Splurge Vs. Save for Families

Having three little ones close together is lots of fun, but it is a lot of chaos as well.  About every day, we have our share of wild moments starting from the moment that they wake up until the moment that they go to bed.  Having a large family also takes quite a cut into your income & I have tried hard to stick to our budget & invest in things that I believe are  truly beneficial to our family.  Today, I am sharing some 10 of our favorite things to splurge on & 8 things to save on!

10 Things to Splurge on With Kids

1.  Outdoor Toys.  First of all, we don’t buy a lot of inside toys.  We often receive a few at holidays & pick up a few small toys running errands, but I like to invest more of our money into outdoor toys.  This will get my kids out and playing.  We are finally purchasing a swing set this year & my kids are so excited!  Other great outdoor toys to invest in include:  water table/baby pool, sandbox, scooters & bikes.  I look for outdoor toys that are going to last through several children & keep a variety of ages entertained.    For some of our favorites, make sure to check out our post: The Ultimate Backyard Toy Guide for Fun & Active Kids!

2.  Moms’ Night Outs & Date Nights.  We don’t eat out a lot as a family.  Honestly with three little kids, they don’t really seem to savor the food for the cost so rarely do we head out to eat as a family.  At this stage in our life, our eating out budget is saved for special moments out often for nights out with friends or date nights, even if it is just take out together on the couch.  These moments help keep my sanity & I am happy to say that we have money budgeted for these fun times!

3.  Stroller.  Another big purchase, but I feel totally worth it is some really good strollers.  We have had our share of different strollers throughout the kids’ lives, but I have some tried and true favorites.  For jogging & walking, I still love my BOB double.  Recently, we recieved a GB Evoq stroller and it is our new stroller of choice for just everyday adventures.  This GB Evoq travel system stroller features a four in one design.  You can use it with the additional car seat where babies will face you, but now that Abby is older we forward face her out so she can look ahead.  My boys always insist on walking, but once we are out and about without a seat in the stroller for them than they want to ride. I am in love with the glide-on board that is attached to the back of the stroller.  The kids can easily hop on and off the GB Evoq stroller with ease & the stroller is not bulky at all!  It has quickly become my favorite stroller to use for everyday moments when we are out and about and highly recommend.  Strollers are expensive, but when you have young children it definitely is worth splurging for something that you truly will use and love for several years.

4.  House Cleaner & Babysitter.  Now, this isn’t something that the kids will tangibly use, but I do budget some of our family’s money towards a house cleaner & babysitters.  Now I know that both of these are extras & if we need to, we can cut them from the budget but they are definitely worth giving up a few other things for.  Our house cleaner comes every other week & does an amazing job.  It totally helps me from losing my sanity & trying to get that deep cleaning done.  We don’t use babysitters often as one of us is usually home with the kids, but I do like to save for a date night here and there.  In the summer, I also am planning to get a baby sitter for just one afternoon a week so I can run errands, schedule appointments, or even just go sit in a coffee shop for a few moments to myself.  For me, the money budgeted is totally worth it.

5.  Children Activities.  As the kids get older, I am noticing that more and more of our income is going towards their activities & preschool tuition.  We limit our kids to one activity per season, plus at the moment we are in swim lessons to get ready for some summer swimming.  But I know that this money is well worth it.  These activities encourage them to try new things & challenge themselves in new ways.

6.  Something for Yourself.  Now this isn’t for the kids, but I encourage you to splurge on something for you (& allow your husband to do the same).  For me, this was a gym membership.  I have been active my whole life but with several young children at home, it was harder & harder to fit in my daily exercise.  Enter a gym membership & it is worth it’s weight in gold.  I found a gym with childcare & it has totally helped me stay sane and the kids have fun as well!

7.  Travel.  Memories with your children are invaluable & saving some money for travel each month is money well spent.  These trips don’t have to be huge & faraway.  Several of our most favorite memories with our kids are just exploring the big city that is thirty minutes away with our travel budget or taking a quick overnight visit somewhere.

8.  Long Lasting Kid Furniture.  Once your child is a little older, it is time to invest a little more into a bedroom set.  This is the time to invest in furniture that will last through their childhood.  Search for a high quality bed, desk, & dresser and buy something that will last as they grow & mature.  Another piece of furniture that is used daily around here is a little child’s table & chairs.  Make sure to buy one that will last & that is pleasing to your decor!

9.  Long-Lasting Toys.   There are some toys that are worth the investment.  It will depend on your child’s interests, but I do think that toys are an important resource for children.  Some toys that we have invested in & are played with daily include:  Magnatiles, art supplies, our easel, play kitchen, & Legos.  When we make a toy purchase, I often research reviews & think about the longevity of how long my child will play with it.

10.  Camera.  One purchase that I made finally when my littlest was born was a nice camera.  I feel like I made the purchase four years too late (as my oldest was four years old).  I love having a nice camera & use it daily with my kids.  It is totally worth the investment & am happy to have made this purchase!

Where To Save Money with Kids?

• Big baby & toddler gear.  Search garage sales, take hand-me-downs, & watch consignment stores.  Also, host a toy swap where you can trade toys in and out with friends.  It’s a lot of fun & a great way to try out some new toys for free!  You can always find something & these toys don’t last long so it’s great not to invest in something at this age!
• Clothes.  Shop sales & swap with friends.  There are certain items that I do splurge on for the kids.  I find it best to invest in a few favorite pieces for special occasions & every day wear.  I also buy high quality shoes & coats that will get several seasons of wear out of them!
• Birthdays.  We love celebrating birthdays in our house, don’t get me wrong, there are ways to keep it simple or lower the costs!  A few special gifts & usually a special activity and meal picked by the birthday child.  Nothing crazy or wild and the kids still love their special day!  For those who do like to party, seek out places that have lower costs (parks, rec centers, more) or plan a joint birthday party where you can celebrate two friends’ birthdays together!
• Rugs.  Rugs are expensive but with kids, they get dirty fast!  Both of us shop Rugs USA on their big sales & for smaller rugs, pick up at Target or Homegoods for lower prices!
• Babysitting.  An easy way to save money is by swapping with friends or join a babysitting coop (or start one).  It’s a great way to trade with fellow moms baby-sitting for no cost at all!
• Transitional kid furniture.  Don’t spend a lot of money on toddler beds or pieces of furniture that your kids will not use for very long.  Save the money and invest on pieces that are long-lasting!
• Mattresses & Bedding.  All of my kids have Ikea mattresses & honestly, they are super comfortable for a low price.
• Books.  There’s nothing I love more than a good children’s book & yes, you should have them in your house readily available to your children.  But to save money, I recommend shop used book stores & sales, consignment stores, & trade with family and friends.  Also, we are huge fans of the public library & I definitely recommend taking your kids on a routine basis to check out new books as their interests change!

Please leave a comment with your own recommendations!