You’ve just paid for your children’s first semester tuition, and you have another semester or two to prep for a few months after. How are you going to budget the family finances? To be honest, you’re not the only mom who is worrying about this. Juggling savings and expenses is a common dilemma in most Filipino households today. However, there are small things you can do to ease the burden a little. Here are a few tipid tips to help you budget the family expenses.

1. Take the DIY route.

Are you into sewing? Maybe you can make a cute lunch bag for your kid instead of buying a new one. Stitching old notebook pages together could also save you from having to buy a couple of new notebooks.

2. Borrow books instead of buying new ones.

Do your kids know any upper classmen? Maybe you could ask to borrow their books, so you don’t have to purchase new ones this year. Return the favor by lending your children’s books to their juniors.

3. Prepare baon for your kids.

Yes, you’ll need to wake up a lot earlier than usual, but at least you won't have to worry about lunch money. You can still give your kids a weekly allowance, but it’s not an amount that would break the bank.

4. Leave the house as a family.

Taking your kids to school, and then going back home to sleep a little more or to prepare for work is a waste of time and money. Cut your expenses by making sure everyone leaves home at the same time. Going to work early also gives you a head start on your paperwork and encourages you to be more productive in the office.

(Photo by Creative Tools via Flickr Creative Commons)