Quick money-saving tips for mom
October 12, 2012
Going to school requires a lot of dedication and sacrifice - less time with the family, more hours spent out of the house, and when there is time at home much of it is spent on chores or studying. There is some added relief financially from college scholarships, but with fewer hours remaining for work, money will likely be tight. Saving is crucial for single moms in this position, as kids aren't getting any less expensive and less money will be coming in for a while. Here are some quick tips about getting by without cutting too many corners:
•Pack your lunch. For a mom in college, it may seem there is less time for simple things like making meals or spending quality time with kids, but by coming up with an hour dedicated to preparing lunch for the next day, this can become an activity shared with the family. Bonding over packing a snack is an easy way to incorporate different life activities into a single one, presenting the best use of that time slot.
•Take public transit. Where it is an option, getting on the bus is much cheaper than commuting every day. With gas hovering around $4 per gallon and tolls, car repairs and other incidental expenses not growing any cheaper, paying to take the bus is much less expensive and stressful. In remote areas, rapid transit and commuter rails may also be more financially-friendly options than driving to work or school daily.
•Buy used textbooks. For a single mom scholarship recipient, it does not matter what edition of a book is used in class, so long as it has similar page numbers and content. Usually a fifth or eighth edition of a required text will have used copies online or at the campus bookstore, though Amazon will offer these for much less than a real store any day. Spending hundreds on books for class need not be a reality if moms just search online by ISBN to find cheaper versions of the same book.
•Do things on campus. Instead of going out to the movies or buying a bike for exercise, make use of facilities and events offered for free by the school. Reducing personal entertainment costs can knock a huge portion out of the monthly expense column, plus it allows single moms to meet more people.
