Parents understand that to raise children, they will have to spend a huge amount of money to give them everything they need and raise healthy and smart kids. However, many parents are saddened by the fact that they need to work tirelessly to ensure their child has a great future.
According to statistics, the average cost of raising a child is about 300 thousand dollars until the child comes of age. The cost of raising a child largely depends on the city of residence and area. However, parents spend a lot of money on the purchase of housing, cars, and food.
Not all parents can boast of a high salary that can cover all the costs of raising a child from birth to 18 years of age. In this case, you need to think about financial planning to assess your strengths and capabilities, and indicate the allowable amount of money that can be spent per month or year.
In this article, we’ll show you how to cut costs while ensuring a promising future for your child.
Finding an area to live
Planning a child involves buying a new house. You need to expand the space to fit the nursery and so that your child can easily get to school.
If you live in an area where private schools are located, then the cost of housing in such an area will be expensive. You will spend a lot of money to buy a desirable home, make renovations, and send your child to a private school.
Many people believe that a private school is the best way to educate a child. Here the child will receive a specialized approach and learn from the best teachers. However, you should understand that such training costs several tens of thousands of dollars per year. You will need to buy school uniforms, pay for textbooks and extracurricular school trips.
In this regard, you better pay attention to free public schools. Before choosing a district, look at the available schools. Not all public schools provide poor education. You should read the reviews, get to know the principal and teachers. Also, ask your neighbors what they think of these schools. This way, you will hear an unbiased opinion and be able to choose a good public school. The cost of housing in such an area will be much lower.
By opting for a public school, you can start saving money for a college. After graduating from school, your child will be able to choose an affordable university and start studying to get a diploma.
Use free educational apps
Sometimes children lag behind the curriculum and do not understand school subjects well. Parents immediately start looking for educational courses or tutors to help them improve their grades. If your child has problems with many school subjects, then attending courses will cost you a pretty penny.
Instead, you can look at free educational apps. Now developers and university professors are making tremendous strides in creating such programs. Such applications allow the child to study different school subjects playfully.
Your child needs to take a test to determine the level of knowledge, and then the applications will create a personalized learning program for a better perception. Children will be able to gain knowledge by watching videos, taking quizzes, or doing daily exercises. Duolingo is considered the best language learning app. Here your child will receive daily assignments and watch educational lectures.
What’s more, to keep track of your child’s progress, you can install a Mac screen recorder with audio, which will make footage of how your child completes tasks while you are at work. After work, you can review the completed assignments and help your child if any of the exercises are difficult to complete.
Buy a used car
There is no need to buy an expensive new car that will decline in value over the next few years. Instead, you can buy a reliable used car that will last you for years.
When buying a car, pay attention to its safety and spaciousness. You don’t need a luxurious two-door sports car that turns out to be useless on family road trips. Instead, you can purchase a minivan or sedan that will be convenient for transporting children.
Call grandparents for help
We cannot always be with our children 24 hours a day. Sometimes there are days when you have an urgent business or you need to go shopping at the store. Many moms spend money to call a babysitter that charges an hourly rate.
If your parents live near you, ask them to look after your child for a couple of hours. They will be glad that you need their help and that they can spend time with their grandchildren.
Plus, it’s hard to find a nanny you can trust. Leaving your child with grandparents, you can relax and quickly complete the necessary tasks.
Buying food
Food is what we spend large sums of money on. As soon as you have a baby, you need to buy baby products. Well-known brand baby food can cost a lot of money. Because of this, you should look into grocery stores where you can get things cheaper. Stay tuned for product discounts and promotions, and create grocery listings so you only buy the products you need.
Also, reduce the number of trips to cafes and restaurants. It is best to prepare homemade meals that are nutritious and wholesome. You can ask children to help you cook. This way you will spend more time with your family and it will bring you closer together.
Entertainment
There are tons of children activities that you won’t spend a dime on. Go on a picnic and make homemade food in advance, exercise, grow vegetables and fruits, and ride bicycles. This is not a complete list of things you can do with your child. Besides, these are free activities.
It is important to spend a lot of time with children and engage in their education. Think of different ways that your whole family will be involved.
Conclusion
Children are happiness and joy. However, raising a child requires spending a lot of money. Use the aforementioned tips to cut costs. Don’t forget to draw up a financial plan to take into account your options.