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Don't overlook the help that your yayas may be able to provide when it comes to managing household expenses. You might not be able to rely on her when it comes to budgeting, but you can teach her how to save money around the house. For tips, we asked from real moms for the the simplest yet effective money-saving strategies they've their taught yayas. Just remember that yayas may need constant reminders until it becomes a routine or a habit.
1 Make a meal plan.
Mom Ruth Bonilla Rotor makes a weeky meal plan from breakfast to dinner. "My yaya knows already what to buy when she goes to the market, and we can make sure none will go to waste."
2 Reuse laundry water.
Mom of two Evelyn Sanidad advises her yaya to repurpose it for other areas around the house. “She uses it in the bathroom for cleaning or to flush the toilet.”
3 Buy food that’s in season.
“If there’s a rise in tomato prices, for example, I tell her to not buy those for a while and cook dishes that don’t need tomatoes,” says Mom Evelyn.ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWWhat other parents are reading
4 Turn off and unplug appliances when not in use.
“I tell my yaya to turn off all the lights when she takes her afternoon nap,” says Yolly Darlucio, a mom of two. She also tells her yaya to turn off lights in rooms with no occupants.
To prevent fire hazards, Mavic Torres, a government employee and mom of two, says, “We remind our manang to unplug her phone charger before she goes to sleep.”
5 Don’t neglect leftovers.
“Our yaya’s the only one home during lunch on weekdays since my youngest goes to school already. She often doesn't cook anymore since there are usually leftovers from last night’s dinner,” says Jeannette Castillo, a working mom of two. Other yayas are savvy when it comes to transforming leftovers into new meals. Mom Mavic, for example, says her yaya to turns leftover bread into pudding.
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6 Encourage productive hobbies.
“It’s great that our helper gardens during her downtime instead of watching teleseryes,” says mom of three Jennifer Yu. “She planted sili, kalamansi and kamatis in our back garden. We don’t have to buy those from the market anymore.”
7 Buy separate toiletries.
Merrniam Aquino, business owner and mom of three, shares a quick story on how she came around to discovering a money-saving strategy. “I noticed that my family’s shampoo and conditioner ran out quicker than it used to when our yaya came along. Now, I buy our yaya her own toiletries—a few bars of soap, a bottle of shampoo and a tube of toothpaste. She rations them out to last her a month.”
8 Designate chores for each day of the week.
“Schedule ironing day to just one big batch once a week to save on electricity” says mom of three Gigi Trinidad. “The same goes for laundry to save on water,” she adds.
9. Watch TV together.
Do your family and yaya love the same TV shows? If so, mom of two Maricar Martelino shares this tip: “Watch TV in the family living room together,” she says. You won’t just be saving electricity, your relationship with yaya will get stronger, too.CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch now
