Every mum is a super mum. She’s active with her kids, balances work outside the home with inside it and rarely complains. She’s someone that’s there for friends when they want to talk and always seems to have it together. But sometimes things can get stressful financially, even for a super mum. So, these budgeting tips can help!

Get organised

This tip is obvious, but it needs to be said. If you worry about money, then it likely means the family budget isn’t clearly laid out. If so, then you can remedy the problem by looking at the bills – that’s right, you’re not putting away those envelopes in a drawer in the hopes that they’ll magically go away! If something is making you uncomfortable, then it’s time to face whatever it is, at least if you want to get to a healthy financial situation.

Figure out your finances

The next step is to make sure you know what you need to pay each month for expenses. A significant monthly expenditure for homeowners is the mortgage; a loan calculator tells you at a glance the estimated mortgage repayments each month, including how much of that amount is interest. The mortgage (or rent, if you don’t own) is essential, but there might be other things you’re spending money on that are not. Examples are new clothes each month or dinners out once a week. Look at what you can reduce that’s not essential so that you’re not financially strapped.

Find affordable activities

Kids activities during school holidays can be expensive! Be smart about what you sign your children up for, so you don’t end up with huge bills every month. That’s not to say that they won’t get to do what they enjoy as there are likely activities at the local community centre or privately that is affordable; it just takes looking around a bit to find the lower-cost options for sports and more.

Put aside an Emergency Fund

While it might sound like a lot to find extra money right now, it is possible. To keep you on track, remember that you’re helping create a secure future for your family by creating an emergency fund.

The size of this fund depends on many factors, including your lifestyle, size of family, and income; it is typically 3-6 months worth of expenses. There is peace of mind in knowing you have the finances to cover an unexpected situation like job loss or a broken appliance.

Meal prep on weekends

Your weekdays are a blur between taking the kids to school, working, and figuring out dinner. If you have time on the weekends, even just a few hours, squeeze in some meal prep. The effort is well worth it as you can plan the meals for the week, and it controls your spend for the next seven days as you will have food prepared. A bonus is that you’ll find that you and the family eat healthier as you’re not tempted to get fast food as an easy dinner.

Even a super mum needs help sometimes, and that’s where these budgeting tips come in handy. Keep being amazing!