6 Money-Saving Sites I Use to Budget for My Family of Six

As a mom and a business owner, I know the pressure of making every dollar count. Whether I'm planning meals, booking travel, or trying to save a little extra each month, these tools and websites have become my go-to resources for keeping our family of six on budget without sacrificing quality.

Here are my tried-and-true favorites (with a few personal tips sprinkled in 🧡):

1. Rakuten - Get Cash Back While You Shop. If you love online shopping, you need Rakuten. This free app and browser extension gives you cash back at stores you already shop at, like Target, Walmart, Sephora, and Booking.com. I’ve saved hundreds just by clicking the Rakuten button before I check out.

Pro Tip: Install the extension so it reminds you to activate cash back automatically!

2. Fetch Rewards - Turn Receipts into Gift Cards. Fetch makes it ridiculously easy to earn points just by scanning your receipts. Grocery store, gas station, big box store, you name it. Those points add up and can be redeemed for gift cards.

I use mine for gift cards and save them up for back-to-school and holiday shopping!

3. Costco Travel - Exclusive Perks on Hotels, Cars & Vacations If you’re a Costco member, don’t sleep on Costco Travel. We’ve booked rental cars with free extra drivers, hotel stays with upgrades, and even received bonus perks like gas cards.

It’s my secret weapon for affordable, quality family travel.

Bonus Travel Tools to Watch. While Costco Travel is my #1, you can also explore:

• Hotels.com for "Stay 10 nights, get 1 free" rewards
• Turo for budget-friendly car rentals from real people
• Kayak Explore to find where you can travel based on your budget.

4. Groupon - Local Fun for Less. From massages and restaurants to trampoline parks and kids' activities, Groupon is a treasure chest of local deals.

I always check Groupon before we travel, too. You can find fun experiences on a budget.

5. Pinterest + Notion - My Meal Planning Super Combo. Pinterest is where I gather budget-friendly, family-approved recipes. Then I organize them in Notion with shopping lists, weekly plans, and notes.

This combo helps us avoid overspending and makes meal prep significantly easier.

6. Too Good To Go - Groceries & Meals for Less. Too Good To Go lets you buy leftover restaurant meals at a discount, great for baked goods and breakfast items at a huge discount! Think of it as a great way to try local places without having to spend a lot of money.

I picked up cupcakes from a local bakery using Too Good To Go, and they were DELICIOUS!