50 Money Saving Mom Hacks For Saving A Lot Of Money

Moms Helping Moms! Share The Love!

Money Saving Mom Hacks For Moms To Be Saving A Lot Money & Keep A Frugal Family Budget! 

Money saving tips for moms because raising a family on a budget is hard!

It is especially more difficult for stay-at-home moms and single moms to save money when depending on one income. 

 

 

Money Saving Tips For Mom

As moms, we have a lot of expenses that incur not to mention worrying about funding our kids’ college education someday. 

In fact, the USDA says the cost of raising a child is $233,610 per child!

It doesn’t matter if you are financially stable or living paycheck to paycheck you should be using money-saving hacks to be saving a lot of money – because you NEED to! 

We need to be frugal to save money every chance we can. 

Let me tell you this mom saves money – I like to think of myself as a frugal stay-at-home mom, but my husband and my kids have picked up on my money-saving tips so I guess we could be considered a frugal family.

My family knows that I do not like overpaying or paying full price for anything.

50 Money Saving Mom Hacks For Frugal Families

I am always on the lookout to find thrifty tips, tricks, & mom hacks to save money! 

I put together this list of all the best money-saving mom hacks that help me save $1000’s every single year. 

 

 

Mom Hacks For Saving A Lot At Home

1. Use A Smart Thermostat

Since we installed a smart thermostat to control our home’s heating and cooling, we have saved so much money on our electric bill.

Most smart home improvements are not only convenient but will help you save money!

2. Set Your Washer On Cold

Washing clothes in cold water will still remove stains and it saves on energy costs.

Two ways it helps you save money is by not using the hot water tank and keeping the dryer from working hard

because your clothes will be less wrinkled.

3. Unplug Electronics

When not in use, unplug electronics and even some appliances.

It may not seem like much, but it will save you money on your power bill.  

Just by unplugging, you can easily save $100/year!

4. Skip The Store & Make DIY Cleaners

Making your DIY cleaners can really help you save money.

Not only that but it is a non-toxic product that is safer for your family!

Check out these 6 recipes for DIY all-purpose cleaners using vinegar and essential oils. 

5. Have An Emergency Fund

Having an emergency fund is an important money-saving mom hack!

Emergencies come up and it helps when we are already prepared!

Having some money stashed away for an emergency will give you peace of mind!

6. Try A Money Saving Challenge

Money-saving challenges are genius!

They give us a goal and hold us accountable for saving our money!

Try this super easy Money-Saving Challenge to save almost $700/yr with just saving pennies a day.

Or try out a “No Spend Month” money challenge!

7. Change The Lightbulbs

This money-saving mom hack cut my electric bill down by over $45 a month! 

Simply replace all of your light bulbs with LED bulbs.

My electric company sent us an entire box of LED bulbs for FREE!

Call your energy company to see what freebies they will send you to help you cut the cost of your electricity.

8. Turn Off The Lights

My kids are relentless at leaving lights on when they are not even in the room.

My husband used to do a nightly walk thru humming the tune “Every Light In The House Is On” lol. 

He saved us so much money and time by installing motion sensor light switches with automatic shut-offs in all of our closets and bathrooms. 

9. Make Money In Your Spare Time

I am a busy mom that is for sure, but in those spare moments of the day like waiting in the pick-up line at school, or in the waiting room at the dentist’s office I like to take quick surveys that help me make some extra cash. 

Survey Junkie is a free app that pays you to take surveys.

I like Survey Junkie because it lets you pick the survey and you know how much money you will make and how much time is needed before you even start. 

I also use Swagbucks to watch short videos.

Most of the time, I click on a video and set my phone down letting the video play while I do other things. It adds up and lets me cash in my points to redeem gift cards. 

I have earned $100’s of dollars using both Survey Junkie and Swagbucks, and the best part is they are both FREE!

10. Comparison Shop Your Cell Phone Plan

We spend a lot of money on our cell phones.

Not only does a new cellphone cost an insane amount, but our monthly cell phone bills seem to keep increasing.

Don’t be afraid to shop around!

Tello offers UNLIMITED talk, text, and data for only $39/month.

Mint Mobile offers UNLIMITED talk & text and 2GB of 4G data for only $15/month.

11. Get Mentally Organized

As moms, we always have so many “tabs” open all at once. Give your brain a break and get organized!

Since downloading the FREE app Cozi, I have stayed completely organized which has helped me save money by not paying late fees and keeping my grocery budget intact. 

Cozi Family Organizer: Say goodbye to family chaos with the app that organizes calendars, lists and more. And it’s FREE! 

12. Skip The Fancy Coffee

I know what a treat an iced coffee with caramel drizzle can be, but let’s be honest it’s not worth $5 a pop!

Several years ago when I started really paying attention to our budget, I realized I wasted so much money at coffee shops. 

I really didn’t want to give up my caffeinated treat, so I started making my own at home. 

You can either get an affordable expresso machine to have at home, or just even a simple milk frother to add some pep to your coffee. 

Be creative and come up with your own delicious drinks. Just pour them in your to-go cup and save $5/day!

13. Get Rid Of Cable

We were paying almost $200 for our cable plan.

We decided to cut the cable and buy a Roku instead.

With a one-time payment of $25, we were able to have almost all the same channels and even several new ones.

Also, we downloaded Hulu, which is my favorite streaming network and it has plans as low as $1.99/mo.

14. Declutter Your Home

Decluttering your home is a money saving mom hack that will not only be nice to your wallet but also save your sanity!

It will save you from making impulse purchases because you already know what you have.

Also, it will keep you from re-cluttering, thus by buying less stuff.

You can even make money from selling your used clutter!

Use DecluttR to sell your unwanted stuff and get instant price quotes!  If you use my link you can get $5 just for signing up for FREE. 

If you need a little boost to get started decluttering check out this FREE 30 Day Decluttering Challenge. 

15. Negotiate To Lower Your Bills

Did you know that you could be paying more for your internet than your neighbor does?

Well, that happened to me, in fact, my neighbor was paying around $20 less a month to the same company for the same service. 

If we hadn’t been talking about it I would have never have known.

So I called my internet company and they lowered my bill. I had been paying at least $240 more a year than I should have been. 

Internet companies are not the only companies that overcharge customers. 

Look into BillShark.

It is a program that scans your bills and negotiates lower prices with the companies. 

You only pay a one-time fee if they can lower your bills, and then it only takes a percentage of that. So it’s worth it!

16. Change Your Air Filters

You may think that changing your air filters frequently may cost you more money, but on the contrary, it actually saves money. 

In fact, changing dirty air filters can reduce your energy bill by 15%. 

17. Invest In Energy Efficient Appliances

When we bought our home, the appliances were a little dated. 

So one by one as each started to fail we replaced them with more energy-efficient appliances. 

We even set our hot water tank to a more energy-efficient setting. 

Our bills have significantly lowered since the first year we lived here. 

18. Use Rechargeable Batteries

My children have so many toys that require batteries.

I started using rechargeable batteries on most things to help us save money. 

Granted, rechargeable batteries cost more initially, but they can be reused up to 500 times!

19. Have A Capsule Wardrobe

Having a capsule wardrobe will save you so much time and money.

Knowing your style, and only keeping clothes that you enjoy wearing and that can easily be paired into different outfits is essential for us Moms!

So downsize your wardrobe and then figure out your style. Piece together a capsule wardrobe that you feel good about. 

If you are having trouble figuring out what pieces you must have in your wardrobe, try out Amazon Wardrobe.

It is an excellent program that lets you “try before you buy” thousands of eligible items from women’s, men’s, kids’, baby clothing, shoes, and accessories.

Try up to eight items at home and pay for only what you keep.

20. Switch & Bundle Your Insurance

When you bundle your auto and home insurance you can get up to a 25% discount. 

We recently changed insurance companies and I was shocked to find out we could have the exact same policy, for $78 cheaper a month!

So use a FREE insurance comparison tool and see how much money you can save by switching and bundling.

21. Use A Toy Rotation

Since starting a toy rotation with my kids it has been such a positive experience.

It keeps the toys from piling up, but it also keeps my kids entertained. 

Not to mention, we haven’t had to buy anything new!

We also participated in a community toy swap, which was a lot of fun.

Remember one kid’s “no longer played with” toy can be another kid’s treasure!

22. Entertain Kids For Free

There are so many ways to entertain your kids for free.

So save your money and check out this list of over 100 free activities for kids to do at home or around town. 

Money Saving Mom Hacks To Save On Shopping

23.  Shop Online

If you shop online then you must download the Honey Chrome extension, it is free and it looks for the best price for any item. 

It scours the internet for active promo codes to save your time and money at the same time!

Also, I always check to see if the store is listed on Rakuten then I click thru to the store and make my purchase.

I earn hundreds of dollars in cashback every year with Rakuten.

Get a $10 bonus when you sign up for Rakuten because it is one money saving mom hack that can save you hundreds of dollars!

24. Keep Receipts

Always keep receipts for at least 30 days, because you never know if you may need to get a refund.

I always like to compare my receipts to my bank statement to make sure everything is legit.

Another great reason to keep your receipts is that you can use the FREE app CoinOut (as seen on Shark Tank) to get cash back on every single receipt you scan!

25. Shop Off-Season

I always buy my children’s clothes in the off-season.

You know the drill, buy summer clothes in the fall, and buy winter clothes in the spring. 

26. Buy Second Hand

Take advantage of sales at your local consignment shops.

Most consignment shops are quick picky at what they will re-sell, meaning that you have a good chance of buying something that has never even been worn. 

27. Use Gift Cards

My family loves to give gift cards as gifts.

My husband and I save them to use on big purchases. 

There are also a lot of easy ways to earn free gift cards. 

28. Ask For Discounts

Many stores offer discounts for homeschoolers, active military, first responders, and more. 

Just ask while you are at the checkout if they offer any discounts.

Chances are they do, and many times if they don’t they will still knock off a percentage just because you asked.

29. Take Advantage Of Amazon Discounts

I am a huge Amazon fan.

I am a little spoiled with their Prime service because I love being able to buy something online and having it delivered to my doorstep the next day. 

Did you know you could try Prime for FREE for 3o days?

Not only that, but Amazon offers Prime memberships at a huge discount for college students and EBT holders. 

Plus, Prime members can stream tons of FREE movies!

Not only does my family use Prime, but we also joined Amazon Family (which you can also try for FREE) to save us so much money on things our kids need. 

Money Saving Tips For Moms To Save On Food

30. Meal Plan

When you use a meal planner, it will help you stay organized by planning your weekly meals and shopping lists in advance.

Meal planning saves your time and money, by preventing all those last-minute stops to the grocery store.

For a limited time, my readers can get the Ultimate Meal Planner at a huge discount, when they sign up for the FREE Mom Hacks 101 monthly newsletter. 

Since I started meal planning I have saved so much money and the dreaded “Mom, what’s for dinner?” is always answered!

31. Shop Your Pantry & Freezer

Always check your pantry to see what foods you already have.

I don’t like to waste food or money so I try to use everything up before buying more. 

So check your freezer and pantry and make a pot-luck casserole!

The Ultimate Meal Planner has inventory lists for the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator so you always know what you have. 

32. Always Use Leftovers

We always use our leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. 

33. Never Leave Any Scraps Of Food

If a recipe calls for half of a sauteed onion, I always cut the whole onion and store the leftover in the freezer.

If we have some fruit that is very ripe and on the verge of going bad, I just slice it and store it in the freezer. 

I use reusable silicone bags to store all my leftover food. They are safe to freeze and you can even toss them in the dishwasher.  

34. Never Grocery Shop Without A Grocery List

Simply put, having a grocery list will save you money. 

It helps you keep your grocery budget and spend less money on unnecessary impulse purchases. 

The Ultimate Meal Planner has a grocery budget and grocery lists to keep you on track. 

35. Use Grocery Ads

I always meal plan around what is on sale at my favorite grocery stores.

If I can’t think of recipes, I look up a recipe that includes that ingredient. 

36. Grocery Shop Without The Kids

Now, this can be hard to do.

Thankfully, there is the convenience of doing grocery shopping online.

Many stores don’t even charge a fee for grocery pickup, or they will waive the fee if you buy a certain product. 

Also, we have used Shipt quite a few times because they will shop pretty much everywhere. 

37. Drink Water

When dining out, we always drink water.

For one thing, it’s FREE but another thing it is just good for you. 

38. Kids Eat Free

When dining out, I always check to see what restaurants offer the Kids Eat Free promotion. 

I keep a list handy on my Cozi app of all the local restaurants that offer free meals for kids, and on what day. 

39. Split Your Meals

Most restaurants portions are large enough to always use a takeout box, so why not save some money and split your meal.

I almost always split my meal with my oldest daughter. 

For More Money Saving Mom Hacks Read: 11 Money Saving Grocery Shopping Hacks 

40. Have Meatless Monday

A really good way to save money on your grocery budget is to skip meat as the main course at least one night a week. 

41. Use $5 Meal Plan

For just $5 a month, you can get a whole meal plan of recipes for the month! These are frugal meals that can feed up to a family of 6. 

It will save your money, save your time, and the stress of having to spend hours each week planning your meals.

Start a 14-day trial absolutely free!

That means you will get forty recipes for FREE to figure out if it’s right for you.

Frugal Money Saving Mom Hacks

42. Go To Free Events

Check your community calendar to see if there are free concerts, workshops, classes, and more. 

43. Use The Library

The library offers so much more than books. You can rent movies, games, and more. Plus, they offer so many free events for kids. 

My kids love going to our library’s free S.T.E.M. classes, art classes, and drama classes. 

44. Free Educational Resources

Check out this list of over 100 free educational resources for kids. 

45. Price Match

Most retailers offer a price match policy, so use it every chance you can. 

46. Make Extra Money By Walking

Download the free app SweatCoin to make extra money with every step you take.

47. Join SaverLife

SaverLife is a nonprofit that helps you build financial stability. They have given away over $3.4 million to help members save.

It has a whole community of people that share their best frugal hacks and money-saving tips!

The best part is it is FREE!

48. Review Your Budget

My husband and I review our bank statements and budget every month looking for more ways we can save money. 

Even when you stick to your budget, you can sometimes find ways to save even more. 

49. Make Your Errands Count

I try to do all of my errands on the same day.

It cuts the cost of gas down, but it also saves my time which is very valuable to me. 

50. Don’t Pay High Gas Prices

The GasBuddy App is a FREE app that tells you how much gas is in your location and where to find it the cheapest. 

Mom Saves Money

For more money saving mom hacks check out the Smart Mom Resources page for frugal mom tips. 

Plus, you can sign up for new Mom Hacks to be sent to your inbox monthly.

That’s right just once a month, because we barely have time for anything as is, so spamming your inbox is a guaranteed NO.

Do you have any money-saving mom hacks? Let me know in the comments!

Moms Helping Moms! Share The Love!