Reading doesn't have to cost you anything. If you make regular trips to the public library, you can have books by the armload. If you have a toddler in tow, you may have to choose titles quickly and decide at home which ones you'll read in depth. Or go to the library as a family. Dad can supervise in the children's department while mother browses the adult stacks, and then parents can trade places.
Many mothers join or create book clubs.
They bring their children along to meetings and nurse or play with a toddler while participating in the adult discussion. One mother eventually turned her classics book club studies into a PhD thesis. If you love writing but can't find enough time to do any lengthy projects, try short pieces, such as essays, letters, or short poems. You can compose in snatches while your children play or nap. Or keep a journal about your children or about your own thoughts.