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How To Save Money On Preschool

January 11, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Frugal preschool hacks.

The Preschool age of raising kids is just one of my very favorite ages!  It is so much fun!  I love the sweet innocence, and the fact that their cute personalities are starting to show.  The only negative to these years is that paying for preschool tuition can get expensive!  Preschool is optional for many families, but for those of us who want our kids in school before elementary school I am sharing a few ways to save money on preschool!

Why Is Preschool Important?

I understand that not everyone feels the need to have their children in preschool, and that’s OK!  My belief is that there are a million different ways to be an EXCELLENT parent and that there is NOT a one size fits all when it comes to raising kids.

We decided to enroll each of my three kids in preschool for a variety of reasons, I’ll share a few of them below:

  • Learn important social skills.  I really wanted my kids to get practice interacting with kids their age, so they could learn how to share, say sorry, and be a good friend.
  • Practice being in a structured learning environment.  Another important part of preschool for me is giving the kids practice sitting still, following directions and listening to a teacher.
  • Give them a head start on kindergarten and reading readiness.  I really love that preschool gave my kids a head start on reading and math skills.  It helped me feel more confident when sending them to kindergarten.

money saving tips for preschool - budget friendly preschool ideas

How To Save Money On Preschool

Alright, now let’s get to the nitty gritty!  Here are a few ways you can cut costs on preschool tuition!

1.  Compare Prices

An important step to saving money on preschool costs is to shop around.  Make sure you spend time, research, and effort to compare prices of multiple preschools in your area.

I recommend asking for preschool recommendations on Facebook Marketplace and from a few good friends.  Once you have a list of possible preschools call each of them to find out more information.

As you are shopping around make a list of each preschool including their tuition price, preschool times, and pros and cons of each one.  This will help you when making the decision of which school is best for your child.

I’ve found that the preschools done out of the home tend to be the most budget friendly.

  • Related:  21 Free and Frugal Kids Educational Websites

2.  Try A Public Preschool

Most preschools are private, but there are also many public preschools available if you look for them.  These public preschools are usually made available to low income families or kids with developmental delays, but they will sometimes accept others who don’t qualify….so make sure you ask!

The best way to find public preschools in your area is to spend some time googling local public preschools to see if you can find some.  I also recommend calling your local school district to see if they offer any public preschools.

3.  Offer To Volunteer

Many years ago, when my oldest was in preschool and money was tight, I asked her preschool teacher if there was anything I could do to help in the classroom in exchange for a discount on preschool tuition.

She was so nice and excited about my request!  It was truly a good situation for both of us.  Immediately I was put to work copying papers and cutting out shapes for craft projects.  In return she gave me a 25% discount.  Yay!  She’s the best!

In the years since then I have heard from other friends of preschool teachers offering similar discounts in exchange for help in the classroom.  Remember that not every teacher will agree to this request, but it never ever hurts to ask!

4.  Form A Preschool Co-op

Instead of paying for preschool, form a co-op with a few other moms and teach preschool yourself!  A preschool co-op not only saves money, it is also fun! 

Here’s how it works:

  • Find 4 other moms who have children the same age as your preschool child.
  • Host a meeting with the other moms where you can discuss curriculum, routines, and expectations for the preschool.
  • Assign each mom one week every month to teach the preschool kids at her home.

I’ve found it works best when everyone is following the same routine and curriculum to help the preschoolers get use to the structure of a classroom, which is why the meeting is so important to have.

I did a preschool co-op with a few friends for my youngest child and I loved it!  It was such a fun way to interact with my son and his friends.  Plus, it was free!

Our preschool co-op schedule looked something like this:

  1. Review the calendar and date.
  2. Discuss the weather.
  3. Lesson focused on a color, number, or letter.  The lessons were pre-assigned to each mom before the year started.
  4. Free play time.
  5. Snack time.
  6. Story time.

Each mom was also asked to choose and host one field trip during the year.  My field trip was in the fall, so we toured my dad’s potato cellar and talked about potato harvest!  It included a ride in a tractor, so the kids were all in heaven!

5.  Homeschool Preschool

If a preschool co-op isn’t your thing, you might want to consider teaching your child preschool lessons at home yourself.  This is what I did for my middle child, and we both loved it!  We still talk about our time together spent doing preschool.

A homeschool preschool often works best when you set a specific day and time to do school.  This really helps to keep you and your child on schedule. Next you should spend some time planning out your daily curriculum.  It might help to look up kindergarten readiness tips to help you decide what to focus on while you teach.

There are also many free printables offered on pinterest that you can use for your homeschool preschool.  It really is possible to teach preschool at home!

In Conclusion

Raising kids is expensive, but there are steps we as parents can take to help alleviate some of those huge costs.  If you are wanting a way to prepare your child for kindergarten, without breaking the bank, try a few of these suggestions!

I have done most of them and saw first hand how helpful they can be in decreasing the high cost of preschool tuition.  If I can save money on preschool, then you can too!

Related Articles:

Budget Friendly Birthday Traditions for Kids

21 Free and Frugal Kids Educational Websites

Screen Free At Home Kids Activities

Pin For Future Reference:

save money on preschool - money saving tips for moms

 

I hope this article gave you some good tips on how to save money on preschool.

How to Save Money on Back to School Shopping

July 12, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Frugal tips for back to school supplies.

Summer goes by way to fast!  Back to school supply season always sneaks up on us and I kind of hate it.  Sending my three kids back to school makes me a little sad as they keep growing (and I keep telling them to stop!).  As back to school keeps coming closer it also means it’s time to spend money (which I also don’t like…..I guess I’m kindof picky huh???).  This time of year I am usually spending money on school sports, year books, clothing, and supplies.  The expenses add up quick, too quick!  Because of this, I am always learning how to save money on back to school shopping.

I’m going to be completely honest with you….

Buying back to school supplies has always been a spending trigger for me.  I just love all of the fresh pencils, crayons, and new binders.  When I see all the great deals I really want to grab a few extra here and a few extra there….anyone else know what I’m talking about???

I have been working harder the past couple of years to not give into these temptations and stay within my back to school budget.  Here are a few of the things I have learned to help make it happen.

1.  Shop Your House First

The first and most important way to save money on back to school supplies is to shop your house before going to the store!

This really needs to begin on the last day of school.  When your kids bring home backpacks full of their used school supplies, make an effort to save as many of these supplies as possible.

Sort though everything and save as many of the folders, crayons, binders, pens, markers, etc. as you can.  Personally, I aim for reusing about 90% of my kids supplies.

I keep everything stored in a large box; and when the time comes to buy supplies for the upcoming year, we pull out this box and “go shopping.”

When you get your list of requested back to school supplies try to find as many of the supplies at home first, before going to the store.  Search through your school supply box, and dig through closets, desks and drawers. 

Get the kids involved in this!  Turn it into a game and have a race to see who can find the most supplies from their classroom list at home.

2.  Compare Prices

Another way to save money on back to school shopping is to take the time to compare prices at multiple stores.  Look through the weekly store fliers and make a list of which store has which supply for the least amount of money.

I use the free Flipp app to browse through the weekly sales fliers.  It’s really easy to use!

As you are price comparing you will find that some school supplies will be cheaper at the dollar store, but other items will be cheaper somewhere else.  It takes a little extra work and planning, but it will save you money!

Before going shopping for your back to school supplies, make a list of which stores has which items for the best price.  Use this list to help you remember where to shop and what to buy.

  • Related:  A Month of School Lunchbox Ideas

3.  Use Coupons

I also really like to search for manufacture or in store coupons.  Match these coupons with store sales for the biggest discounts.

A few places you can find coupons are:

  • Online using websites such as coupons.com or couponsurfer.com
  • In Sunday newspaper inserts
  • In stores near the front door or on the shelves

4.  Take Advantage of Cashback

Always utilize cashback apps as you shop.  This is the best way to earn free money when buying things you would be buying anyways.

A few cashback apps I love for saving money on back to school shopping are:

  • Rakuten:  When you use Rakuten for earning cash on all online shopping, you are given a percentage cashback on all purchases.  It’s easy to use and requires almost no work!

Just log into the Rakuten app or website.  Select the store you want to shop at, and then shop and checkout as normal.

Your cashback will automatically be put into your account and mailed to you every few months!  Yay!

You can get a BONUS $30 cash when you sign up for Rakuten using this link.

  • Ibotta:  Another favorite cashback app is Ibotta.  Ibotta offers rebates on a wide variety of items in multiple stores.  All you have to do is shop, select the qualifying items within the app, and scan your receipt.

You can cash out once your account reaches $20!

Get a $10 BONUS when you sign up with this link.

  • Fetch Rewards:  Fetch Rewards is one of the easiest way to earn cash back on school supplies.  Simply download the app here and then scan your receipt into the app.  You will automatically earn points, which can be redeemed for gift cards to all of your favorite stores.                                        

Use code FETCH2K for 2,000 bonus points when signing up for Fetch!

5.  Leave the Kids at Home

Taking a school aged kid down the aisles of school supplies is the equivalent of taking them to a candy store.  One glimpse of the fun, colorful, trendy (and very very expensive) supplies and they are convinced they “just have to have it!”  (any other moms relate?!?!?).

I have learned the hard way that I will spend less money if I leave my kids at home.  If my kids never lay eyes on all the pretty school supplies, they won’t even know they are missing anything!

Leave those sweet kids at home and buy what you can afford, without having to feel guilty for saying “no.”

In Conclusion

There are many ways that you can save money when back to school shopping.  The most important thing is that you set a budget, and you stick to it.  No matter what!  We got this!

Related Articles:

21 Free and Frugal Kids Educational Websites

A Month of Kids School Lunch Ideas

A Month of After School Snacks

Don’t forget to pin this article for next years school supplies!

I hope this articles helped you learn how to save money on back to school shopping!

Hello! I’m Melanie!

Follow me on social!

Want more frugal tips?

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