Clothes/baby clothes

Hi Tineke,

We also wash here when it's necessary, and with the little one, I expect we'll do about 1 load per day.

I can imagine that with 4 kids and 2 adults, you can't manage with just 2 loads, definitely not even with 2 adults and a baby.

Hi Tineke,

Same here. Although I try to wash at night rates or on weekends. We're still 3 for now, 2 adults and 1 little one of 2.5. Soon though with 4. And, I have the following weekly laundry: - 1x towels (kitchen and bathroom), - 1x sheets, - 1x colored, - 1x dark and - 1x whites. I can't imagine washing less...

I already expected it would never work out, but it's actually too many clothes for just 2 washes. Maybe try doing 5 loads per week in total. I still find detergent pretty expensive, I guess it's because of me. Thanks for your messages.

And by the way, since I've already started this thread, how do you all handle grocery shopping? I can really only spend a maximum of €100 per week but I always end up going over. I buy almost everything at Lidl but it's still expensive. How would you handle this? I really can't spend more, but of course I want the kids to not go hungry.

Greetings, Tineke.

Three loads a week is really little, I mean it. I think that with 2 kids and a third on the way, I still do an average of one load every day.
I once heard from my neighbor (4 sons) that she did 2 loads a day and herself 4 times on Saturday (due to football).

The tip I can give you is to buy textiles in the same shades. So I have, for example, a lot of blue stuff and in red tones. That way you avoid having something stay in the laundry basket for a long time before it can be washed, because you don't have any more laundry in that color.

You say you find laundry detergent so expensive. It then also depends on which laundry detergent you buy. I usually use the small bottles of detergent from the Action. You only need 37ml of it (so 20 loads from one bottle) and a bottle costs only € 1.65.
I am satisfied with the smell and the results. I find it much better than those small bottles from Lidl. Those are more expensive and my laundry is not as fresh.

As for the rest of the shopping, I would say: check the flyers and compare various prices at various stores. Lidl is not cheap with all products. A box of tea, for example, costs € 0.55 there, while you can get a box of tea at C1000 for € 0.29. Furthermore, C1000 and AH regularly have promotions with meat (which I sometimes find quite expensive at Lidl). On Tuesday it seems you can get 3 loaves of bread for € 2 at AH.
I also think it's a good idea to have a community garden/vegetable garden. Since this year we have a community garden (we don't have space for a vegetable garden in our own garden). The rent for it costs € 37.50 per year and that can really pay off. With other gardeners, seeds and plants are often exchanged among themselves, so that also costs almost nothing.
The big advantage of growing your own vegetables is of course that they are pesticide-free, they are really fresh and have more flavor.

As for clothing, I think Wibra is the best, it has my preference over, for example, Zeeman. Zeeman is cheaper, but qualitatively I think the clothes from Wibra are generally a bit better.
So I bought a pair of jeans for my son who just turned 8 for € 5.99. That was the cheapest, but for about € 10 you can get very nice jeans at Wibra and for € 9 a hoodie (which cost at least € 15 at H&M). In addition, I buy a lot in the clearance. So I already bought some clothes for our girl who is on the way for next spring and summer at Wibra and Zeeman. Dresses for € 2, leggings for € 1 etc.....
For baby clothes, Zeeman is also very doable. Qualitatively it might sometimes be a bit less than Wibra, but they wear it so short that you don't really have any "issue" with it.
And of course Marktplaats and Ebay.

Good luck,
Gr. Gerda

Gerda, thanks for the long message! I've never been to Action before, so thanks, I'll definitely go there! And comparing deals might be smart too. I took a look at the C1000 website and indeed, there are a lot of things for just 1 euro. I'll go check it out soon too.

A little garden seems really useful to me; I don't have a garden, so I'll see if I can arrange something. That's a great tip. We're waiting for a rental house, then I could have my own garden. It's about time because a 3-room apartment is too small for his 6-year-old. I think it saves about 10 per week if it really grows?

I usually buy clothes second-hand, mostly at junk markets. In Arnhem (Rijnhal) there's a big junk market almost every month, and I always find good deals. Recently, I filled 4 big shopping bags with even branded clothes and new outfits for a total of 66 euros! I hardly ever buy anything at Wibra or Zeeman; I find it quite expensive compared to what you can buy at junk markets. I also sell all the clothes 2-3 times a year for slightly less than what I paid, so I basically get all the clothes for free. Although it might get harder later, the oldest is now 6 and it's already becoming more difficult.

Greetings, Tineke.

@ anoniem: what does working have to do with it?
Whether you work or not, kids cost money and it's not wrong (especially in these times) to be smart with your money.
When I read your (anonymous) reply, I think there's a bit of a prejudice: "Oh, they're trying to be frugal, so they probably don't work."
That wouldn't be an exception either with an unemployment rate of 6.5%, but well, that's another story altogether.
I'm just trying to say that being careful with your money doesn't have to have anything to do with whether you work or not.

Yesterday I saw your post, and you're right Unfortunately, after my last delivery, I couldn't work anymore. It was a very difficult birth (twins), and things barely went well. My husband was laid off 1.5 years ago; he now works 30 hours in a supermarket and 18 hours in a call center, both at minimum wage. So yes, we have to be frugal—there's no other way. Lately, a lot of people unfortunately live on minimum wage. Finding a good job is often almost impossible, even with good education.

Greetings, Tineke.

Wow, your husband works 48 hours... that's intense!
And in your previous post you mentioned the Rijnhal in Arnhem, so you live near there anyway, so houses are quite pricey there. We live in the north, so houses are a bit cheaper here (I think).

Anyway: I'm currently (consciously) not working, but studying. We're frugal, but that has nothing to do with the fact that I'm not working at the moment.
Until a bit over 3 years ago, my partner and I worked in our family business. I did so for about 10 years (also after the birth of my daughter and son) full-time or almost full-time. We had a very good monthly income then, but even then we lived frugally (and of course saved).
A bit over 3 years ago, our family business went bankrupt due to the crisis. My partner had unemployment benefits, but I as a DGA did not. How glad we were that we never did crazy things!
I got a job almost immediately (at our old company, after the takeover), and my partner after 9 months. That stayed the way it was until a year ago. I became burnt out and the occupational health physician was very clear: I could work anywhere, except at that company. For that company, I was disabled. He advised me to see this as an opportunity and turn things around.
So that's what I did: I'm now doing the PABO (teacher training) and for the first time in all those years I'm at home with my kids. I drop them off at school in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon. In about 2 years I hope to be able to work again.
Thanks to all those years of working a lot, it's also possible that I'm studying now, although we can easily get by on my partner's income. Our savings - which we have thanks to all those years of working - we don't need to touch.
And yet we're frugal, because you never know what's in store. Apart from that: our frugality has helped us through a difficult time in recent years and given me the chance to study again.
And so you see that being frugal doesn't have to do with whether you work or not, but more with using your common sense.

yesterdaylastk thanks for your long message My husband works 48 hours yes very long and I often feel guilty about it but we really can't make ends meet any other way. Renting in Arnhem I find is still okay we are now renting for a bit less than 400 but only 2 bedrooms. In those apartments you can also rent with 3 bedrooms then you pay no more than 450 but we prefer a house then you pay around 600 per month in rent but well there's waiting time and many people respond to the cheaper houses that are here in this neighborhood. We have now responded to a super nice house in that neighborhood less than 600 and 4 bedrooms close to where we live now that would of course be perfect!
Pity that your company went bankrupt well glad you were able to save. And especially glad that you started a training again! And being frugal is of course something you don't really want but sometimes you just have to it's not different. Glad you handle it so well. I still find it very difficult.
Greetings, Tineke.

I just don’t get it: if you don’t have money, why have 4 kids :S

Anonymous, I just think you lack empathy, and what are you even complaining about? You don't know her situation at all anyway! I also don't think you should judge!
I think you'd better keep your mouth shut if you have nothing useful to say to her..... I find your posts don't add any value.....
@ Tineke
Fortunately, you've already received some good tips I hope the house works out I always go bargain hunting. In flyers and such, or stocking up on things that are on sale in the store for longer periods... Things like laundry detergent don't spoil, so that's easy Besides, I don't really have any other tips, hope you figure it out.

Ugh, come on Anonymous... You don't get that you'd have to take on 4 kids then? It could also be that having kids still works out fine and it's only later, once the kids are already there, that things go wrong financially... But seriously, you really have to make it work, you can't just send them back..
With 2 adults and 2 kids here, I was mostly busy on weekends.. but I really can't avoid doing laundry during the week either. Unfortunately..
But definitely go for bargains... And the Action, I love it hahahah.. they have so many fun things, whether it's accessories or other stuff, and it's not expensive at all.. I hear more and more people talking about it..
I hope you figure it out! You've gotten some good tips... and keep an eye on the bargains.. Believe me, we manage easily and I barely work... but I just find it a sport to buy things cheap and fix them up/pimp them and get a lot of things cheaply;-)
I completely agree with what Gerda says, it's more about common sense!!

Dear Anonymous,
You're welcome to leave people alone. A comment like this doesn't add anything to Tineke's question. You're welcome to chat along and you don't have to agree with everything, but once again, this isn't necessary here.

If you post something like this again, I'll have to ban you from the forum unfortunately.

Brabbels

@ Cin: I also make it a sport of buying things cheaply. I think it's a good example for my kids too .
@ Tineke: maybe you're entitled to rental subsidy???

Thanks for your lovely replies again It did indeed go much better 2 years ago, we could barely afford to rent, had almost too much per year, how fast that can change. Gerda, thank you so much for the tip about Action, I went there today with a friend, I don't have a car so it was easier and more fun. There were some nice deals and really cheap little things. Also nice gifts, I bought something for the two oldest, they deserved it. And diapers, wipes, and shampoo, what a solution, I immediately stocked up for a few months. Going there more often then! Glad I wrote here after all, I took some time to think about starting a topic. Thanks again everyone for the tips and messages!
Greetings, Tineke.

Action is indeed a nice shop, why pay more when it's not necessary?

Things are really tight at the moment, I know all about it how finances can suddenly take a turn for the worse unfortunately.
But we have food and everything basic we need and why eat meat every day?
Lidl also has good stuff and luckily I live across the street.

MP has been my best friend these past months (especially now that I'm pregnant), what nice stuff for so little!

Good luck Tineke, you've received lots of practical and kind tips.

Greetings Dani

Glad you found it useful!
I probably pop by the Action at least once a week. For shampoo, hand soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bleach, toilet cleaner, vacuum cleaner bags, laundry detergent, ironing water, uhh... I could go on like this.
When the kids have a party, I always stop by the Action first. My motto is: first to the Action, and if they don’t have it there, then to another store

Hi fellow name-sake!

Lovely to read that you've already received so many good tips here.

Action is also a store I visit regularly!
Sometimes there are really nice little items.

I’ve already gotten some nice home and bedroom accessories from Action, really great!
Lidl I always go to, but have to say it’s super crowded there, and I also shop at C1000 for some things, but sometimes I find certain Lidl products even better than the big brands :-P
Marktplaats is awesome too, my boyfriend has bought and pimped some really cool stuff over the past few years.. totally top :-)