Is it possible to save money during quarantine? Being careful with money during crisis is the logical goal and desire. Yet, our expenses often sky rocket whenever we experience turmoil or uncertainty. It has to do with a variety of factors. Fear, anxiety, emotional eating, and the need to compensate for the lack of normalcy are the primary reasons behind increased spending.
The Coronavirus pandemic has stirred a lot of emotions in all of us. Due to the mandatory social distancing, we find ourselves lonely and anxious. In one of my previous posts, I wrote about the hidden link between loneliness and debt. As I mentioned there, “when we feel emotionally alienated, heartbroken, or socially rejected, we seek security in the things we can buy.” Of course, the loneliness we experience during the pandemic is above typical levels. This is especially true for single mothers as we typically don’t have a company of an adult partner at home.
Although, it is easy to become intertwined with the sense of social panic that we can witness through increased hoarding and impulse buying, we are able to make better choices. It’s important that we don’t begin to deprive ourselves and our children of self-care and joy that comes from certain things. The goal is to maintain a good level of “normalcy” while making smart choices with money. In other words, we need to try balance our short-term needs and well being, while keeping in mind our long-term financial goals.
Needless to say, if you haven’t yet revisited your monthly budget, I highly recommend doing that. You will be surprised to discover that your expenses during quarantine are not quite the same as your regular expenses. Making adjustments in your budget will help you prioritize your current spending and saving needs better.
Our self-care needs don’t stop because of quarantine, and our kids needs a healthy dose of entertainment and fun. This is where creativity comes to the rescue. The good thing is there are super creative people out there who happily share creative knowledge and we don’t need to recreate the wheel, so to speak. Below you will find a list of creative ideas to creatively boost different areas of your life, and help you save your money during quarantine. Win-win!
Save on Hair Care
- Discover these DIY Natural Hair Care recipes to improve and maintain great hair condition.
- If you need to color your hair, consider these super useful tips to help you achieve better results at home. Learn how to do your own highlights, color grey roots, and color the back of your hair.
Trim and Cut Kids Hair At Home
Save On Nails
Nail salons are closed, but you can still keep your nails beautiful and well groomed. Here is how to do your very own manicure and pedicure at home.
Save on Toys
- Try these simple and super fun indoor activities for kids stuck at home. My daughter can spend hours playing with home made activities, and you can use things you already have at home.
- During quarantine, you are ordering things to be delivered to your home. So put those cardboard boxes to good use! Kids’ imagination is limitless when it comes to boxes and it literally costs you nothing. You can also let your child simply paint or draw on empty box to keep it simple.
Save in the Kitchen
- Watch this super easy video tip on how to grow lettuce, celery, and greens from scraps.
- Clear out your pantry by challenging yourself to become more creative with recipes. Plan your meals and cook using only those items you already have in your pantry.
- Watch the tips about Great Depressions cooking.