Sweet Frugal Life

Being Frugal Doesn't Make Life Any Less Sweet

  • Start Here
  • Free Downloads
  • Frugal
    • Frugal Living
    • Budgeting
    • Travel
    • Gift Ideas
    • Good Deals
  • Parenting
    • Money Education
    • Holidays
    • Crafts
  • Recipes
    • Breads
    • Dinner
    • Cleaners
  • Recipe Book
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

How To Start A Babysitting Co-op To Save Money On Childcare

November 16, 2021 By: Sweet Frugal Lifecomment

Tips for setting up a money saving child care co-op!

I am so excited to share exactly how to start a babysitting co-op to help you save money on childcare!

Let’s be real here, being a stay at home mom is hard!  It’s late nights, crying babies, fighting kids, zero alone time, and so so many messes.  And….it’s 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  It is a long, tiring and lonely job. 

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE being a stay at home mom, but it isn’t easy at all.  Which is why I think it’s SO important for moms to have regular time away from the kids.  We need those stress free moments to run errands, go to doctors appointments, meet up with a friend for lunch, or just to have some peace and quiet to recoup. 

The only problem is that it can get really expensive to pay for child care for each of these outings.  And that’s where a neighborhood babysitting co-op can come in.

Years ago my friends organized a child care co-op for our neighborhood and it was such a blessing for each of us stay at home moms.  I’m so excited to share the details with each of you today so you can start your own!

how to start a babysitting coop - free babysitting tips for sahms

What Is A Babysitting Co-Op?

A babysitting co-op is a group of parents who take turns watching each others kids.  A co-op uses tickets to pay each other, instead of money.  The more you babysit, the more tickets you earn!  Use those hard earned tickets to pay someone else in the co-op to watch your own kids.  It’s really a beautiful system!

Why Form A Babysitting Co-Op?

I loved being apart of a babysitting co-op.  It helped me and my family in so many ways, and I think it can help you:

  • Save money on childcare
  • Help your kids make new friends and develop social skills
  • Give you alone time to run errands or get things done around the home
  • Helps you get to know the neighborhood kids better

It is truly a win-win for everyone!

How To Start a Babysitting Co-op

You can start your very own babysitting co-op, it is really easy and I’m here to walk you through every step!

1.  Find Members

If you want a co-op, you’re going to need a few more members!  Take a few minutes and brainstorm who you would like to invite to your babysitting group.  It will work best to invite those that you are already close to, such as friends, family members, neighbors or moms from your church.  Being able to trust each other to watch your kids is so important!

Personally, I wouldn’t want to bring a group of random strangers met over the internet together for a child care group.  Try to brainstorm a group of like minded parents that are all familiar with each other.  Aim for 8-16 families; to few means not enough babysitters and to many can get confusing.

2.  Set The Rules

The babysitting co-op rules will be different based on your groups needs and preferences, but here are a few you might want to consider:

  • Sick Children:  Children who are sick should not be dropped off at a babysitters home, and a babysitter should not babysit when they have sick children at home.
  • Be On Time:  All group members will be expected to respect each others time by picking up their kids right when the shift ends.  If you are late picking up your child you will have to pay double tickets.
  • Call Ahead:  Everyone will need to call ahead before dropping their kids off.  If nobody calls by the time your shift starts, you will have the day off from babysitting!
  • BYOD:  Parents must provide a few clean diapers and wipes when dropping off unpotty trained kids.  
  • Switch Shifts:  If you are unable to complete your scheduled shift you will need to find another co-op member to cover for you and then let all group members know of the change.
  • Discipline:  Decide as a group if there will be discipline allowed while babysitting and what forms are acceptable.
  • Kid Limit:  You might want to make a limit of how many kids can be dropped off at each babysitter at a time.  Somewhere between 5-7 kids per parent is a good rule of thumb, depending on ages.

3.  Make a Schedule

Next, set up the babysitting schedule shifts.  Shifts will vary depending on what works best for your group.  My group was mostly stay at home moms wanting childcare to run errands during the afternoon, so all of our shifts were on weekdays.  But, other groups could have weekend and evening shifts available if that is what they need.  Do what works best for you!

Here are an example of what the daily shifts could look like in your group, remember it’s okay to adjust them in whichever way will be best for you!

Monday:  9-12 and 1-4 and 5-8

Tuesday:  9-12 and 1-4 and 5-8

Wednesday:  9-12 and 1-4 and 5-8

Thursday:  9-12 and 1-4 and 5-8

Friday:  9-12 and 1-4 and 5-8

Saturday:  12-3 and 5-8

Have each person in the group sign up for one or two shifts each week.  For example, I might have the Wednesday 9-12 shift.  So, every Wednesday I will set aside my morning to babysit any kids that need to be watched at that time.

Feel free to use my provided babysitting co-op schedule here to set up a calendar of each shift and who will be babysitting when.  Make sure everyone has a copy of the calendar so they know who is available and when.

coop schedule

4.  Ticket System

Now for the fun part, setting up the ticket system!  To keep the babysitting fair and track babysitting hours, I suggest using tickets as payment.  Each family will begin with 10 1-hour tickets and 10 1/2-hour tickets.  These tickets are good for one kid at a time.  So, when you ask someone to babysit for 2 hours for 2 kids, you will need to pay them 4 1-hour tickets.  The babysitter can then use those tickets to ask someone to watch their kids for them.  The more you babysit, the more you tickets you’ll earn!

I have included Sitter Buck tickets in my free babysitting co-op printables here!  Make sure to print the Sitter Bucks onto cardstock and laminate each ticket.  These will be passed around to many hands, so the more durable you can make them, the better!

babysitting coop tickets

5.  The System

You are just about ready to start your first babysitting co-op, I’m so excited for you!  The system is simple really.

First, have everyone choose their shifts, fill out their contact info provided in my babysitting co-op freebies, and handout tickets (10 1-hour tickets and 10 1/2-hour tickets for each family).  Make sure everyone has a copy of the contact info and schedule.

Then, if you need a babysitter for your kids, just look at who has a shift that day, call them up and ask if they can watch your kids.  Now all you have to do is drop your kids off during their shift and enjoy a few hours of kid free time!

When you pick up your kids, pay the babysitter with your tickets.  Easy Peasy!

 

You got this!

Feeling intimidated about starting a babysitting co-op???  Because you shouldn’t!  Grab my free babysitting co-op printables here, grab a few friends and get started!

babysitting coop printables

 

Related Articles:

Free Summer Reading Programs For Kids 2021

How To Save Money On Kids Clothes

Budget Friendly Birthday Traditions for Kids

 

Pin For Later:

free babysitting coop printables - how to make a babysitting coop

How to start a babysitting co-op to save money.

How To Live On One Income

March 5, 2020 By: Sweet Frugal Life20 Comments

How to save money as a stay at home mom.

Have you wondered how to live on one income?  I’ve been doing it with my family of 5 for over 15 years now.  It’s definitely not easy, but it’s possible!

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a stay at home mom.  I struggled choosing a career path in high school and college because I only had dreams of being a mom.

I have been living my dream for 15 years now and am so grateful.  My husband is a good and hard worker, but he is also a blue collar worker and he does not earn a large paycheck.

It’s not always easy to be a stay at home mom when I know that our financial situation could be much better if I would go to work.

We have had many financial ups and downs and I have had to learn to change from a natural SPENDER to a SAVER.  It has not always been easy, but I have learned a few things along the way to make it more doable.

Today I am sharing my secrets for how to live on one income!

This post does contain affiliate links.  I will be compensated for purchases made through my links.  Thanks for supporting my little business!

12618D2A-3BDD-4FD4-A9E7-5F87984A65D8

How To Live On One Income

Here are a few tips I have learned to save money as a stay at home mom.  I hope they help you learn how to live on one income.

Secret #1:  Stay at Home Moms Contribute To The Family Finances

As a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM), I do not earn a physical paycheck, we are living on one income after all.  But, that does not mean that I don’t contribute to the family finances.

I consider it a large part of my job to stretch my husbands paycheck as far as I can.  A stay at home moms paycheck comes in the form of saving money, budgeting smartly, spending less instead of more.  Taking this part of my job seriously has helped us to save more and live more contently.

Money saving tricks for

Secret #2:  Make a Budget and Stick To It

One of the most important parts of saving more money at home is by making a budget.  This budget will help you keep track of your income and expenses.  It’s important to refer to it often to be sure you are not over spending.

At the end of every month we have a “Budget Meeting” where my husband and I sit down and discuss our finances and make our budget for the next month.

It is not always easy to stick to this budget (especially not at first).  But the more we kept working on it, the easier it has become and the more freedom we have felt.

Having this budget keeps my money in check AND gives me freedom to spend without feeling guilty.  We prefer to spend most of our money using cash, and that has helped us spend so much less!

Secret #3:  Do NOT Spend A Lot Of Money On Kids Clothes

As a new mom I use to love buying cute dresses, outfits and accessories for my baby girl.  There are so many colors and fun items to choose from, I mean who wouldn’t get a little carried away?!?

But, when living on one income I learned quickly that my money is not going to go far if I continued with that habit.  Once I actually looked at my budget, I couldn’t believe how much money I was wasting on kids clothing.

Kids grow out of clothes so very quickly, they spend most of their time playing outside getting their clothes dirty…..and honestly, most kids (especially younger kids) do not care how much their clothes cost or what brand they are wearing.  So why spend the big bucks on them???

Here’s a few ways you can save money on kids clothing:

1.  Save Everything

If you are planning on having more children, save all of your kids clothes.  That way when the next child comes you will already have plenty of clothing that you can use again.

I organized all my children’s old clothes into boxes (diaper boxes work great for this!).  If you are concerned about storage space try this under bed storage and keep the clothing under your child’s bed.  To keep the clothes organized label each box by the age and gender of the clothing.

2.  Buy USED!

There are so many high quality, gently used kids clothing options available.  And buying used is usually less than half the price of buying brand new.

My favorite option is a local children’s consignment store.  Check to see if you have one in your area and stop by regularly.  Some days I leave without buying anything, but other days I leave with a bag full of like-new name brand items.

A few other places to find used kids clothing are thrift stores, garage sales, Facebook marketplace and eBay.  Remember, when shopping used, check often!

3.  Shop off Season

New clothes will be heavily discounted at the end of each season.

In the spring you can find winter clothes for cheap and in the fall summer clothes have big discounts.

Buy a size up from what your child is wearing currently and save it for them to wear the next year.  It’s always fun to pull these out each season.

4.  Sell Clothes That Kids Grow Out Of

If you aren’t planning on having any other children and your kids have grown out of their clothes,  SELL the clothing.

I have had a lot of luck selling kids clothing at consignment stores, Facebook marketplace and garage sales.  If you are going to get rid of them anyways you might as well make a few bucks right!?!

  • Related:  10 Items In Your House You Can Sell Quickly To Make Money

5.  Shop at Discount Clothing Stores

Try to get into the habit of shopping at discount clothing stores.  I personally love Ross and TJ Maxx.  These stores have high quality clothing, but for a really great price.

Shopping at these stores is a bit like a treasure hunt, you never know what will be in stock, but there is no better feeling than finding the perfect outfit for the best price!

Secret #4:  Meal Plan

Every week on Sundays you will find me with my pen and paper and planning out our weekly menu.  A meal plan will help stop the temptation to buy take out, and encourages eating at home, which is much cheaper than eating out.

When making your weekly Meal Plan look through ads at your local grocery stores to see what the stores have on sale.  Try to plan your meal plan around those sales.  It takes time, but it saves a lot of money.  You know the saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”  Make a plan!

  • Related:  Start Meal Planning For The Complete Beginner

 

 

Secret #5:  Cook from Scratch

Another tip for learning how to live on one income is to cook from scratch as often as possible.  I still throw a frozen lasagna into the oven occasionally, but I have learned that the more I cook from scratch, the more money I will save.

If you struggle having enough time for cooking, browse pinterest for instant pot recipes and crock pot recipes.  I use these regularly and they have stopped me from buying take out food many times!

Encourage your kids to help in the kitchen.  It makes it a little more fun and easier if the kids help out too.  We love to turn on some tunes, dance and laugh together while we cook.

  • Related:  Easy Pasta Dinner Recipe

Secret #6:  Travel Frugally

Traveling is a fun way for families to build bonds and make memories.  But, you do not need a fancy expensive vacation to make memories.  Explore areas nearby for your family vacation.  Become tourists in your own area.

For example, you could go camping at a nearby National Park, spend a couple of nights at a hotel for a “Staycation”, or explore a few local museums.

Join Groupon and look regularly for deals that you can use as a family.  Your town just might be more interesting than you originally thought, and your kids will appreciate the extra time spent together.

  • Related:  Over 20 Tricks for Travel on a Budget

Secret#7:  Consult Pinterest Cautiously

As a mom Pinterest is my go-to resource for finding kid activities and recipes.  However, if you are trying to save money you should view Pinterest cautiously.

Pinterest is full of wonderful helpful ideas, however it can also be far to easy to get swept away with the fancy home décor and lavish birthday parties.  The “keeping up the Joneses” can come out strong on this website.

Enjoy your time browsing Pinterest, but be careful not to get swept away in the pins that will end up only costing you more money.

Secret #8:  The best things in life are actually free

Sometimes it’s hard to see others going on exotic vacations and buying fancy new vehicles.  But, I have learned that the best things in life are actually free.

Try to find joy and contentment in the simple things in your life.  Going on a family bike ride, dancing in the kitchen, and snuggling with my kids while reading books are all moments that I will treasure forever.

No amount of money is worth more than these quiet times with my children.  When we learn to find joy in these special free moments (something I am constantly working on) those lavish experiences won’t seem near as tempting.

Living on One Income Conclusion

It is possible to be a stay at home mom and live well while only on one income.  It will require some sacrifice and extra work, but it has been so worth it in my life.

Being able to be with my kiddos every day, reading them books, packing their lunchboxes, helping in their classrooms, playing with them at the park, has been a dream come true.

I understand that this way of life may not be the best fit for everyone, but it my dream and my heart.  And I’m so glad we have made the financial sacrifices to make it happen!

Liked what you read?  Remember to pin it for future reference!

tips for living on one income for stay at home moms

how to live well while on one low income

 

Related Articles:

Fun Birthday Traditions for Small Budgets

12 Side Hustles for Stay at Home Moms

15 Free Spring Break Activities for Kids

I hope this article helps you learn how to live on one income.

Hello! I’m Melanie!

Follow me on social!

Want more frugal tips?

Terms and Conditions

Disclaimer

Copyright © 2023 · Modern Blogger Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT