So what are these ways? The answers are probably as varied as individual adopting families, but in general, these are some options that adoptive families can typically consider.

1. Tighten the belt. When you’re hoping to add a child (or another child) to your family, the desire to adopt can do wonders for your ability to prioritize. Do you really need the mega cable package, or can you get by with a basic subscription? Do you really need more than one cell phone, or could you maybe even survive without one? Is a monthly manicure really a necessity? How much do you really read your evening paper? Could you access the same information online without paying for a subscription? Individually, costs such as these may not amount to much, but by eliminating several things that aren’t absolute necessities, you can literally save yourself a couple hundred dollars a month! (And as you’ll see when I talk about loan options, this can make all the difference).

2. Consider additional, short-term, employment. Especially if you aren’t starting with “extras” like those mentioned above and you can’t see any further ways to cut back on expenditures, you may need to consider some additional employment. Can you take on a family paper route? Clean homes? Tutor someone, or provide some other needed service? Can you or your spouse pick up additional hours at work? If there’s one thing LDS moms know how to do, it’s consultant “parties.” From Pampered Chef to Home Interiors to Tupperware to Mary Kay, find your niche and give it a try! This may not be an option for everyone, but if you can find something that allows you to earn even a few hundred dollars each month, you’ll be putting yourself that much closer to your dream.

3. Ask for monetary gifts. Miss Manners may disagree with me on this one, and it’s OK – she’s wrong. ;) But seriously, tell people your adoption plans. Send a letter to family members to let them know how important this is to you. Politely ask those who already give you birthday and Christmas gifts to consider making donations to your adoption fund instead. You can even set up a family non-profit so the donations are tax deductible for the givers, but be sure to talk to your tax advisor about how to do this legally. In addition to money, family members can gift airline miles to you.

continued