Parenting

Family comes first and getting the best for your kids is priority number one. Use these tips to take care of your home and family and get the best deals for your kids. 

From craft inspiration to traveling with babies find deals and advice to use for your family.


Parenting-Promocodes.com

Knowing where and how to cut family spending is a great way to yield significant savings. We have the answers for parents looking for ways to ease stress of spending in the one way they can—through wise budgeting and careful financial planning.

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**Reassess your spending.** If you don’t know where your money is going, you’re probably spending too much. A simple way to reduce unnecessary expenses is to write down everything you buy. This includes small purchases that you don’t even take account of—the occasional snack, your afternoon coffee or dastardly parking tolls. Impulse buyers can find clarity in what they spend on and at the very least question each time they splurge on routine purchases.

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**Shop strategically.** The Internet is full of coupon sites that offer discounts at retailers spanning every shopping category. Before you consider spending, visit our site to see if there’s a price reduction, free shipping or special offers at your favorite stores. There is also the option of becoming savvy with sales cycles. Usually end-of-season sales yield the cheapest merchandise. For example, by September retailers desperately want to get rid of swimsuits.

![](https://us-common.s3.amazonaws.com/img/upload/Spending3.png)

**Go green in the household.** With [energy costs reaching record highs](https://www.promocodes.com/blog/how-green-household-technology-can-save-you-some-green), it’s essential to look for practical ways to save in any way you can. There are simple methods to [cut utility bills](https://www.promocodes.com/coupons/home-utilities) without you noticing any difference in your living space. Setting your water heater down to 120 degrees from the industry standard 140 degrees can cut heating costs by up to 10 percent. You should also consider switching to compact fluorescent bulbs as opposed to traditional incandescent bulbs, as CFLs typically last six times longer and use 80 percent less power. There are other useful ways to save, such as shutting the blinds when you’re not home, habitually turning off lights when you leave, or closing closet doors to decrease the area of your home in order to optimize energy efficiency.

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**Drive economically.** Automotive expenses account for one eighth of the average family’s budget. [Gas is a big concern](https://www.promocodes.com/blog/10-simple-tricks-to-save-money-on-gas) these days, but there are ways to curb paying upwards of $5 a gallon. Mobile apps such as _GasBuddy_ can show you the lowest gas prices within your immediate area. When gas was rationed during World War II a popular slogan was, “Is this trip really worth it?” You should always assess whether getting in your car is really necessary. When it comes to [car insurance](https://www.promocodes.com/coupons/auto-insurance), making sure your [credit rating](https://www.promocodes.com/coupons/credit-reports-and-scores) is healthy could mean 20 percent less on your monthly premiums, as insurers generally use your credit rating in their evaluation process.  
 

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**Don’t let food gobble up your budget.** The only difference between a [$4 bag of pasta and a $2 bag of pasta is the $2](https://www.promocodes.com/blog/foolproof-poor-students-pasta). According to the Department of Agriculture, feeding a family of four can run from $146 to $285 a month, which only includes preparing meals and snacks at home. People are generally skeptical about skimping on their food expenses due to the belief that it’ll lead to an unhealthy diet, but that’s false. A healthy frugal diet plan is fourfold: shop sales, buy in-season produce, purchase store brands, and buy canned and frozen vegetables when they’re on sale. Buying store brands instead of national brands can save you up to 30 percent.

5 Ways to Bring Down Family Costs

We have the answers for parents who are looking for ways to ease the stress of spending in the one way they can - through wise budgeting and careful financial planning. Click here to check out 5 ways to easily bring down family costs.

Having kept Sloane’s [first birthday](https://www.promocodes.com/birthday-in-a-box-coupons) very intimate and simple, it’s only right that I go all out for her upcoming second birthday. After all, this time around she is much more aware, walking, talking and plays well with other kids. I decided on a circus/carnival theme featuring primary colors. Her dad and I will be the ring masters while she is the main attraction. With about two months left, it’s time to get moving on the party preparations; invitations, décor, games, food, drinks and dessert.

Pinterest has been a huge aid in my party planning organization. Many things can be prepared at home and have found so many sites with great prices for the extra fun stuff. Here are some of my ideas for the big day:

**Invitations**

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Invitations will set the mood and help guests prepare for the big day. Include admission tickets with your invitation for extra fun. [Simply To Impress](https://www.promocodes.com/simply-to-impress-coupons) has a great selection of pre-designed templates and has a fully customizable option too.

**Décor & Props**

![](https://us-common.s3.amazonaws.com/img/upload/3.jpg)

This is unbelievably easy and looks great around a chandelier or with balloons in the middle. All that is needed is a hula hoop and crepe paper streamers in a variety of colors. [Shindigz](https://www.promocodes.com/shindigz-coupons) has crepe paper rolls for just for just 75 cents.

![](https://us-common.s3.amazonaws.com/img/upload/8.jpg)

This _Carnival Backdrop_ from [Oriental Trading](https://www.promocodes.com/oriental-trading-company-coupons) is great for setting the atmosphere and a great background for pictures.

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For the dessert and food tables, I’ll reserve this eye-catching _Striped Table Skirt_ and save for other holidays and birthdays.

![](https://us-common.s3.amazonaws.com/img/upload/6.jpg)

Bring out the clown in kids and adults alike with clown wigs, colored bow ties, oversized colored sunglasses and _Classic Clown Noses_.

**Games**

![](https://us-common.s3.amazonaws.com/img/upload/7.jpg)

Set a true carnival feel with classic games like the disk drop, can bean bag toss, or the _Deluxe Raffle Wheel_.

These are just some of my ideas for the party. Believe me; I have a long list of things. If I don’t stop now, I could go on and on. What has been your best themed party?

Themed Toddler Birthday: Under the Big Top

For my daughter's second birthday, here are a few ideas for party decorations I have. Make use to use coupons and save on your purchase.

One of the most important things parents can teach their children is [how to budget money and spend wisely](https://www.promocodes.com/coupons/finance-tools). From the early years well into adulthood, parents will be the most influential figures for kids developing spending and saving habits.  Below are five rules for teaching children fiscal responsibility at any age.

**It’s never too early to introduce money concepts**. The Count and Learn ATM machine teaches those between 2 and 4 the basics of banking, ATMs, coin values and more. Once they’ve outgrown that, the Desktop ATM Junior will teach them how to track account balances by allowing them to deposit real currency and coins.

**Start a savings account with your grade school-aged child.** It’s important to teach the value of [saving money](https://www.promocodes.com/coupon-guide) as early as possible. Take your child to the bank and open a savings account at an early age. Then teach them to set aside a portion of their allowance each month or any gift money for the savings account. While they may only make deposits of $5 or $10 at a time, this will teach them that a little bit can add up over time.

**Help your teenager establish credit.** As adults we know how important a [credit score](https://www.promocodes.com/coupons/credit-reports-and-scores) can be. The number dictates one’s ability to purchase a home, finance a car and more. When you deem your teenager old enough, perhaps upon high school graduation, take them to open a student credit card through your bank. This will have a low limit like $250, but will teach them how credit works and help them began to establish a credit score. It’s important to tell your child the basics of a good credit score like always paying bills on time, not opening too many accounts and keeping revolving balances low.

![](https://us-common.s3.amazonaws.com/img/upload/KM1.jpg)

**Let them make their own decisions, even if it means making mistakes.** It can be hard to sit back and let your child determine what to spend their money on if you don’t approve of the spending patterns, but it’s important for them to find their own financial footing. While your child might make a mistake from time to time, this allows an opportunity for you to teach them where they went wrong. When they experience it first hand, the key takeaway will resonate more.

**Reward them for saving money.** Like the coupon-esque rewards programs banks use by offering a percentage or dollar amount off at a local business or national retailer, you should reward your children for establishing a prowess for saving money. Some credit unions give perks, like T-shirts and other prizes, and your own system with your children should reflect that. If you see your children displaying savvy saving techniques, give them a treat or an extra hour of TV time. This could motivate your children to continue their behavior.

5 Rules for Teaching Children How to Save Money

All Parents should know the value of teaching their children how to save and budget money. Budgeting is a skill that is getting more and more important by the day. Click here for helpful tips to educate your child on savvy savings techniques.

Parenting-Promocodes.com

5 Ways to Bring Down Family Costs

Themed Toddler Birthday: Under the Big Top

5 Rules for Teaching Children How to Save Money

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