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“How the hell am I going to afford two?” was my first thought after seeing two little sacs on the ultra sound screen.

I spent the bulk of my pregnancy worrying about how we were going to afford twins. I didn’t actually get a plan going until I was admitted on hospital bed rest when I really had nothing better to do.

Like most mommas expecting twins- I was about to become a SAHM. The cost of daycare for two infants is INSANE. My husband and I quickly decided I would stay home after we looked into the prices of some local daycare’s. Neither of us liked the idea of losing time with our twins, just to bring home a couple hundred bucks a month.

So first decision made- I would stay home

I was kind of upset about the idea. I had just started with my company earlier in the year and I loved it! It was hands down the best company I had ever worked for. I recommend them to anyone looking for a job in my area. But, as much as I loved the job it just didn’t make sense to keep it.

So while in the hospital, I contacted my company HR department and started the termination process.

Okay, first step done. Now we are officially broke and I have no idea how we are going to do this one income thing!

My husband and I have always been bad at budgets. When we first got out on our own, we did great! And then we opted into the land of credit cards and loans… yeah we all know how that ended. Let’s just leave it as- we have a lot of bills now. A lot more than the average 23 year old couple.

That is where the most of my anxiety went. Having a lot of debts creates a lot of monthly payments that I wasn’t sure if we would be able to cover. But I was determined to figure out how on earth we could afford twins.

Now I am at the four month mark of being a SAHM without an income, and I have some tips to share on how I have kept us afloat!

Keep reading for the 10 best tips I have to offer!

10 Tips for Affording Twins on One Income

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1. Cut out what you don’t need

   First first tip is one you hear from everyone when you start to budget- cut cut cut! I started out by going through my monthly bills and seeing what (if anything) we could cut. Good examples are tv, subscription services and gym memberships (ha you aren’t going to use it anyways). Be smart about what you are cutting out though! I have a petsmart plan for our dog, for instance. I wanted to cut that bill out, but it is smarter to keep the service. Having only one income makes it harder to drop big bills on surprise events (like the dog getting hurt). So I would rather keep the $27 a month bill than lose the service.

2. Call companies about cheaper options

   After you have eliminated the bills you don’t need- call the companies you still plan on working with and see if there are any cheaper options. I did this and got a cheaper rate for my internet. I also found out that a few companies (Verizon and Geico) offer discounts for auto-pay. If you are smart about your bank account, select the auto-pay option! It could save you money.

3. Make up the perfect registry

   My next tip is to create the perfect registry. Baby crap is EXPENSIVE. And there is no way around it. You need the clothes, diapers, crib and changing table. And it all costs $$$$$$. Use my step-by-step plan for getting the most out of your Amazon registry and my checklist for what you really need for baby to set yourself up for success in the baby department. I got SO much from family and friends that the only things I have had to buy are diapers and wipes. Of course I have bought other stuff, because little baby things are just so cute! But I haven’t truly needed anything after what everyone bought for us!

4. Shop sales and second hand

   If you do end up needing to buy some extra stuff afterwards, shop sales and second hand. My favorite place to buy second hand items is on the Facebook Marketplace. You can choose how far you want to travel for the items and talk to people straight through Facebook! I also keep an eye out for good sales on the Krazy Koupon Lady app. There are SO many great baby and home deals on there!

5. Subscribe on Amazon

   If you just don’t want to worry about purchasing, and want to save a bit, use Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial“>Amazons Subsrcibe and Save feature. You can save a ton on diapers, wipes and things for home and have them all delivered at a certain time each month (or twice a month!)

6. Plan out your trips

   This is a big one. When you stay home, everything becomes a trip. A trip to the grocery store, a trip to make a return, a trip to the doctors office. You can’t just swing by the store on your way home anymore. And this can easily become a huge gas guzzler. So make sure to plan out what you are doing. If you need to go to the grocery store, what else needs to get done? Do you need to stop buy the bank? Exchange some diapers? Pick up formula? Make a plan with what you need to get done and save some gas!

7. Watch your electricity usage

   You are going to be surprised by how much extra energy you use while staying home. My electricity bill has about doubled and I am still trying to work it down. So think about all of the ways your parents nagged you about to save on electricity. Turn lights off when you leave a room, heat the rooms you need warm, unplug things when you aren’t using them. Another way to save is opt into an equal pay program though your electricity provider so better budget for your bill.

8. Eat at home

   You are going to be home anyways- so eat there! A huge way to save money for anyone is to eat at home. Take a little bit of time while the twins are napping to meal plan and make a grocery list and then shop when hubby can take over for a while. It has been a huge transition for me to eat at home all of the time. Especially making my morning coffee. I used to love stopping by Starbucks on the way to work and getting and iced coffee with peppermint instead of classic. Sounds like a weird drink, right? But it is SO refreshing. But I gave up the habit and have been drinking coffee at home. That right there has saved us a chunk of money. You might think eating at home is going to be a hard one for you, and I thought the same! But when you are always home, it’s honestly easier most of the time. Sometimes I will still call my husband and tell him to pick up something on his way home, but for the most part we eat at home!

9. Coupon when you can

   Grocery shopping can get expensive when you are eating entirely out of your fridge, so make sure to look out for coupons on your favorite things! Like I mentioned before, the Krazy Koupon Lady app is GREAT for showing you the best deals in your area. You can even select which store you want to shop at and view their best deals.

10. Less is more

    My last tip for you is that less is more. When it comes to babies, especially if you are a new momma like yourself, you want to buy everything under the sun. But the truth is, you don’t need nearly that much. You don’t need a million outfits for them, tons of toys or the coolest gadgets. They will be happy with whatever you have. They just need diapers, love and cuddles.

What do you do to afford twins?

Go ahead and share in the comments if you have other tips for the new or expecting twin momma 🙂

Have a great day guys!