Supported motherhood on a budget
As the ‘cost of living crisis’ continues to make our purse strings tight, the last thing we want to have to sacrifice is our well-being and our support in the name of a budget. We get it, getting a massage and regular acupuncture feels like a stretch. Often as mothers, we will be the first person in the family to be cut of out the necessities. We keep our kids dressed like kings and queens and wear undies until they fall off (you might have seen Cel’s undies on Instagram recently). The struggle is real.
What we do know though, is if we continue to put our needs last, our body will take score and eventually the cracks start to show up and need more attention than ever! If we can prevent reaching our breaking point then maybe in the long run it will cost us less after all. Below we have compiled a list of free and cheaper soul-nourishing rituals to fill your cup and included some fabulous cheeky discounts our Saints have offered our community. Plus some smart switches that will save you dollars, ready to be spent on that facial you deserve.
Special offerings from our Saints on the Rolodex to help you save, every dollar counts:
A Mother’s Touch is offering: 15% off Spring / once-off cleaning when you mention the Motherhood Rolodex (less time cleaning, more time living).
Mornington Chinese Medicine: Free Gua Sha with any appointment (save on Botox, get yourself a Gua Sha).
Gemma Tyler: 10% off any packages on her website for Saint Majella community members.
Leah Patara Doula: Book in to experience the 'Mother Meditation technique' and bring a friend/partner for free (go halves and enjoy the magic).
Studio Paradise: The Humble Warrior’ - $40 weekly membership * Join for 3, get your 4th month free. (If you can get two or more classes a week, classes equate to $15 or less).
Willowfit: 10% off Personal Training sessions for Saint Majella community members
Find these Saints on the Motherhood Rolodex
FREE rituals to support you through motherhood:
Borrow your books from the library, better yet sit in there kid-free and read them. You can also hire magazines from there, pick up the latest Vogue and save yourself $10.99.
Take said book or mag to a place in nature and read it in peace, we recommend beach boxes when the sun is out.
Take a bush walk with a poddy in.
Make yourself a foot soak, use any large bowl or pot, add lemon, essential oils and Epsom salts and soak in the goodness.
NGV visit, take the train to save on petrol and parking. If you want to go local visit Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, solo or with kids it always feels peaceful to be amongst art.
Massage your entire body with oil following a shower, take the time (use your tools if you need aka screentime, care, whatever it is) so you can sink into this self-love ritual.
Get your kids to give you a foot massage, fun for them and for you as well as a chance to lie down. Mazzy is known to be occupied doing this for 30mins, key is to allow them to use lots of moisturiser.
Dance, dance, dance - with kids without kids. If you are all in a foul mood there is nothing better than dancing the sillys out. I haven’t seen it fail yet.
Free yoga or pilates classes online.
Head to an enclosed park, let the kids roam free and tune into a podcast or new album.
Light a candle, romance yourself with a record on, listen to jazz while you cook dinner. Music and vibes can make the mundane, magic.
Pack a mum lunchbox when you head out, treat yourself the same as the kids and save on that toastie out you need when famished.
Cheap soul-nourishing rituals:
A pass to Yawa, $17, soak in the spa, have a sauna and do some laps in the pool.
Take the kids to the jumping pillow at the RACV resort Cape Shanck, enjoy and coffee or wine while they bounce away.
Cook up with your friends, mothering is so much easy when you are together, plan a breakfast, lunch or dinner date, split the cost and enjoy the quickest cleanup ever!
Oyster Hour at Bistro Elba, 5-6pm everyday oysters are half price, 3ea. Fancy girl meets thrifty girl.
Pick up a bunch of discounted flowers from Sciclunas in Sorrento and lavish your home in floristry.
Buy a Loco Love and sit down with a cup of tea and mag, book, show, or your breath. Enjoy every bite mindfully.
Peninsula Hot Spring early bird or twilight session discount, $45 pp instead of $75 before 9am and after 6pm.
Buy a card or make a card of love for a friend or a lover just because. Never underestimate the power of giving for your soul and theirs.
Paint with or without kids, pick up some cheap watercolours at the Book Barn Rosebud and take some time to enjoy a paintbrush in your hand.
Smart Switches:
Get on Depop, old is the new new, you can almost find everything on Depop, so before checking out that cart have a looky over there and see what bargains you can grab.
Download our Saint Majella x Lemonhead guide Feed Your Family for $100, cue mental load task off your plate.
Shop at Aldi, look this is a half hack, be prepared that if you go to Aldi you will likely need to go to another supermarket after to get some more bit, it doesn’t have organic produce and it certainly doesn’t have great produce but for the basics you will noticeably save some $$.
Ride your bike instead of driving - exercise, entertainment and saving all done in one you queen, pick up a bike trailer on Facebook marketplace we know you won’t regret it.
Borrow books from the library for kids and adults, can you tell we love the library?
Look for free classes/community classes at Studios, you can usually find one or two community classes offered for free at most Studios and this can be a great way to try out where you like or get more bang for your buck. Try Core Plus, Louey’s Place or many studios on the Mindbody app.
Go with a mate and share a hotel room for a city adventure. Mel recently went traipsing around town with a friend half the price, double the fun.
Goodbyes in town for new clothes, Depop in person. LIT!
Make your coffee at home, we know sometimes its the getting out of the house that needs to happen (survival and solidarity in the coffee shop), but if you are buying a coffee out most days with a coffee machine waiting at home this could be a great way to save $$. Pop $5-7 bucks into a jar each time you do it - in no time you have yourself some massage money.
Sell kids clothes and your clothes, when you know its no longer getting worn do not underestimate your trash being someone else’s treasure, for ease just pop it on your Instagram story, more complicated options are facebook marketplace or Depop. But once set up, super easy and just a few clicks away from making $$ on the clothes just sitting there.
Manifested these Op Shop boots and saved myself a couple of hundred.
