Saving can be simple when you know how. Yes, sacrifice is needed to get ahead but you can also be frugal without being a total scrooge. Follow our 50 tips to sneak more savings into your life.
- Talk to me to see if you can save on one of your biggest outlays – your home loan.
- Switch all your household lights to energy-efficient globes.
- Sell old smart phones on eBay or Gumtree – families with tweens often want second-hand tech vs expensive new. An old iPhone could get you $200 on eBay.
- Bag your fruit and vegies at fresh food markets instead of supermarkets.
- Review your broadband and mobile plans – do you really need all that data?
- Book holidays for off-peak or shoulder periods. Even better, save on accommodation costs by using a holiday housesitting website such as mindahome.com.au or housesitters.com.au
- MYO breakfast and lunch on work days.
- Freeze your credit card. Stick it in a glass of water in the freezer – you’ll need to thaw it to use it, by which time the impulse buy will have passed.
- Shop around for better deals on your car, home and health insurances. Time-consuming maybe, but there are big savings to be made.
- Love gigs and shows? Sign up to ticket agency and music venue email alerts to keep informed of two-for-one and ticket discount deals.
- Try replacing expensive dishwasher tablets with a mix of two tablespoons of Borax combined with two tablespoons of bicarb soda. It’ll clean your dishes and the machine.
- Split bulk-buy meat with buddies.
- Make sure your dentist, optometrist and physio are among your health fund’s preferred providers.
- If flying domestically, save with early morning or late evening flights on weekends or midday flights Monday to Friday.
- Take advantage of free community events such as festivals, outdoor fitness classes and open-air movies.
- Cancel your cable TV and subscribe to a more affordable streaming service.
- Run your dishwasher and pool filter during off-peak energy periods, e.g. after 10pm or before 6am.
- Make an agreement that you and your partner won’t spend more than $100 without checking with the other first.
- Book your beauty appointments (waxing, pedicure etc) at a training college.
- Make a grocery list and stick to it to save on impulse buying (and don’t shop hungry!).
- Eat in, but head outside with a picnic blanket to make it a bit special.
- Check you’re not paying extra for monthly car and home insurance payments.
- Organise a fashion or book swap with friends and co-workers.
- Flush less – we use 6 to 18 litres of water every time.
- Cook bigger batches of discounted meat and seasonal produce and freeze meals.
- Unplug unused appliances and save on standby energy.
- Pay your mortgage fortnightly instead of monthly.
- The ‘op’ in op shop stands for opportunity – you never know what you might find.
- Enjoy a movie night at home with friends.
- Grow salad greens and herbs – easy to grow and manage in pots.
- Pay your bills on time to avoid penalties.
- Give homemade gifts: biscuits, granola, pasta sauce, chutney, jam, cards.
- Don’t discount the savings from shopper dockets.
- Book quality, three-star hotels for overnight stays – you just need a comfy bed.
- Wash and groom your own dog.
- Turn your next dinner party into a pot luck.
- Say yes to freebies and rewards and create a free email account just to receive deals.
- Join the refill revolution with your own water bottle – save money and the environment.
- Find a GP that bulk bills.
- Dissolve four teaspoons of bicarb soda in one litre of water to clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
- Buy loose fruit and vegies – snow peas, green beans, spuds – instead of pre-packed.
- Never buy a new car.
- Give favours instead of gifts – babysitting, mowing, cleaning, painting, car detailing, gardening etc.
- Check out your local library for free activities, especially for kids.
- Take advantage of sales on staples – laundry powder, shampoo, toilet paper etc. – and buy in bulk.
- Tap into any workplace perks e.g. discounts on health insurance, gym memberships, entertainment, accommodation.
- Consolidate your credit cards into one low-interest card.
- Snuggle under a blanket instead of jacking up the heater.
- Plan your meals around supermarket specials.
- Exercise without a gym – there are loads of online workouts to help you cancel that membership. Or better still, go for a walk. The dog will love you for it!
