Again, were not in a position to offer a bailout plan for our blended families, but here we offer some additional ideas to help you take action and feel more in control of your future as this economic crisis plays itself out.
3. Enlist your kids in saving family funds. As the greening of the environment came alive with the involvement of kids, so can kids be actively involved in trimming the family budget to help you feel more in control during this economic crisis. Explain what is occurring without unduly frightening them and invent strategies to make your family financially proactive.
* Encourage kids to find alternatives to driving the family car, such as walk to a friends house or bicycle to soccer practice.
* Cook and eat at home more often and take lunch to school. Many families on a strict budget report that the most surprising expense was eating out and take-out meals that cost them an extra $500 a month. There are numerous benefits to cooking and eating at home as well as saving precious dollars in todays uncertain economy.
* Encourage kids to recycle clothes and purchase store brands over the much more costly designer brands.
* Combine errands, car-pooling and trips to save on gas. Make outings a treat rather than the norm.
* Encourage kids to come up with new and unique ways to save money.
4. Be aggressive about cutting unnecessary spending from your budget. Make it a game to see how much you can save. Here are some ideas to get you started:
* Get rid of the I-phone, look into competitive cell phone plans and make sure you arent wasting money on extra minutes charges or fancy ring tones.
*Take lunch to work.
* Review the cable TV or satellite TV bill because you may have a plan with a lot of waste. Take out FREE movies from the library.
* Cancel subscriptions to publications you dont read or things you dont use.
* Buy children's clothing and holiday gifts out of season and on sale.
* Car pool or use public transportation, if available.
* Review homeowners and health insurance plans and make sure youre getting the most competitive deal.
* Mow your own lawn and have the kids help pick up the leaves. Do your own household repairs and maintenance.
* Check out store brands and shoppers coupons.
* Pay down credit card debt and make it a policy to purchase only what you can afford. Wait and save to steer clear of credit card debt.
* Save to take care of property taxes, holiday gift spending, vacations, and unanticipated expenses.
These are tough times and the most effective way to feel some sense of control is to take action with your own family. Think outside the box, engage the whole family and be proactive in your own home.
About the Author
Sheena Berg, a blended family coach, enjoys writing articles for the FREE StepHeroes Newsletter. To subscribe, visit http://www.blended-families.com/newsletter/. Your heart been burned too often by your step family? Read about our low-cost heart-burn relief at: http://www.Blended-Families.com/stephero/sessions/.
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