As a SAHM, I'm always discovering new ways to save money. Even if you are financially stable and your hubby is making good money, it always helps to save a bit of cash wherever you can. Overspending can put a strain on your marriage, pressure on the partner who works, and take a toll on your bank account. It can also keep you from taking that vacation you've been wanting, date night (even if it's once a month), or any other fun thing you can do as a family, or for yourself.

Nonetheless, I am here to help ease the load and help you save some 💵! In this post, you will find just a few of my favorite tips and tricks to help you spend your money wisely, let go of unnecessary things, and enjoy life. 😁

1. Toy Rotation

We can all get so caught up with buying new toys or have that Abuela that buys your child WAY too many things at the stores, right? This will help maintain a neat and organized play area and provide ONLY the toys they need at the moment. I usually put all of Aria's toys in a large clear plastic bin (so I can see what's inside) and put a few toys on display in her play area. I rotate the toys monthly so she does not lose interest in them and can play with "new" toys every so often. By rotating the toys, your child can find different ways to play with the same toys they've had year-round.

2. DIY Gifts/Cards

Rather than going to the store and spending $5 on every card for each person in your family, simply make them one. You can use the materials you may already have at home, spend little to no money, and it's a heartfelt gift. It'll be such a warm thought and truly appreciated! You can also make gifts this way and use home-made materials to wrap and/or decorate them.

3. Essential Oils

Ok, this is for the ladies! How much money do we spend a year on candles, fragrances, incense sticks, etc.? I know I used to spend around $15/month... that's $180/year! There is a much cheaper solution to this problem and will leave your house smelling AHHMAZING all the time. I use an Essential Oil Diffuser in each room of the house. You don't necessarily need so many but this is a preference and I'm still saving money. When I turn them on, I add 5-7 drops of whichever fragrance I choose (sometimes I mix them) and water to the fill line. I then select the time length I want to have it on. The essential oils are about $9 for 6 bottles or $4 for 3 and can be found in any convenience store. This is an inexpensive alternative to candles and you don't run the same risk of anything dangerous happening.

4. Pantry Organization

This may sound silly but pantry organization will actually save you LOTS of money each month. If you store your items in clear bins, you can see what you have, need to buy, and have too many/too little of. Along with meal planning, this will drive the groceries spending budget to a minimum and be effective. Be sure to not skip out on any emergency supplies and/or goods. Those are crucial and can be purchased little by little or in bulk to save money.

5. Library Pass

Aren't public libraries the BEST?! You can check out books, videotapes, electronics, museum passes, and so much more for FREE! I've recently changed to this option due to spending too much money on books from Amazon, Target and Barnes and Noble. After a few weeks, you simply take them back and select new books. You can even select books that are correlated to the themes you are teaching your little one(s) each month. Take advantage of those museum passes, too. They're amazing "FIELD TRIP" opportunities!

6. Gym Membership

How many of us say we're going to go to the gym? "Maybe I'll start on Monday." Well, the easiest way to save those $35+ a month on a gym membership you might not have time to go to anyway is to cancel it. There are tons of workout videos you can stream or check out online that can help you get those workouts in from home! Yes, the babies can do yoga with you at home, too! 😍

7. DIY Photography

This one is completely optional, but for the sake of GIVING you options, let's talk about it. Milestone pictures are so important and we all want the cutest, best, most adorable photos of our little ones while they are little, right? Does that mean we have to spend at least $150 on photography? Of course not! Can you, if you absolutely want some a particular year or event? Absolutely! For Aria's first birthday, we took her on a cruise, sat her on a beach, took these hand-painted letter signs I made the week before, and made our own photo shoot. The pictures were ADORABLE and now I have these moments captured for life. I spent about $5 for the letters, $3 for the paints, 10¢ for the paintbrush and yes, I did buy the hula outfit for $20 from Etsy but c'mon, who wouldn't?