Taking care of your family is a lifelong job. It’s one you enjoy, of course, but it can get hard from time to time. Not only does it sap a lot of energy out of you, and make you feel like you’ve got no time to yourself, but it’s also one of the most expensive things in the world! When you’ve got multiple family members to look out for, this price tag is only going to go up. If your household budget is struggling right now and you’re worried how it’ll affect family wellness, here’s what to keep in mind.
Take Out as Many Loyalty Cards as Possible
Loyalty cards may never quite pay you back in full, but they go a long way to making it cheaper to shop for a big family! You can collect points to get money off, you can get free samples and various physical rewards, and often there’s a chance you’ll be entered into a prize pot to win a big sum of money. Wherever it is you shop, take out a rewards card and get what you deserve for spending your money.
Look into Free Enrichment Programs
Your kids need a lot of enrichment as they grow, but it’s not always easy to provide this. You can’t get them as many toys as you’d like, or it can be hard to access educational resources that would give them the edge. But thankfully there are a few programs you can sign up to to get books, toys, and other activities for free. Check out what’s going on in your local area first, and then look into nationwide initiatives. The younger your kids are, the more success you’ll likely find here.
Bring Any Care Needs to You
If you’ve got an elderly relative to care for, or there’s someone in your family who has specific care needs, it’s cheaper to bring care services to you than to go to them. You can potentially get a home care service to send a day carer out for the mornings/evenings a few times a week to help out, and you’ll slash the cost by not having to house your loved one in their facility. You’re not alone in having to care for someone, and the financial burden doesn’t have to blow your budget out the water.
Start Meal Prepping
Meal prepping helps to cut down on food waste, cuts down on your food shop, and saves you a lot of time during the week. Take a Sunday afternoon and cook up a storm in the kitchen – prepare at least 5 different meals for the week ahead and then slot them all in the freezer. Once the day you cooked for rolls around, all you need to do is heat up the food and your family will be happy to eat!
Family wellness can cost an arm and a leg; don’t let the spending get on top of you by using tips like these.
Photo by Artem Podrez