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 Melissa Walker Horn on Unsplash

Show Suggestion: Check out this episode of Jesus the Game Changer about Wealth
This 10 part documentary series unpacks how the life and teaching of Jesus changed the world and why it matters. Karl Faase travels to the USA, UK, Australia, Singapore and India interviewing over 30 authors, speakers and modern day game changers. Guests include, Eric Metaxas, Christine Caine, John Ortberg, Rodney Stark, Rico Tice and Mary Jo Sharp.
Surprisingly, Jesus spoke more about money than nearly any other topic. In this episode Karl looks at how Jesus challenged the prevailing wisdom of His day, and taught that all money was God’s, to be used for Him instead of for personal advancement.
Watch Jesus the Game Changer now. Click here.