When you make a huge financial decision such as going frugal, you need to be ready to tell your partner and your children that their luxuries are going to be shaken up a little. It’s hard to just make that decision and expect everyone to follow through with you. After all, your partner is probably going to be upset that they can’t go out to eat more often and your kids might dislike the idea they have to wait a little longer until you buy them their favorite toys. However, making the change is probably necessary and it’s important that you teach your children not to live beyond their means.

But accepting a frugal lifestyle can be difficult. Saying goodbye to luxuries and family traditions might be distressing, but here are some ways to help you cope with those changes in your lifestyle and also teach your children how to handle it.

Cut down on expensive entertainment and enjoy other things

Something that most families have is cable television. It has all of the children’s shows, sports channels and movie showings, but is it really needed? Cable television is nowhere near the value of something like a Netflix subscription. Similarly, going to the cinema is far more expensive than a comforting night in with the family, gathered around the television to watch old classics that they were too young to see. The goal here is to replace your typical family entertainment outings with something cheaper. It doesn’t have to be done from home—it just needs to be equally as entertaining and a lot cheaper.

Learn how to stretch your pennies further

A great way to save money on purchases is to look for ways to stretch your pennies. A fantastic start is to head over to 7coupons to browse and print off some vouchers that can be used in-store or even on the internet. Next, you want to look online for price comparison websites to ensure you’re getting the best deal for your money whenever you purchase anything from a new computer to spaghetti for your dinner. You should try and teach your kids the importance of a great deal as early as possible so that they become frugal bargain hunters in the future when they’re more responsible with their money.

Eat more healthily and prepare better meals

Living a healthy lifestyle means encouraging your children to eat a more balanced diet. Cut back on expensive sweets and treats and replace them with healthier options such as cherry tomatoes, carrots and other snack veggies. Eating healthily can be relatively cheap because you’re buying a lot more fresh ingredients rather than processed and packaged food, and preparing your own meals saves you a tonne of money compared to eating out or buying fast food. You get to control what’s in your food, your kids get to help out with the cooking, and they’ll pick up cooking skills that will be useful to them in the future.