Kids are super expensive. Here are 6 ways I save cash with mine.

In Mamamia’s Parenting Hacks series, real women share their tips and tricks on everything from meal prep to organisation to nailing the morning routine.

This week, Bonnie Bayley shares her money saving hacks.

If you’re the type of person who enjoys brunching at cafes, treating your kids to new toys, nice clothes and fun experiences, and the odd spot of stress-relieving retail therapy, but you’re not super wealthy (that is: most Aussie mums), you might have felt a bit of budgetary whiplash of late. 

You may have found that things you didn’t previously think too much about (that daily coffee/babychino habit, or family trips to the zoo) are suddenly under scrutiny, as the pressures of inflation, rising interest rates, and the skyrocketing cost of living really set in.

While you're here, watch the lies every mum has told. Story continues after video.

As someone who is a bit allergic to budgeting, I’ve had to spend more time thinking about finances of late than I probably ever have. Trawling through some mum Facebook forums for inspo on how to save cash in these tough times, some responses I came across were equal parts amusing and concerning: start intermittent fasting to slash food bills, launch a side hustle so you can work basically non-stop around your normal job, sell a kidney. All a bit extreme, surely.

If you’re like me and still want to enjoy life with your little ones, while also staying within the family budget, these are the cost-cutting, cash saving hacks I suggest:

Everyday items for the win.

I love buying toys for my kids, I really do. But it’s taken multiple tantrums (mine, not the kids) about the literal obstacle course of toys I have to navigate in our home for me to realise that toys are kind of nuisance, too. In fact, the more toys you have, the greater your personal workload (picking up, tidying, organising) and thus the higher your stress levels.

Truth is, my kids are endlessly amused with everyday stuff: a bunch of plastic containers and pom-poms chucked in the bath will keep them happy for almost an hour. The recycling bag holds a treasure trove of items that can be sticky taped or glued together. And a foraging walk in nature yields treasures like colourful leaves and bark, that you can use for collages. All free, all chuck-out-able afterwards.

Embrace free entertainment.

I call myself the family CEO (Chief Entertainment Officer) for a good reason: I’m across all the fun, educational, cultural stuff that my kids (aged 2.5 and nearly 5) can do – most of which is free or low cost. 

I frequently scour our local council and library websites for free activities and school holiday programs – in recent weeks we’ve been to a kaleidoscope making workshop, a magic show and not one but two natural science/fauna fairs, all totally free. Local community and church playgroups are another a great way to entertain little kids, typically for a minimal cost of around $5, and have saved my sanity on rainy days.

We also love a family cultural outing to the Art Gallery of NSW, State Library or the Australian Museum, all of which have free general entry. Many shopping centres do free family events, and Bunnings does kids D.I.Y workshops, too.

Image: Supplied.

Image: Supplied.

Try second-hand first.

Personally, one of my big weaknesses with my kids is books. We have about four baskets overflowing with the things. Because they all get battered anyhow and I’m constantly culling them (only to immediately acquire more) I've swapped over to buying kids' books at Vinnies. 

Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and My Kids Market (if you live in NSW) are also great options for sourcing things that don’t need to be brand new, or that you might only use for a short phase, like a baby activity centre, for example. Bonus is that shopping pre-loved is planet-friendly too.

Get savvy in the kitchen.

I may not have curbed my family’s babychino habit just yet, but I’m a whiz at 'snacky bag' prep, which at least reduces how much I spend on food for the kids when we’re out and about. Most days, I’ll chuck a quick batch of homemade cheese and zucchini muffins, banana bread or raspberry friands in the oven, often with the 'help' of the kids (doubles as an activity).

I’ll also often 'cook once, eat twice', meaning leftovers from dinner become lunch the next day. Other tips for slashing the grocery bill: meal plan (factoring in what’s on special that week), do click and collect or get groceries delivered to avoid impulse buys, and have a frozen meal on standby, for when you’re tempted to order takeaway. Other ideas: using more frozen veg and berries, and going meat-free more often (I’m vego and it’s amazing how many things you can use an 80c tin of beans as a protein base for: soups, curries, salads, heck even black bean brownies).

Master the low(er) cost birthday party.

Birthday parties for kids are big business these days. Gone are the days parents could consider a few balloons plus a suspended piece of string with jelly snakes hanging off it sufficient 'entertainment' (80s kid here). Instead, tricked out party venues, styling, professional entertainers and outsourced cakes and catering are the norm now. 

Truth is, I’m all for that (I love a good kids party more than the average four-year-old) but now I’m planning my daughter’s fifth birthday party, I’m having to get creative about how I’ll pull off a dazzling shindig on a budget. 

My plan: hire a community scout hall, do my styling (props to Kmart’s party section) and splurge on a great kids' entertainer. I’ll also save a few bucks by making the cake, which is a creative tradition in our family anyhow. Here’s my insider tip: as long as you have some nice figurines that match the theme, you can’t go wrong. Simply bake cake, ice, position figurines, finito.

Image: Supplied.

Lock in a life admin day to review utilities.

Okay, so full disclosure, this is a tip I have yet to personally road test, but it’s on my 'to do' list as soon as my littlest starts daycare and I can sit at a computer for longer than seven minutes. 

According to my internet sleuthing, some savvy mums will set aside one life admin day each year to review their utilities and insurances: from their mortgage interest rate, to what they pay for their gas and electricity, internet, phone and health insurance. A quick Google the other day revealed I could probably save $40 a month on health insurance alone, so my plan is to do a systematic review of all our outgoings, and hopefully save big time.

You can catch up on our previous Parenting Hacks articles here: 

• Just 7 healthy meal prep breakfast ideas you'll actually be excited to eat.
• 'I'm an organisation expert. These are my 5 hacks to make the school morning rush easier.'
• Alison is a lunchbox prep expert. Here are her 6 timesaving golden rules.
• 'I'm an organisation expert. Here's exactly how I organise my fridge.'
• 'I'm an organisation expert. Here's how I got my husband and kids to share the mental load.'

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Feature Image: Supplied.