A mother of four has revealed the simple ways she cuts costs and saves money.
So if the cost of living crisis has meant you’re on a budget, you’ve come to the right place.
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Cassandra Ann, an experienced mother from the US who describes herself as an “extreme shopper”, revealed that she doesn’t buy toys or clothes for her children and certainly wouldn’t pay for them to get a haircut.
Furthermore, she explained that she drives an old car and doesn’t pay for TV.
If that wasn’t enough, the super saver revealed that another way to save money is through the coupon buying hack, which she admitted annoys her kids.
Posting on social media, Cassandra revealed the budgeting tips she follows to raise “four children” on “two low incomes”.
She stated that although some of her hacks are “controversial,” they have “really made a difference” in her life.
She said, “We don’t have cable — we don’t have time to sit down and watch TV, and it was just another expense that we didn’t need or be able to afford anyway, so cutting back really helped us.”
Cassandra revealed that she and her husband “value quality over quantity” and therefore “do more things together as a family, instead of just watching television”.
Although they have a family movie night every Friday, instead of paying for movies or a TV subscription, they choose a movie from one of the free TV channels.
When it comes to her haircut, Cassandra added: “I don’t go to the salon, I don’t remember the last time I went to the salon, I just got a haircut from a friend, and my husband dyes my hair straight away.” home.”
Likewise, with her children’s hair, she explained that her friend cuts the locks for free.
And for her husband’s hair, Cassandra gets a cut in the garden.
Regarding transport, Cassandra shared that she drives “an old car” with a 2005 license plate.
As a result, she doesn’t have to spend money every month on her car payment, and even though she has over 350,000 miles on the clock, it gets her from point A to point B.
Cassandra then revealed her coupon hack that saved her a lot of money on shopping.
She shared, “If I don’t have a coupon and there’s no discount, I’m not going to buy it.
“I live by this motto – I have a coupon, I have a stash in our basement and if we need groceries, I don’t buy something unless I get a discount, some cash back on the purchase or I have a coupon for it .”
I don’t buy something unless I get a discount, some money back for the purchase or have a coupon for it
Cassandra Ana
Cassandra admitted that this can be “aggravating for the children”, but they “don’t complain and haven’t done so for a long time”, as it helps the family to “save a lot”.
Cassandra is not only strict with her food shopping, she also explained: “We don’t buy toys – we do a lot of swap shops or swap toys with other parents.”
Cassandra highlighted that she does this once a month so that when her children run out of toys, they can swap them out for other children’s toys.
She does the same with their clothes, as she continues: “We don’t buy them new clothes, we change their clothes.”
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Not only that, but Cassandra also shared the importance of “listing all of your bills” as she found it to be a useful method to see what you can “cut back, reduce, or eliminate completely.”
Lastly, Cassandra emphasized side hustles as a great way to alleviate financial stress.
She revealed that she does social media “on the side”, which “helps with trips to the supermarket” and gas.
BIG DIVISION
The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @cassandrankidsIt clearly left many speechless as it quickly racked up 729,400 views.
But social media users were hugely divided over Cassandra’s money-saving hacks – while some praised her, others weren’t so kind.
Better for the planet and your bank balance too
TikTok user
One person said, “I think you’re doing great as a mom.”
Another added: “Amazing parents. These lessons will take your children further in life than you can imagine.”
A third commented: “Very admirable. Better for the planet and also your bank balance. I remember the family trips, not the toys I got.”
Why have four kids you can’t afford?
TikTok user
However, at the same time, someone else wrote: “It feels terribly exhausting and unfair.”
Another chimed in: “Disgusting! This is abuse.”
While one person criticized: “Why have four kids you can’t afford?”
See how to reduce the cost of your grocery store
SAVING in your store can make a big difference to your wallet. Here are some tips from Money.co.uk on how you can reduce the cost of your shopping bills:
- Write a list for yourself – Buy only items you need. If it’s not on your list, don’t add it to your cart
- Create a budget – Create a weekly budget for your food purchases
- Never buy hungry – you are much more likely to buy more food if your tummy is growling
- Do not buy pre-cut vegetables or fruits – The extra they charge for cutting can be eye-watering
- Use social media – follow your favorite retailers to find out about the latest offers
- Be disloyal – You may want to go to different stores to find the best bargains
- Check the fine print – It’s always worth checking the price per kg/lb/liter when comparing offers so you can make an equal decision, as a bigger box doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get more
- Use your loyalty cards – Don’t be afraid to sign up for all of them. They all work a little differently – find out which bonus is best for you and remember to redeem your points for additional rewards
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
