Parenting is tough. 

You need to teach your children the ways of the world, protect them from harm while helping them to gain their independence, and more. On top of all that, the price of raising a child can really add up over time. 

When you first have a child, you’ll have overwhelming expenses like baby travel seats and pushchairs to worry about. You might even decide to take out a loan from somewhere like MoneyWorld so you can afford all the must-have items, and have some cash left over for decorating the baby’s bedroom too. But what do you do after that, when you need to handle the rest of the long-term expenses?

Get Swapping

You probably already know that buying things second hand can save you a lot of cash. The great thing about being friends with other parents, is that you’re bound to have things that they need, while they have things that you need too. Swapping can be a great way to keep costs low – and you can swap everything from toys to childcare. 

While you’re at it, find out if anyone you know is willing to swap other important tasks too. For instance, if you need someone to drive your kids to nursery later, starting a carpool early on might be a good idea. 

Get More Freebies

You’d be surprised how many freebies you can get as a new parent. From grandparents and siblings willing to offer free babysitting sessions, to free gifts straight from your favourite retailers. All you need to do to get items from the best baby and mother care companies is sign up for their newsletter or follow them on social media most of the time. 

Check online to see what kind of companies offer free gifts around you. Usually Tesco and Boots are a good place to start, but you can also find options like Amazon too. 

Learn About Benefits

Until you actually have a child of your own, the chances are that you won’t know much about the benefits available to parents. That’s one of the reasons that so many couples out there today aren’t claiming for the help that they’re eligible for. When you find out you’re pregnant or expecting, start by finding out what you can get for maternity and paternity leave. 

Next, go and find out if you’re entitled to universal credit or child benefits too. Sometimes, mothers and fathers can even get something called a maternity grant which helps them to pay for new parenting equipment without a loan. 

Get to Know Your Area

While you’re pregnant or awaiting the arrival of your new child, there’s no better time to get to know the area around you. There are plenty of great things to do and places to go in just about any town or city if you’re willing to look for them, including free classes for both you and your baby. 

Checking out what’s available in your area can give you a lot of great opportunities to get out of the house with your little one when you’re feeling cooped up. These free events are also another opportunity to get to know new people, which means more babysitting opportunities, and more people that you can turn to for advice. 

Use Vouchers Whenever you Can

Vouchers and money-off codes are just as valuable today as they’ve ever been. The good news is that you don’t have to scour through newspapers and magazines to get money off the things that you need anymore. There are plenty of applications and plugins that you can use to save money instead. Consider downloading an app like Honey onto your website browser so you can automatically apply codes to any purchase that you make online. 

Additionally, if you find a company you really love, consider following them online to be the first to know when freebies and sales are available. 

Join More Groups

Finally, don’t be afraid to branch out and join groups for free advice and support. There are plenty of parenting groups available in your local town, as well as on social media channels like Facebook. These places are a great place to get tips on how to save money, new information about upcoming sales, and more. 

You might even be able to use the groups that you join to find new things for you and your child to do when you’re looking for entertainment as well.

Categories: Uncategorized

Vicky Charles

Vicky is a single mother, writer and card reader.

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