Financial question about saving money when you have a family?

I have 2 kids, and am trying to think of ways to save money.
Cheaper meals etc, and anything other ideas would be appreciated too please, i’m desperate!!

We just started the same venture in our home as well… We’re in an apartment right now and would love to be in a house by the end of this year! Here’s what we did/do:

- Check over the “extra” bills. If you don’t watch a lot of digital cable for example, you can eliminate that. If you never go anywhere near your cell phone minutes, drop the plan lower (and eliminate the extras). You can’t do much about house bills, but you can lower the extra ones.

- EAT AT HOME. I don’t cook, I prefer to go out, but honestly it is just way too expensive anymore. My hubby is an excellent cook, so we started shopping at Aldi’s for little things, and Sam’s Club once a month for the things we use/eat every day (the meat department is outstanding and much cheaper, you can split it up into meals, and freeze in seperate freezer bags – not to mention with 2 kids you can get a 5lb bag of chicken nuggets that will last the whole month for as much as the small bags cost at the regular stores). We still go out to eat on the weekends, but it has saved a bundle eating at home during the week. Also for house/cleaning supplies, you can’t beat the dollar store.

- As silly as it sounds, save your change. We’ve been saving change since the end of summer, and we have close to $350. Ours is a “vacation fund”, but you could save change for birthdays, holidays, school clothes, etc. Whatever you know you’ll need a big chunk of money for, you’ll have it, and not even really miss it while you’re saving.

- And finally, curb your every day spending. I’m really into Starbucks for example, so I buy their coffee, but make the drinks at home. For the price of one large frap there, I can make about 5 or 6 at home. Check sales (if you don’t get the paper you can check your favorite stores online)… half the time I get our drinks/snacks at target because they’re always on sale. Give yourself a “personal allowance” for the week, and don’t go over it. I LOVE to shop, but I have found ways around dropping $100 bucks a week on stupid things lol. If you don’t NEED it right that second, don’t buy it. That’s been a hard concept for me lol, but it has in turn saved a bunch of $!

Hope this helps!