Don't sacrifice the comfort of well-made clothing and breathable materials just to save a few bucks. Itchy, too-tight cuts and uncomfortable seams or waistbands are stressful to babies and kids.
• Save by buying dressy, special-event attire second hand.
• Splurge on new shoes no more than half a size up to encourage proper foot development and safety.
• Save by lengthening jeans or skirts if your daughter grows taller but not wider. Just sew wide ribbon or beaded trim to the bottom hem.
• Splurge on better-quality jeans and khakis one size up so your child can grow into them over a year or two (fold up the cuffs for now).
• Save with sale-rack leggings and jogging pants in the right size, since they'll wear out well before the second year anyway.
Recessionista tip 4: Save energy and qualify for rebates
Great – your ancient dishwasher finally gave out just when you were least looking forwarding to upgrading. Guess what: it may actually be a blessing in disguise. Many provincial governments offer incentives to encourage Canadians to trade energy-guzzling old appliances (or drafty old windows and doors) for new, energy-efficient models bearing the Energy Star certification. Not only will you save on your energy bill, you may find a $250 rebate check in the mail, too!
Go to Natural Resources Canada's website to find which programs you qualify for.
Recessionista tip 5: Buy at the right time
Want more appliance savings? "The best time to shop for appliances is between October and February, right before the spring/summer house-buying rush," says Finney.
Recessionista tip 6: Eat lower on the food chain
Moving to a more vegetarian diet will help you cut calories and cholesterol, as well as costs. Eliminate meat one day a week in favour of fresh or frozen veggies, legumes or pasta for immediate savings. Vegetarian chili, lasagna, stir-fries – all are fast, tasty, healthy and inexpensive to make.
Check out CanadianLiving.com’s recipe database for budget-friendly meatless meals for every taste.
Recessionista tip 7: Use loyalty points for a movie night
Between blackout periods, seat exemptions, and the money it'll cost to buy additional tickets out of your own pocket, travel rewards are often too restrictive to be of much use to large families.
A better idea? Use some loyalty points for a night out at the movies (refreshments included), or a DVD rental package. Presto: a night out (or in), without having to dip into your household budget.
Recessionista tip 8: Buy discounted books
If the public library is out of the next page-turner on your book club reading list, try Better World Books. This online bookseller carries new and used books at a discount, with flat-rate $3.97 shipping to Canada. Incredibly, this price includes carbon offsets.
Even better, a portion of the site's revenues go to education and literacy charities around the world – so far, a whopping $3.1 million.
Make some of your money back (or do a good deed), by selling or donating your used books to the e-tailer, too.
Read more:
• Easy ways to save money
• 5 ways to stretch your grocery dollars
• Simple ways to put money back in your pocket
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