There is no way around it – raising children today is expensive. Just buying REGULAR tennis shoes can make you a bit weak if you are frugal by nature. The idea that these same shoes might not fit in just a few months, or tomorrow, is enough to bring tears to the eyes of any parent.

Never fear, there are ways to save money without depriving junior.

1. Share and share alike – pass on little worn or never worn clothing and shoes to friends and accept the same from other friends or family. It helps to take the sting out the price tag if you know that the item will eventually get its wear.

2. Eat at restaurants that offer children’s meals for free. A number of national chains (including places like IHOP’s and Denny’s) offer great deals for families.

3. Make saving a game. Let your children decide where to shop for clothes, but limit how much they can spend. Give a price to the child that can get the most out of the money that you allot (this can work especially well with boys who don’t typically like to shop but do enjoy a good competition).

4. Go a month with out buying any groceries (except for staples like milk, bread and eggs). Most of us have more than enough food in our pantry and freezers to keep the family fed for a month. Get creative with recipes and save all of your left over grocery money for something special for the whole family.

Get creative with your spending choices and with the way you spend and you may find that raising children is not as expensive as you thought it was.