Being a parent can be expensive, which is why moms and dads are often looking for simple ways to reduce their spending.
One mom, who is raising ‘four kids’ on ‘two low incomes’ has taken to TikTok to reveal how she chose to cut costs and save money.
Mom-of-four, Cassandra Ann, who has dubbed herself as an ‘extreme couponer’, explained how she doesn’t buy her children toys or clothes and won’t even pay for them to get a haircut.
In addition to this, she also explained that her car is old and she refuses to pay for cable TV to have at home.
To keep costs even lower, Cassandra uses her ‘coupon shopping hack’, which she explained works well but ‘gets on her kids’ nerves’.
The savvy mom explains that while her hacks are a little ‘controversial’ she’s found that they’ve ‘really made a difference’.
She said: “We do not have cable at all - we don't have the time to sit around and watch TV, and it was just another expense that we did not need, nor could really afford it anyway, so cutting it out really helped us.”
While the family don’t own a TV, Cassandra said that her and her husband ‘value quality over quantity’ and plan fun things to do together as a family, rather than just sitting and watching TV.
In terms of haircuts, the mom explained: “I do not go to the salon, I can't remember the last time I've been to the salon, I just get it trimmed by a friend, and my husband dyes my hair at home.”
She added that her children also get their hair cut for free by her friend. While Cassandra trims her husband’s hair herself.
The mom explains that her 2005 car is ‘an old car’ but that it gets her where she needs to go, and it ensures that she doesn’t have to spend money each month on a costly car payment.
And cost cutting doesn’t stop there for the thrifty content creator; Cassandra utilizes a simple coupon hack to keep shopping costs low.
She said: “If I can't coupon for it and there's not a rebate for it, I'm not buying it.
"I live by this motto - I coupon, I have a stockpile in our basement and if we need groceries, I do not buy something unless I can get a rebate for it, some money back for purchasing it or I have a coupon for it.”
While the smart hack keeps the family’s grocery costs low, Cassandra admitted that it is ‘aggravating for the kids’ but that they ‘don’t complain’ as they know it helps the family ‘save a lot’.
The mom also revealed that she never buys toys and instead swaps their toys once a month, and explained: “We do not buy toys - we do a lot of swap shops or we swap toys with other parents.”
She also opts to do the same with clothes, and said: “We do not buy new clothes for them, we swap their clothes out.”
To keep on top of budgeting, Cassandra also recommends ‘listing out all your bills’ each month, and thinks it’s a great way to see where you can ‘cut down’ costs.
TikTok users were quick to comment on the mum’s video, with many piling praise onto the mom.
One said: “I think you are doing great as a mum.”
Another added: “Amazing parents. These lessons will bring your children so much further in life than you can imagine.”
A third commented: “Very admirable. Better for the planet as well as your bank balance. Family trips I remember, not the toys I was given.”
However, not everyone agreed with the way Cassandra cuts costs, with one user writing: “Sounds miserably exhausting and unfair.”
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