Here are some great ways to save money on your children, which will also teach your child to be financially responsible:

1.  Get at least 10-20 REUSABLE DIAPERS, it will cost about $15-$25 each. It sounds a bit expensive, but in the long run it’ll save you tons of money.  These diapers can be passed down to all your children, plus it will be good for the environment.  The down side to using reusable diapers is the fact that poop and urine needs to be cleaned off every time.  You can make it less of a chore by putting the diapers in the toilet, wear gloves, and rinse it off before placing it in the washing machine. You can find reusable diapers at Target or Toys R’ Us.

2. Shop at the Goodwill, Thrift Store, or the swap meet for baby/children clothes. These are great places to find deals on clothes for children, and even though it does smell bad, you are going to wash them anyways.  Also, very young children don’t care about what they wear, so take advantage of their ignorance, and save your hard earned cash.

3.  Don’t buy Toys. For the same reason as list item 2, young children don’t have any sense of what they are playing with. You can have them play with boxes by making them into a car or a spaceship. Be creative with your kids, and remember that they will always get plenty of toys from family and friends on their birthdays. Jackpot!

4.  Make your own baby food. Creating your own baby food might seem like a daunting task, but it’s pretty simple. Just freeze all your babies food, and when you are ready to prepare it, place them into a  pot filled with water and boil it. This is a great way to save money, and the benefit is that you will have control over everything that your child consumes.

5.  Never Take your Child to Chuck E’ Cheese. Although it may seem harmless, institutions such as Chuck E’ Cheeses is where gamblers are born. Researches have shown that children who go to Chuck E’ Cheese is more likely to become a Gambler when they get older. Not a great way to start your child off in this world.  Your alternative is to take your child to the park, where they can play with other kids, develop their motor skills, and allow you to spend some quality time with them.

6.  Recycle Bottles. This not only helps our environment and teaches our children to save the earth, but they’ll earn a couple of dollars from recycling.  This would only work if your child is in Elementary.  I know most teenagers are too embarrassed to do this kind of stuff, but definitely encourage them if they want to earn money.

7.  Get Straight “A’s or E’s” in school. Reward your child for good grades by giving them money.  Of course our children need to learn through intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic, but I believe with the economy these days, it’s a good way to teach our kids that they need to work hard in order to earn money.  Explain to your child that they must work hard to support themselves in this life.

NOTE: 6 & 7 –> Never give your child an allowance, they need to earn it buy recycling and getting good grades.  Instead of giving your child money for lunch, make them lunch the night before so you don’t have to wake up early to do it.

8.  Never Buy anything for them in the store. I see many children nagging their parents for things, and the parents end up being controlled by their own children.  I recommend that if you keep a consistent habit of not buying your child everything they want, then they will realize they can’t always have everything they want.  If they give you a hard time, leave your cart and carry your child out of the store.

9. Get a Piggy Bank. Purchase or make a piggy bank to put your kid’s money into.  Get one where you can’t get the money out from the bottom.  Every time they earn money from recycling or getting good grades have them deposit it into their piggy bank.  This is a great ways to teach your child how to save.

10.  Make a goal of how much you want to save, and save some extra for your rewards, then spend it on something for the family.

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