ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT MONEY SAVVY MOMS DO DIFFERENTLY? WANT TO KNOW SOME OF THEIR HABITS?
I used to be really bad at money management, but after I became a single mom I knew I had to change. I had to learn some new habits to become a money savvy mom.
Not too long ago, I thought that money was meant to be spent as fast as you could earn it, but I was wrong.
Money is supposed to be managed, used to meet your goals and create your dream life.
As a mom (whether you’re the breadwinner or a stay at home mom), the best thing you can do for yourself is to be financially savvy.
Being money smart makes a whole world of difference to your quality of life and peace of mind.
If you’re a mom who’s struggling with her finances, I totally understand how that feels.
It’s very hard when you’re constantly stressed about your finances, but there’s hope.
If you’re ready to take control of your money and to do your part to improve your family’s finances, I have got a few tips for you.
Let’s jump right in!
This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy anything using my links, I may receive a small commission.
HABITS OF MONEY SAVVY MOMS
1. THEY KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NEEDS AND WANTS
One of the reasons many of us get into financial difficulties is because we don’t know the difference between needs and wants.
When you can distinguish between your needs and your wants, it becomes easier to make smart financial and spending decisions.
The difference between needs and wants is one of the keys to deciding how much money you can save.
If you think everything is a need, then you’ll find that you’re constantly spending money because everything feels like it’s important.
And if it’s important. it means it’s something you need to have.
Money savvy moms know how to prioritize their spending. They don’t give equal importance or attention to everything because they know some things are not beneficial to their financial health.
I am not saying that every purchase you make or that all your spending should be to fulfill a need, because that would make life very boring.
There are times when it’s okay to buy something (or spend money) just for your enjoyment as long as it’s within reason.
However, if you want to be financially healthy, start by separating your needs from your wants.
2. MONEY SAVVY MOMS CHOOSE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
One of the smartest ways to save money is to buy quality stuff.
I know this may sound like a contradiction, but hear me out.
Would you rather buy something that lasts you a long time, or buy a cheaper version you have to replace within a short amount of time?
Personally, I find when I buy cheap stuff, I end up spending more money in the long run because those things don’t last (or wear well) very long and need to be replaced within a short period of time.
Whether we are talking about bags, clothes, shoes or household gadgets, it’s always better to buy the best quality you can afford.
I have bought bags that lasted me for years because they were very good quality. They didn’t fall apart even though they got a lot of use. Same goes for shoes and clothes.
This is a little bit tricky with children’s clothes and shoes because they grow up so fast. To mitigate this, I tend to not buy a lot of clothes at a time.
Yes, buying clothes from Walmart or whatever may seem like a good idea or cheaper option, but it may end up costing you more.
I like TJ Maxx and Marshalls for clothes and bags and I have gotten some really good stuff from them over the years.
So if you’re used to buying lots of stuff or if you find you are always replacing stuff, you should consider buying more quality stuff since you will end up saving money.
Another benefit of buying quality stuff is that it will save you time since you won’t have to spend time looking for replacements.
3. THEY KNOW HOW TO SAVE
Money savvy moms know how to save because they priortize savings.
Saving money isn’t something they do when they have some extra cash, instead it is a way of life for them.
It doesn’t matter what else may be going on, these moms always find a way to put something aside for the rainy day.
They may automate their savings to make sure it gets done, or eliminate some expenses so they can have extra money to put away. Everything is fair game.
I know it’s hard to save money when you’re on a low income, a one-income family or paying down debt, but the truth is you can’t afford to not save.
Don’t feel like you have to make big deposits into your savings account, because that’s something that holds some people back.
I remember some years ago when I was trying to save the first $1000 and it felt like I was never going to achieve it because I could only save $5, $10 or $20 at a time.
But I didn’t let that discourage me and before I knew it I had saved up that money.
If you want to be a money savvy mom, you have to get into the habit of saving as much money as you can as often as you can.
Do whatever you can to squeeze out some extra money every month and watch your savings grow.
4. FINANCIALLY SAVVY MOMS KNOW HOW TO REDUCE EXPENSES
How often do you go through your expenses and bills to see where you can save or cut costs?
Do you sign up for things and just forget about them?
That’s one way you’re guaranteed to keep paying and spending more!
Whether it’s monthly, quarterly or annually, you should be checking your expenses to see where you can save some money.
Maybe you signed up for something you no longer need, then you need to get rid of it.
Did you sign up for a free trial and forgot to cancel your subscription even if it’s not beneficial to you?
Have you checked to see if your utility suppliers have a better plan than the one you’re currently on (or maybe change to new suppliers)?
These are all ways to reduce or eliminate some of your expenses and free up some extra money.
Yes, it takes time and a bit of effort to do all this, but you need to think of the long-term benefit.
Don’t throw money away because you’re too lazy or can’t be bothered to make some changes.
Be a financially savvy woman who stays on top of her expenses and is always finding ways to save and stretch her dollars.
5. THEY DON’T INDULGE IN IMPULSE BUYING
One of the most admirable habit of money savvy moms is that impulse buying isn’t their jam.
These women aren’t ruled by their emotions or feelings. They are intentional with their spending.
I used to think it was okay to shop as long as it made it happy. I am sure y’all have one or two stories to share about “Retail therapy.”
The problem with retail therapy is that it comes with a price.
If you want to be a money savvy mom, you have to be disciplined and practice self control.
Spending money on an impulse is one of the easiest ways to guarantee you won’t ever meet your financial goals.
Instead of indulging in impulse buying, take the time to plan out you spending and also know your triggers so you can avoid places and people that make you indulge in impulse buying.
This is an easy way to avoid having financial regrets.
6. THEY FOCUS THEIR ENERGY ON THE BIG STUFF
Okay, let me say that I have nothing against clipping coupons to save on groceries, but I am not a big fan of it.
Some years ago when things were very tough financially, I tried clipping coupons but I found it to be a huge waste of time.
Another downside is that you run the risk of actually wasting money because there may be times when you end up buying things you don’t need because you have a coupon for it.
At least that was my experience.
So instead of clipping coupons to save a few dollars here and there, or skipping coffees or whatever, I believe it’s better to save on the big stuff like rent, mortgage, car payments etc.
Focusing on the big stuff is what will make the biggest difference in your financial life.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t save money anywhere you can, since every little helps.
I am just giving you something else to think about.
7. THEY TRACK THEIR SPENDING
A money savvy mom is a woman who knows were her money goes.
While they are not necessarily obsessive, they keep a close eye on things so they can spot any leaks before it gets too big and cause some damage.
They have a system or method for tracking their spending. Whether it’s keeping their shopping receipts and going through them periodically or setting a daily limit for spending.
Financially savvy moms don’t let anything slip past them and they are always ready to change their spending habits if they notice anything is out of place.
One of the first things you need to do if you want be good at money management is to start tracking your spending.
Because if you don’t know where your money is going, it’s difficult to adjust your spending habits or save money.
To build wealth (or to be financially stable), you have to increase the gap between how much you earn and how much you spend. You build wealth with the surplus.
And the best way to increase the gap between earning and spending is by tracking your spending.
Here’s a great quote by Paul Clitheroe ” The amount of money you have has got nothing to do with what you earn. People earning a million dollars a year can have no money. People earning $35,000 a year can be quite well off. It’s not what you earn, it’s what you spend.”
And here is a really good article on how to track your spending: 5 Steps for Tracking Your Monthly Expenses.
8. THEY ARE CONSCIOUS SPENDERS
Want to become financially savvy? Become a conscious spender!
A money savvy woman knows that everything has a price or a cost.
When you purchase one thing, it means you won’t be able to buy or spend on something else.
Because life is all about trade-offs.
For example buying a new car or an expensive house means you’re going to have bigger payments (unless you pay cash) which could affect how much you have to spend on other things.
Becoming a conscious spender means you don’t make financial decisions on a whim.
You consider all the pros and cons and you understand what you’d be giving up if you make some spending decisions.
When you’re a conscious spender, you take the time to do some research and weigh all your options before you take the plunge.
This way, you hardly have regrets about your financial decisions because you know you did your due diligence.
9. THEY KNOW HOW TO SAY NO
Whether it’s saying no to that kid who want toys all the time, or to people wanting you to sign up for one thing or the other, money savvy moms have mastered the art of saying no.
Don’t get me wrong, they don’t say no their kids because they want to be unkind, but they know buying toys all the time isn’t a good use of their resources.
If you want to be a financially savvy woman, you have to be smart with your money.
You should be able to to recognize good deals and only invest in the best deals.
Knowing how to say no will help you to save and stretch your dollars so you can spend on the things that are important to you.
10. THEY SET FINANCIAL GOALS AND CREATE A PLAN
A journey to nowhere begins with not having financial goals.
It’s difficult to achieve financial goals if you don’t have any. The first step to good money management is to set financial goals, then create a plan to achieve those goals.
When you set financial goals, it keeps you focused since it gives you something to aim for.
Whether it’s saving money, paying off debt or starting a business, taking the time to articulate your financial goals is the first step to achieving them.
Let me just say that even if you are a stay at home mom, you still need so set some financial goals.
Your financial goals may include things like: managing your budget better, cutting expenses, saving some extra money from one of your budget categories etc.
Everyone needs to set financial goals, but you don’t stop there.
Once you have listed out your goals, you need to come up with a plan to achieve those goals or nothing gets done.
Not having a plan is one of the main reasons a lot of people can’t meet their financial goals.
So if you are not in the habit of setting financial goals, you need to start today.
Start small and make sure your goals are realistic and measurable.
11. THEY KNOW HOW TO SPEND ON THE THINGS THEY LOVE
Just in case you thought financially savvy moms are unhappy tightwads or cheapskates. let me reassure you that they are not.
The reason these moms do all the other stuff is so they can have money to spend on the things they love (i.e their priorities).
This could be traveling, volunteering and helping the less fortunate, homeschooling their kids or anything else that brings them joy.
Money savvy moms are not afraid to spend, they just like to spend on the right stuff for them.
And at the end of the day this is what it’s all about.
We work so hard because we want to live our dream life, but some of you won’t ever achieve that not because it’s unrealistic, but because of bad money management.
But you can change all that by changing your money habits and becoming more intentional with your spending.
12. MONEY SAVVY MOMS NEVER STOP LEARNING
One of the most important habit of a money savvy mom is that she never stops learning.
These moms are always learning because they know that learning is never done.
They understand that there’s always one new trick or hack to learn that will improve their finances.
They know the best sources to learn from and they know how to sift through information to find the best advice.
If you want to be a financially savvy mom, you have to become financially literate.
Learn everything you can about how money works and never stop learning.
If you don’t know where to start, I have some recommendations for you.
The books below are some of the best personal finance books out there. Check them out!
How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt and Live Prosperously
HABITS OF MONEY SAVVY MOMS
Becoming a financially savvy mom is one of the best things I have done for myself and my family.
I had to unlearn some bad money habits and it took a lot of time for me to feel confident about my money management skills.
If you’re struggling with managing your finances, don’t give up. As long as you are willing to change and learn new money habits you should be able to change your circumsances.
You just have to stick with it and keep plugging on until you reach your financial goals.
To recap:
HABITS OF MONEY SAVING MOMS
- They know the difference between needs and wants
- Money savvy moms choose quality over quantity
- They know how to save
- Financially savvy moms know how to reduce expenses
- They don’t indulge in impulse buying
- They focus their energy on the big stuff
- They track their spending
- They are conscious spenders
- They know how to say no
- They set financial goals and create a plan
- They know how to spend on the things they love
- Money savvy moms never stop learning
Are you a money savvy mom?
OTHER STAY AT HOME MOM POSTS YOU MAY ENJOY
11 Habits of Stay at Home Moms Who Feel Fulfilled
16 Stay at Home Mom Hacks to Improve Your Life and Finances
How to Get Out of Stay at Home Mom Rut
