We all have to get creative when cutting costs. Here are six ways everyday Australians are putting a little more money away.
1. Plan your meals in advance
Jonathan Delagio, Melbourne, VIC: “We’ve saved a lot by planning meals and only buying what we need for those meals. The plan is on the fridge door and my partner and I hold ourselves accountable and we batch-cook on Sundays. We prepare two portions of three different meals then freeze the dishes to use throughout the week. I crunched the numbers and we save an average of $70 per week this way. Plus, we’re not throwing out wilting veggies at the end of each week.”
2. Get creative with date nights
Christina Robertson, Sydney, NSW: “My wife and I love to go out but for drinks and a few snacks you’re looking at $100 minimum at many places. We bought a bar cart and some of our favourite drinks and now we stay home for cocktail hour. We put a lot of effort into making the drinks and it’s great fun. And we save money doing it this way without compromising on time together.”
3. Grow your own food
Rebecca Donaldson, Kalgoorlie, WA: “We got backyard chickens and it’s changed our lives for the better. Our girls free-range in the backyard and give us eight eggs per day on average. This has been a game changer for a family of five who love eggs. We have eggs for breakfast most days and when I notice we’re getting a build-up, I make zucchini slices or frittata for lunches. We’ve also started a veggie patch because I’ve been so inspired by the savings of home-grown groceries.”
4. Divide your pay into a daily spend
Rusty Crawford, Sydney, NSW: “I’m a single dad so the cost of living means that putting savings away is hard. When I get paid, I take out the money I need for bills and rent, divide the rest by the number of days in the month and then set up my account to transfer that amount into my everyday account at midnight. This helps me stick to my daily budget and any money left at the end of that month rolls over into savings”
5. Consider at-home beauty treatments
Francesca Harvey, Brisbane, QLD: “I bought an at-home nail kit. I always feel great when I have fresh nails but getting a gel manicure every two weeks was setting me back nearly $200 a month. I was dubious about whether it would work but for $100, I got three different colours (I always go for a subtle nude anyway) and they look almost as good as the professional job.”
6. Shop with intention
Bernadette Hamilton, Gold Coast, QLD: “I used to do a big grocery shop online and invariably I’d spend more because the algorithm is set up to remind you of items you haven’t got in your cart yet. I’d find myself adding them just in case or to stock up but really I was just spending more than intended. For me, shopping daily for the things I need instead of trying to do it all in bulk has saved me a lot of money.”
