Your Community’s Best Budgeting and Money Saving Tips
By: Georgia Free
The cost of living is skyrocketing, so we asked around in the community for ways to save a few dollars. Here are YOUR best budgeting and money-saving tips (save this article for a rainy day!).
Food
Only buy what’s marked down in supermarkets. – Steve
I’m a mum of 3, we are a part of a fruit and veg co-op where a group of us all take it in turns to do a big shop at Sydney markets once a fortnight, we pay $30 and get a large box of great fruit and veg. I also organise a beef co-op and order whole cows through my local butcher at a much cheaper price. It’s a big outlay but lasts so long. And my butcher portions it all for us. – Lisa
Shop at Aldi. Try to shop more at independent grocery shops and butchers they are generally cheaper. – Lydia
Make your own lunch and coffee and take it with you. – Jasmine
Plan out your shopping list (I plan my meals over a fortnight), and have an exact idea of what you need. – Karina
Eat less meat. – Becki
Use up all ingredients in the pantry and fridge. Ditto all cleaning supplies and toiletries. Try not to buy anything except perishables for a couple of years. – Joy
Use the “half price” app when shopping at Coles/Woolies. – Emma
Household and transport
Use G clamps to squeeze out the last bit of toothpaste from the toothpaste tube! – Andrew
Fall in love with op shops! – Clare
Don’t visit Kmart! – Shavina
I am my father’s son – TURN OFF THE LIGHTS when you aren’t in THE ROOM. – Eric
Buy a bike, leave the car on the drive/at home when possible! – Malcolm
Stay home and don’t online shop. – Holly
Where possible, keep $10-15 of gold coins in your car for petrol. – David
Avoid fashion just buy classic pieces that look good on you or make do with what you already have. – Joy
Put on a jumper and socks before putting on the heater. – Tahnee
Bills and everyday tips
Utilise the return and earn system for extra cash. Use Flybuys dollars if you have any. – Lydia
If you don’t need it, don’t buy it and only pay cash if you do. – Kevin
Each time you shop put any 50c coins away. I did this for years and saved a motser. – Wendy
Don’t spend $5 notes. Even if it’s the only thing in my wallet I don’t spend them. – Vasilios
Put a little money in a pot/bag/box each pay for paying electricity/ water/council/phone bills so when you get the bill you’ve got the majority of it covered. – Rosemary
For bills, you can bpay a bit each week or pay period then when the bill period comes around you can owe very little or even be ahead (in credit). – Deanie
Cash instead of bank account or credit card reduces spend. And only buy coffee once a week as a treat – you can make 5 cups at home for the cost of a takeaway. Instead of buying things, take care if what you have and see if you can reuse parts to make whatever you think you need. – Elizabeth
Pay power, water, gas and rates weekly in increments… no more big bills. – Julie
Budgeting and spending
Keeping track of your spending. – Sherryl
Save 10% of each pay . More if you can . Budget for your expenses and give yourself an allowance you stick too. If you can’t buy it out right don’t get it. – Rachael
Things are not going to give you what you need to feel good, before you buy anything, ask yourself if you’re buying it to “feel good” or you’re buying it because you really need it to survive. – Cynthia
If you don’t buy the 10% discounted product, you save an extra 90%. – Rahul
Don’t spend more than you earn. – Cara
If you use a credit card, pay in full by due date. Leverage it by earning points, not carrying much cash and delaying the payment. – Carrie
If you can’t afford two, don’t buy one. – Julie
Don’t buy based on emotion, go away and think about it and if you still want it next week then get it. – Jenny
Join your local “Buy Nothing” group on Facebook – it’s a hyper local gifting community where you can offer things you no longer need and also post wishes for things you do need. It’s a fantastic way to build community too. – Bron
Saving, giving and investing
Follow The Barefoot Investor – Scott Pape! Such great strategies that really work. We never thought we’d be able to buy a house in Sydney but by following his advice over a number of years we bought one a week ago! – Natalie
Buy only two things in life on credit, a house and a car. – Karen
Arrange with your boss to pay a little extra tax. On pension, pay $10-$20 per fortnight on tax. Gives you some extra cash to pay a few bills before Christmas. – Teresa
Put aside a set amount every pay check into a separate account from where there is no ATM access! You have to go to some trouble to withdraw it… so you are less likely to do it. – Sashi
A savings tin, a spending tin and a giving tin. – Wendy
Tithe as soon as we get paid. Set aside $100 each pay as “sanity” money to spend as I please, but all other money is used for necessary expenses or put into savings. – Chantelle
Financial trouble
If you are drowning in credit card debt, get a debt agreement before you go bankrupt. It will change your relationship with money forever. You will have an agreed amount to pay back over a set period with no more interest or fees and no one chasing you for payments. – Craig .
Article supplied with thanks to Hope Media.
Feature image: Photo by Caleb Lucas on Unsplash
