About

Welcome to Frugal Mum!

A bit about me…

Hi, I’m Natalie Smith – AKA Frugal Mum. I live on the Kent coast with my husband Jay, our two home-schooled munchkins Finn (12) and Lola (11) and our pooch Milo. An ex-primary school teacher, I now work as a tutor alongside my role as a family money-saving blogger and writer!

 

How did Frugal Mum start?

There was a time when our income was very small, so I had to become pretty good at keeping costs down so that we could stay afloat. When our son was born, just two weeks after my 21st birthday, I was in the middle of a teaching degree with no income, my husband was working as a junior web developer earning about £18,000 a year, and to say that we had to live a very frugal lifestyle would be an understatement!

Our daughter arrived less than two years later, completing our little family, and I qualified as a teacher and began working part-time, but things were still tight. We didn’t have the spare money for expensive treats and luxuries, but we also wanted to give our children a good childhood.

DIY and second-hand shopping allowed us to furnish and decorate our family home on a budget; Sun Newspaper holidays allowed us to have family getaways for under £100; and free days out enjoying nature (with plenty of picnics!) gave us wonderful weekends and fond memories without the big bill. Fortunately, our finances are easier nowadays but budgeting has become a habit and, with the UK cost of living crisis, we’ve no choice but to be careful with our spending.

By cutting costs on every day essentials and entertaining the children on a budget, we’re able to set some money aside for the things that we love to indulge in, such as theatre trips and holidays in the sun! I created my Frugal Mum website for like-minded parents to join me on my frugal quest to enjoy family life on a budget without missing out on all the fun!

Being frugal doesn’t mean that you can’t ever treat yourself, travel or splurge once in a while – at least that’s not how I do it! But, when we spend less on the things that aren’t really enhancing our lives or giving us any joy (like bills and the weekly shop!) we can save up for the things that are important to us.

Spend less on your everyday living costs and you’ll be able to live more – I promise! Plus, there’s a lot of joy to be found in a more simple, minimalist and frugal lifestyle. So – whether you’re wanting to save up to travel, buy your first house, clear debt, pay off your mortgage or whatever it is your heart desires – you’ve come to the right place. Follow my tips and your finances will be back on track in no time!

 

Where else can you find me?

I partnered with HMRC to be the face of their Child Benefit online campaign – raising awareness for their new digital application process, to make it even easier for new parents to apply – filming an advert at our home, writing an article and providing a quote for their Press Notice.

 

In 2023, I worked on a big article for a pull out in the Daily Mail – sharing my money saving tips for their ‘Beat the Squeeze’ campaign! Want to save £3k for your summer holiday? I’ve got you covered! 😉

Frugal Mum, Natalie Smith, Daily Mail article, cost of living crisis, beat the squeeze, how to save £3k for your summer holiday

 

I’ve been a guest blogger for websites like Preloved.

Frugal Mum, Natalie Smith, Preloved guest blog article, how to home teach your children

 

I feature at number 10 on Feedspot’s Top 15 UK Budget Blogs. And, have had my articles shared on lots of social media pages and websites such as Quidco, The Parent Bible, Twinkl and The Real Deal of Parenting.

frugal mum, quidco social media image, natalie smith, article

frugal mum, the parent bible social media image, natalie smith, article

frugal mum, halloween recipe article image, natalie smith, creepy halloween cupcakes recipe

 

I also review products, travel and days out – we love a European holiday on a budget, so I’m a bit of a Eurocamp expert! And, I work more closely with some brands as part of a paid partnership too.

eurocamp review, complete holiday guide, FAQs, frugal mum

 

Work with me

If you’d like to work together on a money-saving article, or a brand collaboration, I’d love to hear from you. Please get in touch at hello@frugalmum.co.uk.

 

Becoming more frugal

If you’re just getting started with a more simple, frugal lifestyle – check out my article: 25 ways to live a more simple, frugal, minimalist life whilst saving money. I hope that I can help you and your family to make your money go further – we work too hard not to use it wisely! Becoming a more conscious, thoughtful consumer is the perfect first step to changing your spending habits permanently.

how to live a simple, frugal lifestyle, minimalist, tips, frugal mum title page, family having picnic in woods

 

Stay in touch

I hope that you find my website useful, and enjoy following our journey. Just cutting back a fiver each day will see you with an extra £1800 at the end of the year – the little changes really do add up! Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok!

Good luck on your journey to frugality!

Spend less but live more! 🙂

Nat x

frugal mum family photo by christmas tree