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If you are like many mamas in the US, paid maternity leave or family leave is not something you are automatically going to get. A lot of employers are not required to pay for family leave at all.

Along with being a super exciting time welcoming a new baby into your family, it can also be very stressful when you are down to one income or even no income after the baby is born.

I have been here before and this is my second pregnancy. I plan to take less time off work after baby #2 but it was still important to me to plan and figure out with my husband how we would make it work while I’m home recovering and bonding with our new addition. Here are some of my tips on saving money while on maternity leave!

Grocery Money Saving Tips

There are plenty of ways to save money on food. Here are some of my tips on making a little go a long way-

• Shop around– Check ads from all your local grocery stores, make your list and travel to different stores depending on where the cheaper item is. I personally shop at Aldi, Walmart and my local Kroger. Every place has deals at different times- just gotta pay attention! Don’t forget about your hometown small mom and pop shops either.

• Meal plan– This is the only way I’m not overspending at the store. I plan out our meals for a whole week and stick to it! This helps me stay consistent with how much I am spending weekly and it helps me make healthy meals for my family.

• Consider buying in bulk– While you might be spending more up front initially- it will pay off in the long run. Shop bulk stores like Sams and Costco especially when they have sales and specials going on. Personally, I am a Sams shopper and if you become a Plus Member you get access to free online shipping and other great deals!

• Use Coupons– Get the apps and make accounts for your grocery store websites. Many offer special coupons that can help save you a ton. I am a Kroger member and on their account they have coupons you can click that link directly to your membership card. You also get fuel points through every purchase which add up to cents off a gallon of gas. Sometimes they even have coupons for free pickup or grocery delivery to your home. This will be a lifesaver with a toddler and a newborn I already can’t wait to NOT take them to a store together for many months.

• Use cash back apps– There are a ton out there now but my favorites are Ibotta and Fetch. Ibotta is a cash back rewards program that gives you real money back on purchases you make- not limited to groceries! Fetch is similar but you shop, scan your reciept and upload it to the app where it gives you points. Once you reach a certain number of points you can get gift cards for places you shop! Sign up here with code KFPAJ and receive 2,000 free points to get you started. Both are free and every little bit adds up.

• Eat at home– I love my chick-fil-a just as much as the next person but in order to really save- consider eating all your meals at home. This alone can save you hundreds a month. Add up all the money you spend when you pick something up to eat each month and it will shock you!

• Buy store brand– Sometimes you are picky about a certain brand but other times you can get away with buying the “off brand” and can’t tell a difference. Do more of this when trying to save money.

Gas Money Saving Tips

• Go for a walk or bike ride– If you are going somewhere close to home, it pays off to not use your car. Consider taking the bike or walking to your destination- good time to get your exercise in too!

• Gas Buddies– This is a website where you type in your location and it will come up with all the gas options and the price per gallon near you! Super helpful to find the best price.

• Don’t make an extra trip– If you have an appointment or are taking a trip to the store- get it all done while you are out. Growing up in the country this is always something we practiced growing up anyway- get it while you’re in town or you wait until the next day! When you’re home, stay there and don’t take more trips than necessary. Plan ahead!

• Get cents off per gallon– So many gas stations have rewards programs you can participate in. My favorites in my town are Kroger (where you can earn up to $1.00 off monthly) and Shell (enter your Kroger card and get 10 cents off) I am always seeing signs for other rewards programs that are usually 3-5 cents off but hey, in this day and age every penny counts!

Personal Money Saving Tips

• Cut the coffee run– buying a $5.00 cup of coffee every day adds up quick. I love my iced coffee and was not about to give it up so I figured out how to make it at home for a fraction of the cost. I make a big pot of coffee at the beginning of the week and put it in the fridge. Then I can switch up my sweeteners and creamers however I know exactly what’s in it and saves a ton of money too!

• Practice your self care at home– It’s super easy these days to find a home nail kit online. I love this gel nail kit on amazon, it has mostly nude colors which is my fav and the option to choose other color combinations as well. It has all the tools and drying light as well. I do love a good pedicure at a nail salon but if you’re trying to save money- this works great! You can also find some great facial options online for all different skin types.

• Put your gym membership on hold– While you’re on maternity leave, you likely aren’t doing many workouts as it is especially in the first 6 weeks until you are cleared by your OB. If your gym has the option- put a hold on your account until you have a steady income again! There are great YouTube workouts for postpartum moms to get back into a solid workout routine you can try until you get back in the gym.

• Cancel your unused subscriptions and apps– Now is a great time to check your subscriptions and see what you really need and don’t need. Make a list of everything coming out of your accounts monthly and clean them up. Writing down all your expenses is a real eye opener and you can cut where necessary.

Family Money Saving Tips

• Visit the library– the public library has so many thing to check out- especially if you have other kids. Ours offers a “toddler time” that my son loves. Best of all- it’s free!

• Check out your city’s free activities– Depending on the time of year and your location, your hometown might have some free activities for the whole family. Where I live, there are monthly block parties which are free to attend. You can also research festivals, holiday activities, craft fairs, so much more. Another idea- our local trampoline park offers a toddler jump time once a week which is a discounted price and a fun rainy day activity. There are so many options out there you just have to look for them!

• Explore new parks– Does your city have multiple parks and common areas? Go to a new place, research if your town has a splash pad park, or nature trails. There is always something new to explore and you don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to do it.

• Shop Consignment– If you are like me and my toddler ruins literally all of his clothes, this might be a great option for you maternity leave or not! We have secondhand stores near me as well as participate in a consignment sale two times a year where we buy and sell our gently used clothes and toys. Kids outgrow clothes at a crazy speed so you’d be surprised how many great quality or even new items you can find when shopping consignment.

• Use a credit card with rewards– Proceed with caution when using a credit card- you don’t want to get yourself into a hole you have trouble climbing out of but if you are a credit card user anyway it’s a great idea to find a card that has rewards you can benefit from. My credit card gives me 5% cash back on qualifying purchases and I pay it off each month to avoid paying interest. There are also other cards with travel rewards, gift card rewards, percent off rewards, etc. You just have to read the fine print and make sure you won’t be paying anything extra.

• Make cleaning products at home– not only money saving but so much cleaner for your family! If you have little ones who crawl on (or eat off) the floor you don’t want harsh chemicals in your cleaning supplies. Most of the time you can make a large quantity of your own product which will save in the long run. You might even have the ingredients already at home, vinegar, essential oils, baking soda, alcohol. Check out some DIY home cleaning recipes!

• Call your insurance and Hospital– You just had a baby in the hospital, those bills are about to pile up. Did you know you can negotiate some medical bills? It may not work for every bill but never hurts to ask, the worst thing they can tell you is no! If nothing else, at least set up a payment plan (and make sure you can pay it off interest free!)

• Take advantage of baby registries– For example, if you set up an amazon baby registry you are qualified to get a certain percent off items on your registry that were not purchased for you. Don’t buy the larger items you really need until you complete your registry and take advantage of that percent off. You also get a free bag of baby samples! Another program that has made a comeback is the Target car seat exchange. You can take your expired car seats in during certain dates and get an extra percent off baby items! Lots of places to register for a new baby have an advantage for new moms you just have to check it out!

• Buy and Sell on marketplace– Another great place to sell and buy home and baby items is on Facebook. Not only do they have marketplace but also check for local mom groups who allow buying and selling. I get so much stuff from my mom Facebook group! It also makes me feel more at ease that we are a community of moms all trying to save money and do the best for our families. If you are going to purchase from someone make sure you are staying safe- always meet in a public place (many towns have areas specifically set for online sales meet-ups) and consider taking someone with you!

• Drop your cable company– There are so many options now days for streaming your favorite shows you really do not need a cable company who is going to raise prices on you every year. If you want to stick with them though- give them a call about lowering your bill! This has worked for me many times, there is usually something you can negotiate to stop from paying so much.

Hopefully you got some ideas from this post about saving money somewhere in your life while on maternity leave! It is a stressful time as it is, don’t stress yourself out more by overpaying while you are home trying to figure out life with a new baby. Give me some more ideas in the comments about saving money, I am all about being frugal all the time not just with a growing family!

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