Living With Less

Learning about living with less is something that work at home moms have to master quickly if they want to continue to stay at home! But living on less doesn't mean you have to live as though you have nothing...actually it's the opposite.

Living on less may mean you'll have fewer material things to deal with on a daily basis, but you'll have more time for your family, friends, and passions, and you won't break the bank by living with less. In fact, you may find you're having more fun and that the balance in your checking account is never in the red!

Tips for Living with Less (and Enjoying Life!)

Home

De-clutter and keep only what brings organization and joy to your life.
Clean your laundry in cold water. You don't need to spend additional money to heat up the water for laundry!
Unplug any appliance that is not in consistent use and save.
Grocery shop with a specific list and coupons in hand, every time.
Buy fresh farm produce whenever possible.
Cook from scratch and at home 99% of the time. In this case, living with less is actually HEALTHIER for your family!

Shopping

Thrift stores, second hand stores, and garage sales are a surprising and rewarding way to shop for just about everything you need (or want). Imagine find clothing with tags still attached for a fraction of the cost! This is being a true dollar stretcher and makes living with less actually quite rewarding!
When you must shop retail, go to the clearance rack first. Shop the end of the season sales for the absolute rock-bottom prices on everything.
Ask for it! Friends may be willing to swap clothing or household items. Groups like Freecycle are an excellent source for free items.
Shop at the curb. You'd be surprised and shocked at what people will throw away. Swallow your pride and pick it up.
Swap names with family members at Christmas so you're only buying one or two gifts instead of gifts for everyone.
Think frugal recipes when grocery shopping. Here is where buying in bulk at a discount helps!

Schedule/Quality of Life

Say "no" to any commitment that takes your focus off of what is important to you
Save on gasoline and time by incorporating all of your errands into one car trip whenever possible. Map out your trip before leaving the house.
All work and no play makes for a tired and frustrated mom (and family), so remember to take "fun breaks" throughout the day, even if it's only for 5 minutes.
Moms, especially work from home moms, need quiet time, time to exercise, and time for hobbies. You'll be more productive and spend less on take-out meals and higher priced packaged grocery items. Become true frugal moms.
Go to the matinee or wait until the "dollar" theatre has that new release you've been dying to see. Eat snacks after the movie, at home (it always tastes better when it hasn't cost a small fortune).

Free Stuff (not necessarily living with less, huh?)

Remember the library? Check out books, music, movies, and use the Internet (on site), all for free.
Attend free concerts given in your local area.
Take along your own snacks when you know you'll be out for the day. Voila, "free" snacks.
Hike/visit your local parks. Try to hit all of them in one year, just for fun.
Ask your friend or family member to bring one side dish or a dessert when they come for dinner.
Love the opera or live theatre? Volunteer to usher and you'll see these productions for free.

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Frugal LivingTips
Use all these frugal living tips to help you be or a successful and efficient work at home mom.

Cheap Living
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Family Budget
etting up a family budget is a great tool to help you get your finances in line and help you start managing your money effectively. If you want to be able to stay at home and live a better life, than creating a budget is the key to your success.

Free Budget Worksheet
Find the right free budget worksheet to help you keep the family finances in check.

Food Coupons
Another way to live frugally while working from home is by using food coupons. If you choose the right coupons that are for groceries that you honestly use, you can save a lot of money at the store.

Free Recipes
Here are websites that offer what I consider quality free recipes. In an attempt to make the most of being a work at home mom and practicing frugal living finding quality recipes to cook with are a must.

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To be truly frugal you must also learn to save your money. Saving money can be done in a variety of ways.

Frugal Meals

Gas Prices
One of the best benefits to being a WAHM is today's gas prices. With the see-sawing of the cost to fuel your vehicle, staying home and not having to worry about the next fill up can be a huge burden lifted.

More Frugal Living Ideas
More ways to stretch your dollar.