Guest Blog – Money Saving Tips From Our TradieWives

28 Feb Guest Blog – Money Saving Tips From Our TradieWives

I asked our Facebook group the other day for their top money saving tips! The response was amazing so we thought we would put this together in a ‘go to’ blog and share these great ideas.

• Read the Barefoot Investor
• Recycle everything.
• Go on picnics on the weekends and take food with you for a cost effective outing.
• Call your energy provider and ask for a batter rate.
• Sell something.
• Go through your direct debits and see if you don’t need something.
• Buy in bulk, buy/share with friends or family for fruit/veg/meat.
• Get the Entertainment voucher book to get discounts on restaurants etc.
• Take lunches, snacks and drinks with you when you go out instead of buying them.
• Make your coffee at home rather than buying one.
• Make a meal plan.
• Get a prepaid mobile.
• Re-evaluate your insurances. Get new quotes or use a broker to get a better rate.
• Study specials at supermarkets. Look for specials and discounts online as well as in catalogues.
• Online shopping so you can see what your total is up to and reduces impulse buys.
• Look at all your bills, groceries, takeaway, electricity, phone and try to cut $50 off each to start, once you set a limit it’s amazing.
• Shop at Aldi
• Buy petrol on cheaper day
• Pay credit card on time.
• Review car lease plan.
• Re-evaluate your subscriptions – Netflix, Stan etc.
• Shop around for mechanics.
• Put money in envelopes for each person for birthdays and Christmas gifts throughout the year.
• Use notes only when you shop, all the loose change goes into a jar to save.
• Op shop! Not only good for your pocket but for the environment.
• Make your snacks rather than buy them, one cafe muffin costs approx. $4.50 for the price of 2 muffins You can make 24 plus a loaf cake if the same base ingredients.
• Get Flybuys if you shop at Coles, save all your point’s through the year and buy the Christmas food.
• Start your own vege patch, you’d be surprised how much you can save with just growing your own herbs alone.
• Try Hello Fresh – zero wastage (food) – zero overspending in the grocery store for food you don’t need! Nothing left in the fridge at the end of the week and food shopping goes way down.
• Make meals such as lasagne or Shepard pie or cannelloni in a double batch. Portion and freeze 2nd tray so you have meals in freezer when you are time poor or a little bit broke and haven’t done a grocery shop.
• Run a budget … not just on your business but also on you’re personal home spending. Because it has a flow on effect on your business because you fund it OUT of your business. Budget Budget Budget!!
• Track your spending and write down every cent.
• Use your petrol discounts from Woolworths etc.
• Ask your web developer to train you how to maintain your website. They can do a check up for you every now and then. Just make sure you take regular backups.
• BLACK FRIDAY! Buy your Christmas presents then. Also it’s the best day to renew your web hosting and buy software or subscriptions like social media scheduling software.
• Get an app called ‘1/2 Price’. You can check what’s half price at Woolies and Coles.
• Get a petrol app that shows you all the petrol stations around you and their price.
• Get the 7-Eleven fuel app to lock in petrol when it’s a good price.
• Check your insurers as sometime they provide discounts with retailers
  For example, Youi give various discounts like this. Bupa also offers retail discounts and offers too.
• Lots of bills are cheaper when paid annually instead of monthly. I.e. home insurance etc.
• Make sure u have your super all in one low fee super fund, any more than one you are paying double.
• Turn off electricity in rooms not being used lights, fans etc.
• Open the whole house early on cool mornings and make house cool then if it’s going to be hot day. Close all Windows and doors before the warmth starts. Close blinds or curtains and keep rooms dark. Turn on fans and this way the air con doesn’t need to get turned on till late reducing electricity bills.

Hope you find these ideas as helpful as I did – every little bit helps!