{"id":15449,"date":"2026-01-06T03:34:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T09:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/?p=15449"},"modified":"2026-02-05T12:22:15","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T18:22:15","slug":"7-ways-to-save-money-on-family-expenses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/7-ways-to-save-money-on-family-expenses\/","title":{"rendered":"7 ways families can save money every day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Figuring out ways to save money while raising a family<\/a> is no small feat. The average cost of raising a child born in 2015 through age 17 is $233,610, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture<\/a>. And that doesn\u2019t include paying for college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019ve got one child or a growing brood, it pays to consider ways to save money on family expenses. Check out these money-saving tips for families:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Focus on food costs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Figuring out how to save money while raising a family can seem difficult when your grocery bill is sky-high. Adding some structure into your family\u2019s eating habits and planning budget-friendly meals are two ways to save money on family expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jessi Fearon, a financial coach, mom of three, and personal finance blogger, says she plans breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for her family weekly to help her save money. She shops for groceries once a week, based on her meal plan, which includes salads and fresh vegetables. She also uses cash<\/a> for grocery shopping so there\u2019s no temptation to pick up extras. Giving yourself a cash limit can keep you from going over budget<\/a>, whereas it may be easier to overspend if you\u2019re swiping a debit or credit card instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re meal planning weekly, tailor your shopping list to what\u2019s on sale. Jennifer McDermott, a New York City-based consumer advocate with a personal finance comparison website, says your mobile device can be a way to save money on family expenses as you create your menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She recommends using an app that will aggregate sales flyers according to your zip code so you can search for the best deals. You can browse apps to see what\u2019s on sale and build your meal plan for the week or the month around those items. You can also search for apps that will allow you to take advantage of coupons after you\u2019ve paid for your groceries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll you do is buy the products on the list, snap a picture of your receipt and you\u2019ll get cash back in return,\u201d McDermott says. Some apps allow you to accumulate cash back in your account and once you hit a certain dollar amount, you can request a cash out payment, which is mailed to you as a check.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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2. Keep birthdays simple<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Birthdays can be a source of dread if you\u2019re worried about the cost, but there are many ways to plan a birthday party on a budget<\/a>. Erin Durkin Voisin, director of financial planning at a wealth advisory firm in Torrance, California, says the emphasis should be on making memories, not spending money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy best birthday parties<\/a> were spent sledding and having friends over, which were both low-cost options for my parents,\u201d Durkin Voisin says. She suggests taking advantage of no-cost or inexpensive activities for kids\u2019 parties, like spending a day at the beach or hosting a sleepover with pizza and cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McDermott says if your child\u2019s heart is set on a specific venue, you may be able to save by booking at an off-peak time or having a joint party with another child and splitting the cost. Keeping the guest list small means less to plan and is a way families can save money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Give secondhand a chance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Buying new children\u2019s clothes and shoes can be expensive. Shopping consignment shops, thrift stores and yard sales, or hosting a clothing swap with another family, are simple ways to save money for families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can also check out online marketplaces to buy and sell items locally, or scope out what people are selling in your local bargains group on social media. These same outlets are also great for reselling clothes, shoes, toys, books and anything else your kids have outgrown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buying used is also a way to save money on family expenses if your kids are involved in sports or extracurricular activities. Durkin Voisin says e-commerce websites are excellent resources for finding used sporting gear and musical equipment. You could consider leasing musical instruments if you\u2019re not sure whether your child will stick with it for the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

4. Choose frugal fun<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vacations and entertainment are two big ticket items on the family budget. Fearon says one of the easiest ways to save money on family expenses in these areas is to stop overthinking. Entertainment or travel doesn\u2019t have to be extravagant to be fun and memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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\u201cWe think that if it doesn\u2019t consist of this or that then our kids won\u2019t have a great family memory,\u201d Fearon says, \u201cbut the truth is, kids just want to be kids.\u201d Her family loves weekend camping trips, which don\u2019t cost much and are simple ways to unwind<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swapping out a trip to the movies or an amusement park with a bike ride or a museum visit on a no-admission day are money-saving tips for families that don\u2019t require a huge lifestyle overhaul<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have the budget for a pricey vacation, try an inexpensive staycation at home. Pitch a tent in the backyard or be a tourist in your hometown. In addition to museums, state parks and historical sites often have low or no admission fees, and you can save even more by packing a lunch instead of eating out. There are plenty of ways to keep your family entertained on a budget<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Plan ahead for the holidays<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re thinking about how to save money while raising a family, prep for the holidays early to avoid a shopping frenzy late in the year. Fearon says she sets a spending budget for gifts, which typically ranges from $400 to $600. She keeps a separate savings account<\/a> for these funds and budgets a set amount of money to add to the account each pay period to reach her savings goal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat way, when it\u2019s time to buy gifts we know how much we can afford to spend,\u201d she says, \u201cand there\u2019s no stress in January<\/a> from trying to pay back credit card bills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Shopping earlier in the year is another way to snag deals when you\u2019re looking for ways to save money on family expenses. Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day are all ripe times for sales. If you prefer shopping online, some websites have special sales in the summer which provide opportunities to rack up savings on gifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember to set a budget if you\u2019re spending on credit so you don\u2019t go overboard. Limit yourself to what you can afford to pay in full to avoid interest charges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Hack your housing costs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Housing is likely to be your largest expense as a family, and there are several money-saving tips for families so you can trim these costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You could install a programmable thermostat to keep your heating and cooling costs down. Set the thermostat to lower the temperature automatically when you\u2019re out of the house or turn off the air conditioning when you don\u2019t need it. For even bigger potential savings, refinancing your mortgage could lower your monthly payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re open to something more drastic, you could think about downsizing to a smaller home or rental\u2014perhaps after one or more children have left for college\u2014as a way to save money on family expenses. You could also consider using your home to generate income by renting out a room on a vacation rental website. If you\u2019re considering this route, be sure to check your local housing laws to make sure it\u2019s allowed. Many cities, counties and municipalities have restrictions on short-term rentals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When considering how to save money while raising a family, taking in a foreign exchange student may be another option if the exchange program offers you a monthly stipend for hosting. The amount of the stipend may vary based on the program, your location and the school the student attends while they\u2019re staying with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Talk budgeting and saving with your kids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Learning how to save money while raising a family isn\u2019t just for moms and dads. You can also get children involved by having regular budget talks. You don\u2019t have to get into all of the nitty-gritty details about your income or expenses, but you can go over the basics of spending and saving. What children learn about money when they\u2019re younger can come in handy later when they\u2019re raising families of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Articles may contain information from third parties. The inclusion of such information does not imply an affiliation with the bank or bank sponsorship, endorsement, or verification regarding the third party or information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information provided herein is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed as professional advice. Nothing contained in this article shall give rise to, or be construed to give rise to, any obligation or liability whatsoever on the part of Discover, a division of Capital One, N.A., or its affiliates.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Get the whole family in a savings mindset with these tips.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":22860,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[82,81],"tags":[34,108,3497,136,109,105,100,2865,39,49],"class_list":["post-15449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-family-finance","tag-budgeting","tag-budgeting-basics","tag-debit-card","tag-frugal-living","tag-kids-money","tag-money-saving-tips","tag-quick-tips","tag-raising-a-family","tag-saving","tag-spending"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15449"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22859,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15449\/revisions\/22859"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.discover.com\/online-banking\/banking-topics\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}