Mums are hiding money on supermarket shelves for an important reason --[Reported by Umva mag]

It’s no secret – having children is expensive. 

From the high costs of baby formula, food and nappies to the challenge of balancing day-to-day expenses, many parents struggle to buy the basics for their children, let alone anything for themselves. 

Now, a new TikTok trend is inspiring others to recognise the sacrifices parents make for their little ones in their everyday lives. 

It all started with a viral video of a silver clutch bag left unpurchased on a supermarket shelf surrounded by baby items. This image resonated with millions, with many agreeing that the mother who left it behind ‘deserved the purse’. 

Striking a chord with mums across the world, it then inspired a movement of people inspired to ‘pay it forward’, tucking money and vouchers into baby products in the hopes it would find its way to a new parent in need. 

But how did the trend start, and how can you get involved?

‘She deserved the purse’ explained

Tennessee mother Denaesha Gonzalez kicked off the trend when she came across the unpurchased handbag at Target and shared her discovery on TikTok. 

She titled the 17-second clip, ‘She deserved the purse,’ as a nod towards the sacrifices mothers make for their children. 

In the caption, Denaesha wrote: ‘To the Mother who chose themselves last, you deserve the world tonight and always.’

One user, @ak47thomas, echoed her sentiment, commenting: ‘I haven’t had my hair done in years. My nails done in years. My clothes come from Walmart. We can’t afford childcare. But my babies have what they need. One day I’ll have my purse, just not today.’

Meanwhile, @giannabrielle03, wrote: ‘Crying cause it’s so much more [than] a purse, it’s a representation of all out sacrifices.’

Others reflected on what their mothers gave up for them, including @saltysnakk, who said: ‘It makes me sad to think how much my mother probably gave up for me.’

Soon after Denaesha posted the video, content creator Cecily Bauchmann responded with a powerful gesture of her own. The mother of four bought a $100 Target gift card and tucked it in between two nappy boxes on a shelf full of baby essentials.

She left a note with the gift card that read: ‘Hey! You deserve that special “you” thing. You are amazing! Xoxo!’ 

When sharing the moment with her two million followers, she also encouraged others who have the means to do the same and ‘pay it forward’.

Denaesha and Cecily have inspired people to ‘give back’ to mothers, with plenty of additional content creators filming themselves hiding a variety of gifts and items in between children’s items in the weeks since. 

One such mother, Sydnee Saucedo, 27, left $50 in gift card vouchers under diaper boxes after seeing the movement take hold. 

Speaking to Metro, Sydnee, from Phoenix, Arizona, said: ‘I am grateful to be in the position where I’m able to do so. I know that I have more than many, and I wanted to help another mama as best I could. 

‘I hope that the gifts went to moms who need them and that they are reminded of how important they are and that they matter too. I hope seeing this trend inspires other moms to give back too, if they are in the position to do so.’ 

Though many of the creators participating are American, the trend has found its way to the UK: Rachael Lyons, a mother of four from South Yorkshire, hid four £25 vouchers safely inside baby items at Asda, with a note that read: ‘To mummy/ daddy enjoy x’.

Speaking to Metro, Rachael calls her move a ‘random act of kindness,’ adding that although she’ll never know who received the gift, she hoped it’ll go to a parent to ‘treat themselves’. 

Rachael says she never struggled to feed her four children, but empathises with mothers who do.

She also knows how it feels to place her children’s needs above her own, commenting: ‘I would rather spend my money on my children than I would myself.’

How to get involved

While ‘she deserved the purse’ began with an innocent gesture to help mothers, some have reportedly taken advantage of it. 

One mum discovered several boxes of baby wipes, medicines and diapers torn open in what appeared to be an attempt to uncover hidden cash and gift cards. 

Sharing the find on TikTok, Taylor Hall, wrote: ‘I know everyone has seen the “she deserved the purse” trend, but let’s not go ruining it for mothers who actually need the help.’

The video garnered nearly 850,000 likes, with comments declaring the sight ‘so sad’ and ‘disappointing’. 

In light of this, it may be best to avoid leaving cash or gift cards loose in your local supermarket. However, generosity doesn’t have to fade with this.

Sylvia Smith, Relationship and Parenting expert at Marrriage.com, says there are many other ways to help out.

She tells Metro: ‘Leaving large sums of money in the open areas just to support the parents is not safe and, perhaps, not effective either. Instead, I would recommend more organised means of providing support mechanisms that ensure safety efficiently.’

If you know a struggling parent, Sylvia recommends directly giving them gift cards for stores that sell baby supplies and encouraging friends and family members to provide practical support. 

Alternatively, she says you can make sure items go to those in need by participating in ‘community drives that collect diapers, formula, and other essentials.’

For parents who need an extra helping hand, there are a number of UK charities that offer support. Family Action, for example, aims to help ‘families at every age and stage of life’, providing information on local services, wellbeing and mental health programmes, and guidance in applying for financial assistance.

There’s also Battle UK, a charity dedicated to helping children and young people in the UK who have experienced financial hardship. It offers financial grants to those in need, with rules on how to apply on their website. 

If you want to help out, you can support and donate to these charities in several ways, from direct donations, fundraising and volunteering.

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