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Two-thirds of business owners who are mothers say creating generational wealth for their children is a major reason they launched their business, according to a survey of 1,000 mothers and business owners conducted for SoFi in March 2024. Nearly half (48%) also expect their kids to take over some day, intending to pass the business onto the next generation.

Even so, nearly half (42%) of entrepreneurs who are mothers feel they are treated differently by society than entrepreneurs who are fathers.

According to the latest Census data, women own 13.8 million businesses across the U.S., employing 10 million workers and generating $3.9 trillion in revenue. Those businesses make up 39.1% of all U.S. businesses, a 13.6% increase from 2019 to 2023, according to the Small Business Administration.

Many entrepreneurs who are mothers – or mompreneurs, a term that was coined in the 1990s – have a long-term plan to grow their business, with 86% of those who have another job saying they want to devote themselves full-time to their own company eventually. More than half are actively working to educate their children on being entrepreneurs themselves.

The challenges in finding a balance between work and home are genuine, however, with mompreneurs feeling shortchanged on both sleep and time to spend with family and friends. And two-thirds feel judged by others for pursuing their entrepreneurial goals while being a parent to begin with.

Source: Based on a survey conducted between March 18-24 2024, of 1,000 female business owners aged 18 and over who have at least one child and live in the U.S.

Young Children and Businesses?

Our survey showed 29% of the respondents said their oldest child was 6 to 10 years old when they started their business, followed by 15% saying their oldest child was a teenager between 13 and 18. Another 14% started their business when their oldest child was just 3 to 5 years old.

A majority (74%) of our respondents were married or living with a partner, and most of the respondents had one child or two. As for the children’s ages, 51% had kids between 5 and 13, and 34% had teenagers between 13 and 18.

Among our survey respondents, the largest age group (37%) was 35 to 44 and the second largest (27%) was 25 to 34. As for education, the largest group (33%) had a university degree, but those who had a high school degree (28%) came in a close second.

Living in the Present, Envisioning a Better Future

A majority of the mompreneurs in this survey said desires for financial independence and personal growth motivated them to launch their own business.

So has being a mother made it harder or easier to run a business? Survey respondents said being a parent enhanced their entrepreneurial skills in a myriad ways:

•   Improved problem-solving skills: 60%

•   Enhanced multitasking abilities: 51%

•   Increased empathy and understanding: 46%

•   Greater resilience in the face of challenges: 46%

Two-thirds of respondents (66%) said creating generational wealth for their children was a big reason for launching their business.

And nearly half (48%) said they are confident their children will take over their business eventually. Many mompreneurs are already phasing in their kids when it comes to learning about business.

When asked how they involve their children in entrepreneurial activities, the respondents answered this way (multiple selections were possible):

•   Educating them about entrepreneurship: 55%

•   Introducing them to the business environment: 43%

•   Assigning age-appropriate tasks related to the business: 41%

•   Including them in decision-making processes: 31%

Work-Life Balance: Can It Be Found?

Running a business and raising children are tasks that are hard enough, but nearly two-thirds (62%) of survey respondents said they have another job in addition to the business they own. Interestingly, 50% of those with household incomes under $100K don’t have a different job aside from their business, compared to 17% of those with household incomes of over $100K.

Incredibly, for those who had a full-time or part-time job apart from their own small business, 26% still spent between 20 and 30 hours per week on their own company.

Something has to give, timewise, and our survey broke it down. When asked what they have to sacrifice to balance entrepreneurship and parenthood, this is what our respondents said (multiple selections were possible):

•   Sleep: 48%

•   Spending time with friends and family: 48%

•   Hobbies: 38%

•   Exercise: 28%

•   Diet: 21%

•   None of the above – I don’t have to make any sacrifices: 16%

Asked what challenges female entrepreneurs who have children face, they answered as follows (multiple selection were possible):

•   Balancing work and family time: 58%

•   Balancing multiple roles: 42%

•   Managing stress and burnout: 40%

•   Access to funding or financial resources: 38%

•   Overcoming societal expectations about mothers who start their own businesses: 26%

•   Navigating discrimination or bias: 18%

Having help at home in the form of a partner or other adults can go a long way, but 37% of respondents, the largest group, said it was mostly them alone left with the mental load of home responsibilities. However, an even split between the respondent and their partner came in a close second at 35%.

When the mompreneurs did get help, the percentages broke down in interesting ways.

Here’s how partners and extended family members offered support (multiple selections were possible):

•   Assisting with childcare during work hours: 30%

•   Providing emotional support: 20%

•   Collaborating on business-related tasks: 16%

•   Helping with housework: 14%

•   Offering financial assistance: 11%

In terms of stress relief, respondents said they balanced self-care with roles as parent and entrepreneur:

•   Participating in hobbies or leisure activities: 51%

•   Scheduled breaks and downtime: 47%

•   Regular exercise or physical activity: 45%

•   Seeking professional help or counseling: 40%

Gender Disparities Revealed

While women-owned businesses are more prevalent in America than ever before, our respondents said that they experience inequity.

More than two in five respondents (42%) said they felt that entrepreneurs who are mothers are treated differently than entrepreneurs who are fathers. Only one in five (21%) said they thought mothers and fathers who owned business were treated equally.

More than 60% of mompreneurs said they felt “judged by others for pursuing entrepreneurial goals while being a parent.”

Making matters worse, the respondents said that this disapproval came into play if they sought financial support to grow their business.

When asked if they felt that being an entrepreneur and parent has affected their access to venture capital or other forms of financial support for their business, they answered:

•   Yes: 43%

•   No: 34%

•   I haven’t tried to secure additional funding for my business: 21%

The Takeaway

Women own 13.8 million businesses in the United States, making up 39.1% of all businesses. Their numbers keep growing, yet nearly half of these mompreneurs feel society treats them differently than owners who are fathers, and balancing work and home is a challenge.

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If you’re trying to save some money, trimming some discretionary spending categories from your budget can be a good way to start.

But it isn’t necessarily the only or best way to save — especially if reducing or removing things like streaming services, concerts, or monthly massages from your budget makes it harder to stick to your plan.

Instead, it may make sense to track where your money is going for a few weeks and then take a look at all your spending categories to determine which cuts could have the biggest impact.

What Are Spending Categories?

Spending categories can help you group similar expenses together to better organize your budget. They can come in handy when you’re laying out your spending priorities, deciding how much money to allot toward various wants and needs, and determining whether an expense is essential or nonessential.

Many of the budgets you’ll see online use pretty much the same spending categories, such as housing, transportation, utilities, food, childcare, and entertainment. But you may find it’s more useful to track your spending for a while with a money tracker, and then create some of your own categories. You may choose to drill down to specific bills or go broader, breaking down your budget into just the basics.

By personalizing your spending categories, you may be able to put together a budget that’s more manageable — and, therefore, one you’re more likely to stay with.

How Do Spending Categories Work?

To customize your spending categories, it can help to gather as much information as possible about where your money is actually going.

You can start by looking at old bank and credit card statements to get a good picture of past spending. Your bigger spending categories should be easier to figure out. Those bills are often due on the same day every month and are usually about the same amount. But you’ll also want to keep an eye out for expenses that come just once or a few times a year (such as taxes, vet bills, etc.). And, if you use cash frequently, you’ll want to determine where that money went, too.

A tracking app can help you grasp the hard truth about your spending as you move forward. That cute plant you bought for your windowsill? Pitching in for a co-worker’s going-away gift? Those little splurges can add up before you know it.

Once your spending picture comes into focus, you can divide your expenses into useful personal budget categories, and start thinking about what you might be able to trim or cut out altogether.


💡 Quick Tip: When you have questions about what you can and can’t afford, a spending tracker app can show you the answer. With no guilt trip or hourly fee.

Examples of Spending Categories

Although it can be effective to organize your spending categories in a way that’s unique to you, there are a few basic classifications that can work for most households when making a budget: They include:

Essential Spending

•   Housing: This category could include your rent or mortgage payment, property taxes, homeowners or renters insurance, HOA fees, etc.

•   Utilities: You could limit this to basic services like gas, electricity, and water, or you might decide to include your cell phone service, cable, and WiFi costs.

•   Food: This amount could be limited to what you spend on groceries every month, or it could include your at-home and away-from-home food costs.

•   Transportation: Your car payment could go in this category, along with fuel costs, parking fees, car maintenance, car insurance, public transportation, and DMV fees. You could also include the cost of Uber rides.

•   Childcare: If you need childcare while you work, this cost would be considered necessary spending. If it’s for a night out, you may want to move it to the entertainment or personal care category.

•   Medical Costs and Health Care: This could include your health insurance premiums, insurance co-pays and prescription costs, vision and dental care, etc.

•   Clothing: Clothing is a must-have, of course, but with limits. You may want to put impulse items in a separate category as a nonessential or discretionary expense.

Non-essential Spending

•   Travel: This category would be for any travel that isn’t work-related, whether it’s a road trip or a vacation in Paris.

•   Entertainment: You could get pretty broad in this category, but anything from streaming services and videogames to concerts and plays could go here.

•   Personal: This might be your category for things like salon visits, your gym membership, and clothes and accessories that are more of a want than a need.

•   Gifts: If you’re a generous gift-giver, you may find you need a separate category for these expenses.

Other Spending

•   Savings and investments: Though it isn’t “essential” for day-to-day life, putting money aside for long- and short-term goals is a must for most budgets.

•   Emergency fund: This will be your go-to for unexpected car repairs, home repairs, or medical bills.

•   Debt repayment: Student loan payments, credit card debt, and other balances you’re trying to pay off could fit in this category.

Pros and Cons of Spending Categories

The idea of making a budget can be daunting, particularly if you’re trying to fit your needs and wants into spending categories that aren’t suited to how you live. Here are some pros and cons to using categories for spending that might keep you motivated and help you avoid potential budgeting pitfalls.

Pros

•   More control: Creating a budget with spending categories that match your lifestyle can help you put your money toward things that really matter to you.

•   Less stress: If you’re living paycheck to paycheck even though you know your income is sufficient to cover your needs, a budget with realistic spending categories can help you see where your money is going.

•   Better planning: Whether you’re trying to save for a vacation, wedding, house, retirement, or all of the above, including those goals in your spending categories will help ensure they get your attention.

Cons

•   May feel limiting: Working with a budget can feel restrictive, especially if you’ve been winging it for a while or aren’t including enough discretionary spending.

•   Time consuming: It might take some trial and error to find a budget system that works for you. And if you’re budgeting as a couple, you’ll likely have to work out some compromises when determining your spending categories.

•   Requires maintenance: Budgeting isn’t a one and done. You’ll be more likely to succeed if you consistently track your spending to make sure you’re hitting your goals.

Common Spending Categories to Cut First

Often when you see or hear budgeting advice, it tends to focus on cutting back on small extras — $6 daily lattes at your favorite café, for example, or those weekly Happy Meals for the kids. Some other top spending categories that traditionally are among the first to hit the chopping block include:

•   Gym memberships

•   Dining out

•   Subscription services you don’t use anymore

•   Cable

•   Personal care services you can do at home for less, such as manicures and pedicures

•   Alcoholic beverages

•   Cigarettes and vaping products

•   Vacations

But it can also be useful to review, and potentially cut back on, how much you’re budgeting for basic living expenses, such as:

•   Clothing and shoes

•   Utility bills

•   Groceries

•   Insurance

•   Cars

•   Cellphones and computers

•   Rent

Tips for Customizing Your Spending Categories

As you create your spending plan, keep in mind that it doesn’t have to be like anyone else’s. If you track your expenses and use that information to create your personalized budget, you may have a better chance of building a plan you can stick with.

Here are some more steps to consider as you get started:

•   Be realistic. It may take a while to get to your goal, but doing even a little bit consistently can make a difference. Know yourself and do what you can.

•   Don’t forget irregular expenses. Bills that you pay every month can be easy to remember. (You might even put them on autopay to make things more convenient.) But infrequent expenses such as tax bills can get away from you if you don’t include them in your spending categories.

•   Avoid spending more than you have. Knowing how much you’ll have left after taxes each month is an important part of successful planning. An emergency fund can help you stay on track when unexpected expenses pop up.

•   Leave room for fun. Eliminating date nights and small splurges completely could make it much harder to stay with your plan.

•   Pay yourself. Make saving and investing goals a separate spending category.

•   Find a budgeting method that works for you. Whether it’s the popular 50/30/20 budget — which divides your after-tax income into needs, wants, and savings — or a detailed spending breakdown with multiple categories, try various budgeting methods until you find one that motivates you.

💡 Quick Tip: Income, expenses, and life circumstances can change. Consider reviewing your budget a few times a year and making any adjustments if needed.

The Takeaway

Want to save some money but know you need to make some changes? Monitoring where your money is going every month can help you create a spending plan with categories that are customized to your needs, wants, and goals. A plan that’s realistic, but not too restrictive, can give you the kind of control and motivation you need to get and stay on track financially.

Take control of your finances with SoFi. With our financial insights and credit score monitoring tools, you can view all of your accounts in one convenient dashboard. From there, you can see your various balances, spending breakdowns, and credit score. Plus you can easily set up budgets and discover valuable financial insights — all at no cost.

FAQ

What are the four main categories in a budget?

The four main spending categories for most budgets are housing, food, utilities, and transportation. Once you’ve established how much you’ll need to cover these costs, you can move on to planning for other expenses.

What is the 50/30/20 rule of budgeting?

The 50/30/20 rule is a budgeting method that allocates your take-home income to three main spending categories: needs or essentials (50%), wants or nonessentials (30%), and saving or financial goals (20%).

What are the four characteristics of a successful budget?

A successful budget usually includes accurate income and spending projections, realistic and personalized spending categories, consistent and frequent check-ins, and solid savings goals.

Photo credit: iStock/mapodile

SoFi Relay offers users the ability to connect both SoFi accounts and external accounts using Plaid, Inc.’s service. When you use the service to connect an account, you authorize SoFi to obtain account information from any external accounts as set forth in SoFi’s Terms of Use. Based on your consent SoFi will also automatically provide some financial data received from the credit bureau for your visibility, without the need of you connecting additional accounts. SoFi assumes no responsibility for the timeliness, accuracy, deletion, non-delivery or failure to store any user data, loss of user data, communications, or personalization settings. You shall confirm the accuracy of Plaid data through sources independent of SoFi. The credit score is a VantageScore® based on TransUnion® (the “Processing Agent”) data.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Clothing is an often overlooked expense when planning a budget, but pretty much everyone has to spend some money on clothes for work, off hours, and social occasions. Whether you are a trial attorney who needs a wardrobe full of quality suits or a landscaper who gets good and muddy, there are ways to buy clothing without spending a fortune.

Here, learn what factors go into retail pricing, where to buy quality clothes, and how to snag some bargains.

Understand What Goes Into Retail Pricing

Fashion brands establish pricing on a cost-per-unit basis. The final retail price is set by factoring in various expenses and business strategies, such as manufacturing and material costs and marketing and branding expenses.

Manufacturing Costs

The cost of raw materials, labor, packaging, and shipping are obvious factors that determine the price of clothing. But pricing is more nuanced than that. Popular brands or high-end brand names will set higher prices for their products on the assumption that they offer higher quality and better designs. There are also marketing costs to consider.

Brand Reputation

Whether a brand is perceived as a luxury brand, like Versace, or a value brand, like those sold at big box stores, will play a large part in pricing. For example, LuluLemon is a popular, in-demand brand that can price its clothing at the higher end of the scale. Sometimes a popular in-demand brand will have to slash its prices because it no longer holds the prestige it once did.

Supply and Demand

Supply and demand is a huge factor affecting the final price of a product. If a style, product, or brand is in demand, retailers can mark up the prices substantially. The fact that there is not enough to go around means people will likely pay more. (Inflation can be part of this equation, too.)

However, if the supply exceeds demand, retailers will have to drop the price to try to encourage sales so they are not left with inventory they cannot sell.

The Distribution Chain

Another factor in the price of clothing is the distribution chain. Some brands manufacture their own clothing and sell exclusively through their own retail outlets, which can help them keep the price lower. Warby Parker is an example of a retail brand that sells exclusively through their own retail outlets and website.

This business model means fewer add-on costs for the consumer. However, most brands sell through selected independent retailers who add on their own margin. Retailers set the final price by implementing their own desired markups, as well as any subsequent promotions and discounts to ensure they aren’t left with inventory.


💡 Quick Tip: Online tools make tracking your spending a breeze: You can easily set up budgets, then get instant updates on your progress, spot upcoming bills, analyze your spending habits, and more.

Seasonality

Some fashions are in demand for a season only and can be priced high until they lose their popularity. At that point, the price will drop or clothes are sold in a clearance sale as retailers try to get rid of old inventory.

You can save money by buying clothes in the off-season or when they are sold on clearance. There are also other ways to make sure you’re not blowing all of your budget on clothes.

Make Use of Coupons

Coupons are a sales strategy for retailers, but they also benefit the consumer. Consumers can shop online for less using coupons and other sales discounts. The buyer inputs a coupon code when they check out, and that code initiates a discount on the price.

Coupons can be found on many websites such as Saving Says, RetailMeNot, and SlickDeals. Also, many brands offer a discount if you sign up for their email list.

Buy Clothing from Consignment Stores and Thrift Shops

Buying second-hand clothes is one way to find quality clothes while sticking to a budget. Thrift shops and websites that sell pre-owned clothing are growing in popularity, particularly because of consumer interest in sustainable practices and brands that support the environment.

ThredUp is a popular online consignment and thrift store where consumers can buy and sell high-quality secondhand clothes. Other ideas for where to buy good quality clothes for less include ASOS Marketplace, Buffalo Exchange, Depop, Etsy, Poshmark, and Vinted.

Recommended: Guide to Selling Used Items

Buy During the Off-Season

Avoid buying on impulse by purchasing clothing in the off-season when you can find quality items on sale. Retailers want to get rid of stock when products are not in season. For example, few people are looking to buy ski gear in the height of spring or summer. Because there may be more supply than demand for ski gear at that time, retailers will reduce the price and sell the clothing at a discount.


💡 Quick Tip: Income, expenses, and life circumstances can change. Consider reviewing your budget a few times a year and making any adjustments if needed.

Look for Clearance Sales

Fashion trends typically last one season, and then new styles and products appear on the market. Retailers may find themselves with too much inventory going into a new season. To sell the inventory and not lose too much money, they will sell items in clearance sales, often with slashed prices.

Also, certain retailers are known for having regular sales cycles, such as the Gap and Old Navy. These can be good resources for where to buy good quality clothes on sale.

Consider Alternative Fabrics and Materials

Why does one t-shirt cost $50 and another $15? It could be because the $50 t-shirt has better quality fabric. Similarly, a pair of boots made of leather will be more expensive than a pair made of synthetic leather. In some cases, you might pay more for an item of clothing made of more durable or breathable materials. Investment pieces may be made of finer materials and crafted with more care to last longer.

However, if an item is serving a short-term fashion need, the quality of materials may be less important.

Also, less pricey synthetic materials may get a bad rap. For example, faux leather may be considered an unsuitable material for a shoe because it is unbreathable and less durable. Polyester is often compared to silk and is lambasted for not being “natural.” However, faux leather footwear may appeal to vegans, and polyester blouses last a lot longer than their silk counterparts. So, don’t discount alternatives.

Recommended: High-Paying Vocational Trade Jobs

See Before You Buy

If you do opt for the less expensive option, you might want to see the item before you buy it. If the item is too cheap and flimsy, it won’t last long. Check the seams and the hems to see if the stitching is acceptable, and check that the zip works. Buying a reasonably priced item of clothing is one thing, but there is such a thing as too cheap.”

Buy Less, Buy Better

Buying fewer clothes will save you money, so you might think about items to save up for, perhaps one or two quality pieces that will last the test of time. You can pair those quality and timeless pieces with other less expensive items. For example, a couple of quality suits for work can be paired with a number of blouses or shirts that come from a mid-range retailer. You can also build a wardrobe based on a basic color, like black or blue, so that all of your clothes can be mixed and matched.

Note: Also remember to note care labels when purchasing clothes. Those that say “Dry clean only” mean they will cost you more over their life in cleaning than those that can go in the washer or be hand-laundered at home.

Recommended Brands

Some mid-price quality fashion brands recommended by experts are COS, Everlane, H&M, Land’s End, LL Bean, and Uniqlo.

The Takeaway

Dressing well does not have to be a wallet-busting affair if you know where to buy quality clothes and which strategies to follow. In some cases, it is better to pay more for an item that will be durable and serve its purpose rather than to buy something cheap and experience frustration when it doesn’t wear well. However, even then, you can find discounts by using coupons, searching for clearance sales, buying second hand, or buying off season.

Take control of your finances with SoFi. With our financial insights and credit score monitoring tools, you can view all of your accounts in one convenient dashboard. From there, you can see your various balances, spending breakdowns, and credit score. Plus you can easily set up budgets and discover valuable financial insights — all at no cost.

FAQ

Where to buy cheap good quality clothes?

Consignment stores and thrift stores are good places to buy good quality clothes for cheap. If you want to buy new, popular mid-range fashion brands are COS, Everlane, H&M, Land’s End, LL Bean, and Uniqlo.

How do I not spend all my money on clothes?

Avoid spending too much money on clothes by setting a budget and sticking to it. Also, don’t buy on impulse and focus on buying a few classic, high-quality pieces to match with less expensive tops and accessories. Build your wardrobe around a color so that you can mix and match and get more wear out of your clothes.

How can I be fashionable on a low budget?

The trick to being fashionable on a low budget is to choose a few quality items that you can pair with inexpensive, trendier items.

Photo credit: iStock/pixelfit

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Non affiliation: SoFi isn’t affiliated with any of the companies highlighted in this article.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

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