Women who stay at home, or stay-at-home moms, might be caregivers, or run their own business. Stay-at-home moms make up nearly 30% of Millennial moms – that is, women who were born between 1980 and 2000. While they may not have the purchasing power of women in their age group who work, they buy a substantial amount of products for themselves and their loved ones, and are therefore a consumer force to be reckoned with.

Millennial moms in the US currently spend $170 billion per year and are projected to spend $200 billion annually starting in 2017, and $10 trillion within their lifetimes, according to Ad Age. Millennials are evolving, growing up, maturing and most importantly, dividing up into various groups that can be tricky to define. Parenthood is important for them, and some believe it is even the most important part of their lives. Once they start a family, they want to be present for their children.

The birth of any child is always a significant milestone in the life of any woman, and creates a whole new set of needs, brand exposure, and brand loyalty. She is busy, need guidance with her shopping, and is interested in food, baby products, parenting information, and being the best mom she can be.

Millennial moms represent 46% of their age group, and the one-third who stay at home are looking for the best value for money and keeping everyone in the family happy and fulfilled, including herself. But it is also important to note that Millennials often ended up in blended families, as couples split up and re-combine in various ways, with wives and sometimes even husbands bringing young children and tweens into the marriage with them.

Spending Patterns of Stay-at-Home Moms

Stay-at-home moms lead the way in terms of consumer spending in a number of different areas, most particularly food and health:

* Organic foods
* Natural products
* Vitamins
* Health monitors
* Fresh produce
* Weight loss plans
* Healthy cooking
* Low calorie cooking
* Herbal remedies
* Sustainable living products

Stay-at-home moms are interested in looking good, of course, but are nine times less likely to worry about makeup and lipstick than women working outside the home. Of those who are interested, social media drives their fashion, beauty and health choices.

They are four times less likely to be interested in exercise, running and yoga. The interest in weight loss is similar to women working outside the home. Interestingly, if we break out Hispanic stay-at-home moms, they are generally much more interested in weight loss, clothes, cosmetic procedures such as Botox and teeth whitening, and hair care. The message here is clear – just because you are a stay-at-home mom does not mean you give up on your appearance.

Stay-at-home moms are typically much more interested in do-it-yourself projects. Hispanic moms also tend to shop for furniture and party supplies, enjoying family gatherings at their (nice) home. 84% of women from 18 to 34 said they would be willing to learn how to perform particular skills if it would save them money. They want to live well, but for less.

They also want their shopping to be meaningful, with 92% willing to buy in order to support a cause. Favorite charitable causes for stay-at-home moms include education, such as helping out their child’s school, religious causes, humanitarian aid, and animal welfare. Tying your products to good causes could stimulate buying, as could clean, green products.

Just because a woman is a stay-at-home mom does not mean she only shops for essentials, but she does want to get the most bang for her buck. So connect with her on social media and see how eager she will be to respond to your marketing messages.