The surprising thing I found was how many things are available FREE through local churches and recreation centers.
My kids were little and really didn’t know then, but we continued to teach them that when there is money in the budget, they can participate in extra activities and when there isn’t, they can’t.
This was challenging for us because we loved our weekly lunches out on Sundays, after church. But it was through this that I learned how to menu plan and really cook well.
This was probably the toughest thing for my husband. We were able to supplement by visiting our local library weekly to pick up some great movies completely FREE.