Raising a Family on a Budget

[bananarama]

I'm struggling to balance the cost of raising two young kids with our family's limited income. Between childcare expenses, groceries, and other necessities, it feels like our money is disappearing into a black hole. I've always been mindful of our budget, but this time around, there are so many added expenses that I'm worried we're going to have to make some tough choices about what non-essentials we can cut back on.

One thing I'm considering (but not yet sure about) is switching from formula to making my own baby food. Has anyone else done something similar? Were the costs worth it compared to buying pre-made options?

 

[sunnydays]

I made a similar switch about a year ago and never looked back. I was surprised by how cost-effective it ended up being, as well as the peace of mind from knowing exactly what my kids were eating. We now have an even tighter budget with this third baby on the way, but the money we're saving by making our own will be invaluable.

That being said, it did take some time and trial-and-error for us to perfect our recipes and really get into a rhythm. If you decide to give it a shot, I would definitely recommend starting small and experimenting with different flavors. Some things have turned out great , but others...have needed some serious tweaking!

One benefit that's also worth mentioning is getting rid of the hassle of dealing with multiple packaging options. With all the waste and environmental concerns floating around these days, I was really glad to cut back on those extra expenses for us.