms out there, you all are doing a great job! We know how hard it is to earn a decent living while managing your house and kids. Why don’t we talk about some ideas to create a great budget ahead?
It isn’t everyone’s cup of tea to fight the intense battle of paying utility bills, taking care of medical emergencies, and providing food on the table while listening to your child complain.
We know how difficult it is to keep a check on your finances with the increasing prices of transportation and rent. (As if our mission in life is just to find good discounted offers and be happy to save just a few bucks!)
But don’t you worry …
We are here for you. And that is why we have penned down this blog for you! Follow these simple tips and tricks to be free of all financial troubles.
Easy Create A Great Budget Guide For Single Moms
We have shortlisted 8 simple-to-follow and easy to create a great budget planning hacks for you. So, let’s begin with the easiest and simplest step – budget planning.
1) Grab your notebook and pen down all your expenditures now!
That’s the most important thing. You all need to know where your money is going. Either write it down on paper or use excel sheets to save time.
Once you get the sample, plan out your next month’s expenditure …
If you are making 1000$, set aside 200$ as your month’s savings. Use the rest of the paycheck to budget out groceries, bills, transportation, and others.
2) Cut down on expenses
You did a great job to create a great budget plan!
You might have already noticed some unnecessary expenditures and subscriptions by now.
It’s time you say goodbye to them …
Drinking Starbucks coffee daily is not a necessity …
You can instead save that amount for emergencies!
Scrolling through online shopping sites while struggling financially is an unhealthy habit. You might be able to spot some great discounts, but – buying unnecessary items on discount is not a win.
Remember ladies, you can only live a carefree life if your expenses are less than your net income.
3) Plan your weekly meals
This is one of the best pieces of advice ever!!
Start planning your week’s meals and snack items. Planning meals can help you avoid overspending on groceries.
Make it more fun by involving your kids in this task and add their favorite snacks, lunch, and supper items to the grocery list. This way you will exactly know what you need for the week.
Be smart and use this chance to cut down on junk items and fast foods too. Instead, make simple and healthy meals at home and feed your kids with love.
Don’t forget to order all the things online and save money on transportation too. A lot of stores offer free delivery once you surpass the threshold amount.
4) Start saving money on utility bills
Can we save money on utility bills too?
Don’t be surprised, it’s not hard at all. You can save money on utility bills too …
Just avoid using electricity during peak hours!
You do know what peak hours are, right?
It’s the time of the day when the demand for electricity gets higher. It’s usually from 5 pm to 8 pm when people come home from their offices, turn on their air conditioners, etc.
You can save a big part of your utility bills by avoiding appliances that require more electric power to work during peak hours. For instance, your washing machine, iron, air conditioners, etc.
5) Cut down your fuel expenses
Fuel expenses are no less than a nightmare. It gets so hard to include all of the transport expenses in budget planning. How can we even keep a track of how much fuel we are consuming?
Well – you don’t necessarily have to take out your car whenever you go out!
Public transports are still less expensive …
Also, if your and your neighbor’s kid go to the same school. You guys can take turns dropping them to school. It can save up your time, effort, and money.
6) Smart use of child support
Adding child support money to your budget is not a very clever idea.
Especially if you don’t receive it on time.
Instead, you can either invest them somewhere or add them to your savings!
7) Give pocket money to your kids
Giving pocket money to your kids is not an additional expense …
It can help you on so many levels. Let us tell you how –
It’s like a routine, you take your kids grocery shopping and you end up buying toys or other off-the-list items because you can’t say NO to your kids!
Instead, tell your child that he can only spend 10$ this week …
It’s up to him if he wishes to spend the money to buy stationery items for school, or if he wants to buy snacks and ice lollies from it.
This would also help in cultivating a sense of saving and spending money on only the basics among your children!
8) Side hustle ideas for single moms
Earning some extra cash is always a wise decision …
It can put your financial stress to rest and you can save money for emergency purposes too. Here is how you can cash more money –
- Start freelancing in your free time. You can write articles and blogs if you are good at writing. Or you can create illustrations and logos for your client via graphic design.
- If you are more towards the craft side then you can also start selling homemade items on Etsy.
- You can also earn money by simply playing games and answering surveys. Simple, right? Use your relaxation time to play games and earn money from them.
Conclusion
Let’s wrap it up now – It was an amazing journey to create a great budget…
You know what?
Saving your money now can lead you to a better place tomorrow!
Make sure to implement these tips to save money in your daily life and stop living paycheck-to-paycheck.
You can also drop down your queries if you want to know more about how to save money as a single mom! Or check out our blog on incredible ways to earn money using your laptop!
Because we know, everyone loves to earn a little extra these days!