If you’re dedicated to saving money, you really can make a difference in the things you do every day. I’ve put together a list of 25 practical tips that my readers have personally sent in so that I can share them with others. They’re mums and dads, couples and singles, just like you, who have come up with some simple, yet effective everyday ways to save.
Make sure you read all the way to the bottom because there’s a real gem at the end.
Google saves money. My husband’s Playstation3 was not working. First thought was to get it put in for repair. However a quick search of the internet for the error code that the machine was displaying and a solution was found, saving us $150 in technical service fees.
I take a drink bottle to work and fill it up instead of buying drinks at lunch and also buy a loaf of bread, some cheese, salad etc at the start of the week and leave it in the fridge at work so I can always have whatever I feel like rather than going out to the store.
I have undertaken some WEA courses including: home repairs, tiling and curtain making. The upfront investment has helped save my household thousands of dollars.
Keep a tin/jar that can’t be opened easily and at the end of the day get all the family to throw in their loose pocket change. When it’s full the whole family decides how to spend it.
I fill my petrol tank on Wednesday, use a voucher and then buy “that’s life” and “take 5” magazines. I end up spending about $1 for my mags on top of the price of the petrol as I get 8 cents off per litre for making purchases in store!
Stock up on non perishable items that you know you have to use like toilet paper, tin food and toiletries when they are on sale.
Read through all the junk mail catalogue to see where money can be saved ie today Foodland has it’s Whiskas cat food for.89 cents a tin compared to $1.06 at Coles. I normally purchase 40 tins at this price so I save!!!
I re-use the plastic bags after I have purchased fruit/veg instead of buying more freezer bags
Shop online for food to ensure you only buy the products you need, not the ones that look good at the time because you’re feeling hungry!
Pay off your outstanding credit card balance every month to avoid paying interest fees. You’ll save heaps of money if you stick to this tip.
Keep an empty milk carton and funnel on the side of sink and pour used water bottles into them. Then use this water on your pot plants or garden.
Before you go shopping for clothes (especially underwear) make sure all your hand/washing is done and put away in cupboards. You probably don’t need any new items.
Bank any overtime money… it’s money you don’t miss.
Shop late in the afternoons as a lot of things get marked down at that time.Christmas eve after 4pm is particularly fabulous for bargains galore in the meat department you can fill your freezer for very little and it’s FUN.
Avoid braking harshly approaching lights, start slowing down sooner (depends on traffic conditions as well) and you’ll save fuel and therefore money.
My favourite tip – use the water that you boiled the vegies in to make the gravy. Then you don’t waste the nutrients left behind in the water and you don’t need to boil the kettle, so you save on energy.
When shopping, break up shopping into $30 lots to get fuel vouchers – one for husband, one for yourself and one for your son.
If you live alone or you’re just a couple, frozen vegies are a lot smarter option than buying heaps of fresh vegies that often don’t get fully used. While there will always be a place for fresh food, buying a whole broccoli for example is not always the best idea.
Just bringing in my own lunch saved me about $10/day – $50 per working week x 52 weeks! I was able to take my then 10 year old away to the Gold Coast – a saving of $2600 which went towards air-fares and accommodation!
Every time you receive a $5 note, stash it in a separate part of your wallet and save it. At the end of each day, remove all $5 notes from your wallet. Each time you reach $100, bank them into an account that is for a special purpose (ie, next holiday, buying christmas presents, saving for kids education etc).
If you work in the city, park your car a little further out and walk to work. You not only save money on parking costs but you’ll get fit with an extra 30 minutes walking time, saving on your gym fees!
Set your budget for the week and instead of using plastic, withdraw your cash and use separate money jars to keep all your cash. This will help you visually see how much you are spending and ensure you are not breaking the budget.
I buy fresh cheap vegetables from the markets and blanch them, then snap them frozen, half the price of shop ones!
Before you buy something spontaneously, walk away and ask yourself if you really need it. Chances are you don’t.
The No.1 funniest Customer Money Saving Tip: hide my wife’s car keys.