Every night before bed we brush Cohen’s teeth. I remember as a kid singing the “Brush Your Teeth” song. I couldn’t really remember all the lyrics, so I made some up for myself. Now Cohen loves to get her teeth brushed before bed!
Life changes a lot when you have a family. I remember the days when I would work part-time and somehow survive. But now it seems like money vanishes faster than a box of doughnuts in a police station. Here are few ways we keep low budget.
1. Find cheap food
We don’t eat out a lot. We almost never go to restraunts unless it’s for a special occaision. But we do hit the fast food every now and again. That can add up quick. But we found a couple little fast food gems that are easy on the wallet.
The Wendy’s Jr. Hamburger is a mere $0.89. And they will add all the extra toppings at no charge! So I can eat lunch at Wendy’s for $1.78. That is for two Jr. Hamburgers with extra lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, mustard, and (because I am trying to be somewhat healthy) no mayo. That’s cheaper than making my own lunch.
Another great item is the Muchas Gracias kids meal (not so healthy). I can score a beef, chicken, or bean burrito with rice, beans, and a drink for $2.60. You just can’t beat that price!
2. Free Local Events
If you search local calendars, you can find some great free local events. One example is the Gilbert House. It is a great place to take the kids for a few hours, and they regularly have free days. Or you can head down to Salem’s Riverfront Park and enjoy the new water feature. They also do a free movie night every now and again too. Great fun!
3. Pay With Cash
This is one that we are just learning. Studies have shown that if you pay with cash, you spend less. It’s tough to do, but it gives you a concrete way to keep track of your spending.
4. Use Coupons
We bought the Entertainment Book this year for the first time. It was only $25, but it has saved us way more than that already.
Apart from the Entertainment Book, we scour the coupons we get in the mail to find great deals. Usually this ends up being a coupon for groceries. A lot of grocery stores will put a handful of items on super steep discount.
One warning here: Sometimes you can justify a purchase of something you don’t need just because you have a coupon. Make sure you aren’t just blowing money on things you don’t need — even if you do have a coupon!
Last night at about 3am Kesha felt we needed to head to the hospital. She was having some mad contractions and thought she might be in labor. When we got here they checked her and she was definitely in labor and going to have a baby soon. So now it is 9:30am — her water broke, she has an epidural, and she is progressing nicely. By the end of the day we will have our little baby Isla in our arms.