Every parent feels the strain of having too much to do and too little time for it all. Packing healthy lunches for your child is just one more task on the to-do list. Let’s be honest, there are only so many times your child will eat peanut butter and jelly before they rebel.
Parenting Win: Teaching Money Skills to Your Kids
Did you know that one out of four adults in the US said they didn’t learn about finances growing up? Consider teaching your kids the importance of budgeting and saving. They will be better equipped, going off on their own after graduation.
Boredom Busters: Top Card Games of 2020
Looking for ways to spice up your family game night? If so, you may want to go back to the tried-and-true well of card games.
Whether you’re on the road or at home, card games remain a great family diversion. You have many options to choose from, from the classic Uno to new entrants such as Exploding Kittens. The only real question is: how much free time do you have?
How to Save Hundreds on Diapers
You might have seen those scary numbers that tell you the cost to raise a child is over $200,000 from the time of birth until the age of 18. While there are plenty of ways to cut costs when raising your children, there’s one expense that hits you as soon as your child is born—the cost of diapers. We had two kids in diapers for 1.5 years, and I remember being so glad when they were potty trained as we got a large chunk of our budget back. While there’s no way to avoid this expense, there people do learn how to save hundreds on diapers.
How to Save Hundreds on Diapers
There are many techniques you can use to save, but you’ll save even more if you put several of the strategies together.
Use Cloth Diapers
The best way to save is to use cloth diapers. Most people dismiss this idea because cloth diapers aren’t allowed at daycare. If that’s the case, use cloth diapers at home and buy disposable for daycare. You’ll still see significant savings this way.
Buy Cloth Diapers on eBay
I cloth diapered my son almost exclusively. I bought several lots of used cloth diapers on eBay with mixed results. I ended up with some very nice diapers, but I also ended up with some worn out diapers that I couldn’t use.
Do Your Research First
If you’re going the eBay route, first research which diapers you’d like to use. (There are so many brands of cloth diapers with so many different features. Cloth diapering is not like it was 30 years ago!)
If you buy new, your diapers will likely last through several of your children.
If you buy used, check the quality description carefully. You don’t want to end up with diapers that have very little life left.
How to Save on Disposable Diapers
There are quite a few strategies to save money on disposable diapers. Use as many as you can to save even more.
Buy Off Brand Diapers If You Can
Of course, the biggest diaper brands, Huggies and Pampers, cost the most. However, there are many off brand diapers that are much cheaper than the big brands. Look for Target Up and Up diapers, Walmart’s White Cloud diapers, or Luvs. Likewise, Walgreen’s and CVS each have their own house brand of diapers that are cheaper, too.
Use Amazon Subscribe & Save
If you have an Amazon Prime account, make sure to use subscribe & save. When you go to put the diapers in your cart, you’ll see an option to make a one-time purchase or to make the item subscribe & save. Thanks to Amazon Family, when you choose subscribe & save, you save 20% off your diaper purchase every time. You just have to make sure you have five or more products on auto-delivery at the same time to the same address. (FYI, baby food is also included in the eligible products list, so you can save there, too.)
Use Coupons
There are many, many coupons for diapers. You can check out Coupons.com, Ibotta, or Checkout 51 for diaper coupons. You can also email the company and sign up for their email. (Luvs is known to be especially generous with their coupons when you sign up for their mailing list.) Even Costco and Amazon have coupons for their diapers occasionally.
A Covert Way to Save
Diaper packages generally have a size range. For instance, Huggies Snug & Dry size 2 one-month supply has 222 diapers in a box and fit babies weighing 12 to 18 pounds. Size 3 of the same has 200 diapers and fits babies 16 to 28 pounds. Some moms save money by keeping their child in the smaller size diaper as long as they can because you get more diapers per purchase in the smaller size.
You’ll know it’s time to move up to the bigger diaper size when your baby has frequent leaks or blow outs.
Build a Diaper Stash
Another option is to build a diaper stash before baby is born and when you can find diapers at a great price.
Some women ask each person attending their baby shower to bring a box of diapers or wipes. Other women start stocking up the minute they find out they’re pregnant. (You can find quite a few good sales on diapers in nine month’s time and end up with a nice diaper stash.) If you’re not sure what sizes to buy, there’s a handy chart one mom created documenting how many diapers in each size her daughter used during her first year.
One caveat here—be careful building a diaper stash. I’m actually glad I never built a diaper stash. Why? All my kids were born over nine pounds and didn’t even fit in the newborn size diapers. Second, one of my children had very chunky legs, so Pampers’ slimmer cut didn’t fit her well. We had to keep her in Huggies. If I would have stocked up on Pampers, I would have lost all of that money. Some babies are allergic to some diapers, so those can’t be used. For these reasons, I’d actually discourage new moms from building a diaper stash.
Buy in Bulk
If you can afford it, buying diapers in bulk is the way to go. The bigger the box you can afford, the less you pay per diaper. Costco is a great place to buy diapers if you don’t have an Amazon Prime account. Target also has sales for boxes of diapers where you buy a certain amount in diapers, say $100, and then you get a $25 gift card. This deal gives you a great incentive to buy in bulk. (Don’t forget to get and use the Target Red card to save 5% off your purchase.)
Final Thoughts
While diapers are expensive, there are strategies to learn how to save hundreds on diapers. Use some or most of these techniques and see how much you save. And remember, while diapers are a big expense temporarily, this expense will usually go away in three years. Then, it’s on to the next expense for you child.
Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.
DIY Accounting? 5 Reasons to Hire a Pro for Your Small Business Taxes
Have you ever made an error on your taxes, missed a year, or lost some of your tax paperwork?
If so, you’re not alone — those are some of the most common tax mistakes. But if you’re running a small business, any tax errors could cost you serious money.
5 Deliciously Bold Espresso Drink Recipes You Can Make at Home
Coffee has taken off around the globe, with sales during 2019 topping $48 billion in the United States alone.
Whether you’re already a hardened coffee fan, or just discovering the joys of coffee culture, you could do with some inspiration on how to maximize the experience.
How to Help Your Teen Create Healthy Sleep Habits
Despite needing over 9 hours of sleep a night, your teen is likely getting closer to only 7 hours, and that’s a huge problem.
Sleep deprivation in teens affects their mental health and their ability to focus on their studies. It can make them more prone to depression and anxiety.
Internet Safety for Children: Protection from Inappropriate Content
More avenues for children are going digital, making internet safety for them crucial. Parents must understand how to protect the kids when they are online.
5 Amazing Steps on How to Decorate a Lovely Bedroom Space
Are you having problems with the design of your bedroom? Do you want to turn it from an old design into a new style? Well, there are many easy steps you can do to turn your bedroom into a unique one. One way to do it is by using creative arts.
The main question here is; What kind of art do you need to hang in your bedroom? What is the best thing to do to fill a space?
To help you solve each question, we’ve come up with some easy and unique bedroom wall decor ideas you can use. Here’s how to decorate a bedroom.
Games that Teach Kids About Money
Let’s be honest. Hoping children learn via parent lecture is unlikely and boring. Kids don’t listen, and parents get frustrated. But there is a fun way to teach kids about things that doesn’t feel like learning—playing games. If you want to teach your kids how to behave responsibly financially, don’t lecture. Instead, play games that teach kids about money.
Classic Board Games That Teach Kids About Money
My favorite place to start when using games to teach about money are the classic games. You know, the ones we grew up playing.
Monopoly
This classic game teaches your kid the value of location, location, location when buying land. It also teaches kids about the importance of having rental income. And of course, your kids learn about property taxes, stocks, and income.
The only drawback to this game (and some don’t see it as a drawback) is that it can take a long time to play, upwards of an hour or longer.
Life
In The Game of Life, kids choose whether to go to college or go right to work. They also learn about the importance of insurance and avoiding loans. The stock market also plays a role in the game.
One thing I find confusing is that the more kids you have, the more money you seem to make. I haven’t found that to be true in real life!
Pay Day
In Pay Day, the board is set up like a calendar month. Players can choose to buy deals such as a pizza joint for $800. Then, later in the game, they can choose to sell it and make $12,000. Players also get bills in the mail and have to pay them. Throughout the game, players can borrow money from the bank or other players, but they need to agree on the terms.
This is a great game for teaching kids about investing and borrowing. Parents may like it because you can choose how many months to play. The more months you play, the longer the game goes.
Newer Board Games That Teach Kids about Money
Beyond the classic games mentioned above, there are several new board games that teach kids about money.
Cashflow for Kids
This game was created by Robert Kiyosaki of Rich Dad, Poor Dad. The game is suitable for kids ages 6 and older. The board is fairly simple. Kids land on a green or red space or a dollar sign. When they land on a green space, something positive happens to their financial situation. For instance, they can choose to buy a stock and get passive income. If they land on a red, they have to pay an expense. The dollar sign gives them a payday, and this is also when they can get their passive income.
While the board is simple, this game is great for teaching kids about positive, long-term uses of your money and negatives uses of it.
The Allowance Game
Designed for ages 5 to 10, The Allowance Game teaches kids about earning and spending money as they travel around a board. They might spend money for movie tickets and earn money for losing a tooth. They can also put their money in the bank and earn interest.
The money that is used resembles real United States money, so it’s easy for young kids to learn how to differentiate the different bills and coins, too.
Act Your Wage Game
Followers of Dave Ramsey will love the Act Your Wage Game, especially if you’d like to easily teach your children Ramsey’s Baby Steps. When you play the game, you’re given a life situation—how much you make per year and if you’re married or not as well as basic bills such as food and utilities. You also draw debt cards.
You follow Ramsey’s Baby Steps to get yourself out of debt and in a financially secure position. Along the way, you’ll fill envelopes so you can spend cash rather than using credit.
Online Games
You can also find games that teach kids about money by going online.
Rich Kid Smart Kid
The Rich Kid Smart Kid site (from the makers of the board game Cashflow for Kids) has several mini-games including:
- Jesse’s Ice Cream Stand
- Reno’s Debt Dilemma
- Ima’s Pay Yourself 1st
- Jesse’s Big Change
These microgames teach kids entrepreneurship, debt management, and how to start an emergency fund.
Peter Pig’s Money Counter
Peter Pig’s Money Counter is ideal for 5 to 8-year olds who are learning to add and subtract money. Kids need to put the money in different jars, and then they can buy things such as clothes for the pig. By doing the various activities, kids learn how to add and subtract money.
Financial Football
Financial Football taps into some kids’ love of the NFL to help teach them about finances. The game has three different levels:
- Rookie (ages 11-14)
- Pro (ages 14-18)
- Hall of Fame (ages 18+)
To go down the football field, players must answer financial questions. This game was created by VISA in conjunction with Drew Brees, who created several of the questions in the game.
If you homeschool, you can dig even deeper with this game, as there are also lesson plans and pre and post-tests available.
The Playoff
The Playoff is designed for kids ages 14+. In this immersive game, you choose between two vloggers, Alex and Jess. You manage their finances and deal with unexpected events like getting robbed all while trying to develop a video in just three days. Whoever ends the game with the most money wins.
Just like Financial Football, this game has lesson plans, so it could be used in schools or if you homeschool.
Final Thoughts
Teaching your kids about money is challenging. Sure, they’ll watch how you handle your money, but they may need more instruction for how to handle their money wisely. Luckily, there are many games that teach kids about money. Your kids can learn and face natural consequences through the game before they do so in real life. Then, when they’re teens and young adults, they hopefully will know how to manage money responsibly.
Melissa is a writer and virtual assistant. She earned her Master’s from Southern Illinois University, and her Bachelor’s in English from the University of Michigan. When she’s not working, you can find her homeschooling her kids, reading a good book, or cooking. She resides in Arizona where she dislikes the summer heat but loves the natural beauty of the area.