How to Save Money as a Parent \ stacker news ~relationships

Parenting has been widely perceived to be this problematic endeavour that threatens to rip off your money. But I think it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg if we are strategic and savvy in how we spend time raising our children. I present here my tried-and-tested ways to engage my children without spending a single cent.

[Save money on toys] You probably heard that it isn’t necessary to buy sophisticated toys for children since they can entertain themselves with ordinary household items. Thus, making your own toys out of upcycled materials is one way to give your wallet breathing space. In addition, I suggest that you take them to toy stores like ToysRUs, Lego, and Sparkle to introduce some novelty into their routine. I do so, and my son happily spends an hour fiddling with the toys on display. Many parents will tell you the same thing: even if their children have a mountain of toys at home, they will rather play with similar toys at a toy shop.
[Save money on play] Singapore’s heat is unbearable these days, so your children may put up a fuss if you let them play at outdoor playgrounds. Luckily, for us, there are water playgrounds that children can access for free. Examples include Oasis Waterpark @ Nee Soon East and Choa Chu Kang Mini Waterpark. On the other hand, you may be daunted by the idea of helping your children change clothes several times just for an hour or two of water play. Well, free indoor playgrounds are out there, such as the one at the McDonald’s outlet at Sun Plaza. I particularly love the one situated inside Admiralty Plaza. We just need to have a discerning eye.
[Save money on tuition] Early childhood providers are stepping up their game these days. Even though my son is in kindergarten, he is exposed to a wide array of scientific concepts. He even learnt the organs of the digestive system in Chinese! I believe that the money we spend on tuition could be reduced if we leverage everyday experiences as teachable moments. For instance, when we pour away still water, we may inform our children that doing so will prevent mosquitoes from breeding. When we put a cover over our food, we tell our children that this is to prevent houseflies from laying their eggs (so that the maggots that hatch will have food immediately available to them). Being attuned to the teachable moments will not only help your child acquire important concepts, but also, strengthen your relationship with him/her.

24 sats \ 1 reply \ @grayruby 5 Nov

Good advice. Taking the kids to the local playground for an afternoon of fun rather than spending money to go out can go along way.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @cryotosensei OP 5 Nov

And they get their daily dose of Vitamin D

24 sats \ 1 reply \ @Sandman 5 Nov

Lovely advice. Thanks man!

Thanks for reading!

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Fenix 6 Nov

I follow tip 2, because I visit many parks and even play a lot in the backyard at home. Tip 3 hasn’t come up yet; when it does I’ll face the dilemma of using public services or paying for private education. If I use the public service I’m going against what I’m following — I’m being robbed to pay for that service, should I use it? Private is costly. Whatever it is, it’s the parents’ duty to know what their children are learning, whether public, private, or at home.