Mother shares tips on how to save money while feeding a family of four

A mother of two has figured out how to shop smartly and spend less on food and toiletries for her family of four. Kate Walters shared her approach in a Facebook support group for moms and was quickly flooded with questions. This led her to create an Instagram account, Savvy Spending with Kate, where she offers tips on maximising your budget.

“Our food budget is really tight… but as a stay-at-home mom, I need to make every cent count,” Walters explains. “It’s all about having the right mindset and a solid budgeting strategy. Focus on your essentials first and manage your non-essentials by spreading them throughout the month to avoid wasting money.”

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When shopping, Walters sticks to the basics and keeps track of her spending with a calculator. If she stays under budget, she will pick up a few non-essential items. She also finds that cutting back on meat can significantly reduce costs. Beans, lentils, chickpeas, and vegetarian meals are good substitutes.

For healthy snacks, Walters prefers buying fruit from informal traders, where she can get a box for much less. She often makes meals from scratch, like buying a large tub of yoghurt and adding fruits and nuts instead of purchasing individual yoghurt packs.

“Last night, I made a simple pesto pasta with just three ingredients – pesto, pasta, and cheese – costing R13 per meal for each of us,” she says.

Walters is also planning a series of workshops focused on budgeting, meal planning, and shopping strategies. Additionally, she has launched a website with bi-weekly blog posts aimed at helping people spend their money more efficiently.

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