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5 Ways to Save for Families with Kids under age of 5

Raising a blended family of 4 boys since they were ages 1-4 (yes they are only one year apart!), I can truly appreciate this great article written by Karen from Fun 4 Kids in Buffalo!

I wish I had this article to read 12 years ago:) We were always looking for fun things to do without breaking our wallet! They are older now but we still have a difficult time because going out to dinner even with coupons is a $150 bill!

Please read on to discover some money saving fun things to do as a family..

5 Ways to Save for Families with Kids under the age of 5

In these tough economic times most families are trying to spend less and save more.  My family is no exception.  With 3 kids ages 5 and under these are the top 5 ways we have cut our spending and saved hundreds!

  1. Utilize your Public Library:  When you think of the library the most obvious thing that comes to mind are books.   But don’t forget about all the other things the library has to offer.  For example, during the month of February alone our local libraries are offering Lego Clubs, Valentines Crafts and Parties, Kid- Friendly Movies, and live “shows” such as Bubblemania,  Nickel City Reptiles and Mr. J’s Magic.
  2. Kids Eat Free Nights:  Have you seen the regular price of a kid’s meal lately at a sit-down restaurant?   Sure, when your child is 1 or 2 they can just eat off your plate.  But once you’ve got a 5 year old boy to feed you will appreciate the Kids Eat Free Nights at your local restaurants.   There are multiple websites to find this information and I can almost guarantee that you can find at least one restaurant that offers this discount on a night your family wants to go out for dinner (with perhaps the exception of Saturdays).
  3. Family Memberships:  Yes, you have to spend some money out of pocket on this one but it is totally worth it.  Many times a membership to a Zoo will get you half off admission to an Aquarium or vice versus.  Purchasing a membership usually pays off within 2-3 visits so if you think you will visit your local Zoo, Museum or Aquarium more than 3 times in a year go ahead and buy the membership.  (Plus, you will receive the extra discounts that memberships usually offer)
  4. Sign up for the Sears KidVantage Club:  Once my son started crawling (6 months old!) we had the continual problem of holes in the knees of his jeans.  Once he turned 2 we were spending almost $30 a month on jeans (he was even wearing through the iron-on patches)!  Sears KidVantage Club offers the Wear Out Warranty.  When your kids clothing or shoes wear out before they are outgrown, Sears will replace them for FREE!  Keep in mind, you need to save your receipts and the worn out item must be replaced with the same size.  (In the last year we have exchanged our 5 year olds jeans at least 5 times!)
  5. Enjoy FREE family activities on the Weekends:  It doesn’t matter where you live, there are always free things to do on the weekends.  Sometimes it just takes some hunting to track theses activities down!  If you’re in the WNY area, be sure to follow my blog where you can find many FREE things to do in the area.  Otherwise, check out Local Fun for Kids, where there is a great list of local bloggers in all areas across the country!

Make sure to visit Fun 4 Kids in Buffalo to read about all the great activities Karen has out together! I didn't even realize how many things there were!

About the Author
I'm Karen, mother of 3 and the blogger behind Fun 4 Kids. Living in Buffalo for 6 years, I love to blog about FREE things to do and the “hidden gems” in the WNY community.
Fun 4 Kids in Buffalo is updated daily with events and activities, mom reviews, party places, giveaways from local businesses and much more!

You can follow Fun 4 Kids in Buffalo on Twitter and  Facebook  to get all that is happening in Buffalo and surrounding areas!

Thank you Karen!!
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Christina Goche

Friday 27th of July 2012

I am thinking on singing up for sears kidVantage Club real soon. I know by this I can save much for my kids clothing and yes we parents can save alot too. This will help us save much for our kids education soon and his future too. Good thing that there are offers like this. It helps parents so much.