Having children can be the most rewarding thing people ever
do, but raising a family is not without its problems. For example, bringing
youngsters up these days isn’t cheap and mums and dads can quickly start to
feel the financial strain. Highlighting some of the expenses associated with
having children, Aviva has revealed that many expectant parents shell out
thousands even before their babies are born.
According to the firm, mums and dads-to-be spend an average
of £1,370 preparing for their babies. Items like cots, clothes, pushchairs,
bedding and nappies all featured on shopping lists. Commenting on the findings,
Aviva’s Louise Colley said: “Every parent wants to splash out to prepare for
the exciting arrival of a baby, so it’s no surprise that the costs can stack
up.”
However, there are ways in which new parents can minimise
their spending. For example, by being savvy when shopping
for household essentials like disinfectant, they can save themselves a tidy
sum.
First and foremost, it helps to buy in bulk. Anyone who has
the space at home to store extra supplies should consider buying en masse.
Initially, this may cost more, but over time the savings will be felt. Also,
this way of shopping saves hassle because it means busy parents have to shop
less often.
Another top tip for mums and dads is to squeeze every last
drop from the products they buy. Whether this is washing up liquid, bleach,
toothpaste or anything else, financial savings can be made. Adding a little
water to soap bottles, for example, can help people to make the products
stretch further.
However, one thing’s for sure: it’s not a good idea for mums
and dads to compromise on home hygiene in a bid to save themselves money.
Babies are particularly susceptible to a range of illnesses, so it’s important
that their environments are clean.
For instance, babies and young children are especially
vulnerable to bacteria that can cause food poisoning. This means it’s vital
that mums and dads wash their hands well before preparing food and after
touching raw meat, fish and eggs.
Kids should also be taught to wash their hands after
touching pets and going to the toilet, and before they eat. Also, all surfaces
need to be clean and any bowls and spoons used for feeding must be washed in
hot, soapy water. Chopping boards and utensils also need to be thoroughly
cleaned.
As long as parents bear tips like these in mind, they should
be able to help protect the wellbeing of their new arrivals without splashing
too much cash in the process.
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ReplyDeleteYou will definitely save some money by booking the highly professional window cleaners from Camden. Your windows will be sparkling clean. The best is that the cleaners use eco-friendly cleaning techniques.
ReplyDeleteWhat is also useful is finding products that you would buy, like for example branded Granola worth $7 and downgrading to $3-4 Granola. Now, if you just do this, you are eating a product that might not taste so great, so it doesn't really feel as good as doing something else...
ReplyDeleteDowngrade from the expensive cereal but at the same time, don't just forget the $4 you saved, specifically take that $4, write it down, withdraw it from the ATM if you have to and save it at home. That way you'll have a reminder that you are growing your finances and you can literally see it happening. A giant whisky jar to throw spare change in is perfect for this.
Save cash on household essentials but measure what you save so you can motivate yourself to do it more and to carry on doing it! $4 off cereal bought once a week would be...$208 a year...a new car after a couple of decades :)