Saving Money (by You)

The new year might not have brought much cheer with the ‘new economy’ and all, but thanks to the amazing response from our savvy readers to last December’s article on saving money, we have a great new crop of tips on how families can save this year—savvy style. (And those readers now have a brand new SavvyMom stainless water bottle to show off!)

Stop Printing Photos
Kathy S. in Thornton, ON has stopped printing her photos and buying albums in which to keep them, and instead now uploads her images monthly to a service like Kodakgallery.ca and at the end of the year she takes advantage of the regular special offers and prints an album for about $40.
Benefits: the kids get to actually see the photos, they make great gifts and if the album is ruined, another one can easily be printed.

Green Your Clean
Maria T. of Toronto, ON uses white vinegar for fabric softener and a diluted water/vinegar solution to wipe down wood furniture.
Benefits: it’s safe if the toddler gets a hold of the spray bottles.

Crafty Cards
Christine B. of North Vancouver, BC gets her kids to make cards instead of buying them. If they are pressed for time, she uses an old piece of saved art, and glues it to construction paper.
Benefits: all those little masterpieces get appreciated by friends and family.

Become a Pizzaiolo (Pizza Maker)
Alexis R. of Mississauga, ON, Anita B. of Toronto, ON and Karen M. of Toronto are all having regular ‘make your own pizza’ nights with their families. The cost of the dough, and toppings runs less than $10, much less than ordering in and the pizza is much healthier.
Benefits: kids have fun making pizza ‘faces’ and adults can enjoy their creativity and some non-kid-friendly toppings.