Your best tips for saving money?

Ok, we have to cut the spending. No more impulse purchases, no more buying books just because we want them, no more non-essential renovations for the time being, no more turning the heating on or off until we're sure more/less clothes won't suffice, no more buying textbooks before checking whether we can get them from the library or for free as an eBook ...

Things I've decided were not going to cut are:-

1. fresh produce (though we will be going to our closest direct from the farm place, and we'll be getting meat in bulk)
2. the gym (would be very short sighted)
3. insurance (again, only a short term saving)
4. one day a week of day care for the DSs (for DH's uni needs and sanity)

Things I've decided we are going to cut are:-

1. unplanned trips to the pool, playcentre
2. unplanned take away of all sorts (coffee, dinner, snacks, etc)
3. buying clothes, books, toys, craft things etc before thoroughly checking we don't have something already that would suit (or be as good as) AND that we can't get something from freecycle.
4. the next round of 12WBT (but I'll keep on the thread here, for support and encouragement ... I'll just repeat the meals and recipes from this round ... there's plenty of variety)
5. reduction in pre-made and partially pre-made meals and snacks... eg: bread is fine, stir through sauce is not ...
6. reduction of use of the tumble dryer ...


I need more ideas though, please! We really need to cut back a lot.


DH going back to work actually only improves our net income by about $100 a week, and I'm convinced we should be able to save $100 a week ... help me see how, please?


I'm up for any great ideas, big or small... I will be getting back into the habit of doing a detailed budget and cashbook journal, so that's a given ... and
I have a deep freezer, if any of your ideas are food related ...


Thanks in advance :)

Get YNAB (You need a budget) is budget software but is really quite different to anything else - the phone app is now free on all phones and I really find it helps looking at that and seeing the amount in each category (is just an electronic way of cash in envelopes really) helps avoid the unplanned things you list.

We get all books and DVD's and CD's from library. - then you don't have to worry about storage for them either.

Do you use nappies for both boys? Could you TT DS1 or switch to cloth?
Call around utility and phone suppliers to see if you can get a better deal.
Sell stuff you don't need (a dollar earned is a dollar saved).
Fill up car on cheap petrol days. Use petrol coupons. Make sure tyres are fully pumped.
Invest in door snakes to keep heat in and drafts out.
If you use an electric blanket, change to a wheat bag.
Have a couple of meat free nights a week.

Do you get Foxtel? Ring up and pretend you want it cut off. They will offer you a discount to stay. Ask for a bigger one.
If you have a chest freezer buy a whole lamb - it will come cut up for you. You will have to figure out what to do with the unfamiliar cuts.
Buy loo paper, washing powder etc in bulk.

Grocery shop online. If you meal plan and have your list, you won't be so inclined to impulse buy.

Cancel austar/foxtel if you have it.

Shop for food once a month. (except f&v & bread etc). We do this. We plan our meals a month in advance. Check pantry & freezers first to use up items. Plan to have meals with similar ingredients close together to avoid wastage. This is not set in stone and can be flexible. It has taken a while but now it takes only a short time. We can choose healthy meals and then we know what we are having each night so rarely ever have takeaway. We cook extra rice/pasta and have leftovers for a bit of variety for lunch. From our meal plan, I do up a shopping list for meat (from bulk butcher), aldi & woolies (I check for specials on the week I go shopping for things we often buy. Other weeks I do not read the catalogues so I'm not tempted to go in) A few shopping trips comparing prices will give a good idea of who has the cheapest prices. I shop to the lists. No impulse buys allowed unless it is something that should have been on the list (as in I forgot to put cereal on the list no I forgot to put chocolate biscuits down :p) We don't buy packet mix anything, & make everything from scratch. We go f&v shopping about once a week as needed. We buy the milk that is $2 for 2L, and bread that is $1.60 a loaf. It is not the best bread but it does the job. DH buys a whole rump from IGA and from that we can get quite a few meals depending on how it's cut. DH usually does a roast, some stir-fry strips, steak or mince. It's often on special for about $5 a kg. Pack f&v to best avoid wastage as soon as possible. By this I mean putting things that wilt quickly like carrots/celery etc in air tight containers so they last longer etc.

I don't know if you drink or smoke but it goes without saying if you do - stop or cut back on drinking/smoking.

Try to avoid the shops as much as possible. Do NOT go to the shops to "browse". IRL or online. Just don't do it. Cancel any subscriptions to emails from sites that offer deals - groupon, daily deals etc to avoid the temptation. Cancel emails from stores. You won't miss it if you don't know about it. Make a pledge to go a year without buying new clothes/shoes/homewares unless absolutely necessary.

Do you have more than one car? Can you get by with just one? I know it's not always possible but may be doable if you have access to public transport.

wysiwig - I have spreadsheets on excel that I use for doubledigit entry bookkeeping, in categories - sounds similar! They've just been sitting unloved fora while, but I'm going to get back into them ... the App sounds like a better way than writing notes on scraping my handbag though, during the day ... will look into it, thanks! I actually did start with a series of physical envelopes when I started working though ... I upgraded to Excel when I bought my first computer (a 84th hand 486 ...) AnNd yes, there be basically no allowances for "going into the red" on slush or entertainment, etc ... And I will definitely have to reacquaint myself with our local library. :)


n2l - we use cloth for them both. Tried to TT DS1 twice now (once laissez-faire and once full on) but no bone ...he's just not ready. Recently done the utilities, phone and insurance switch (everything cheaper except phone, but we now actually get coverage on our mobiles at home ... so worth the extra cash!) ... Need to start leaving those petrol coupons in the car!! Is Wednesday still cheap day? Will get some door snakes. And next investment might be thicker curtains (a catch 22 - curtains are expensive ...) ... no electric blanket. Meat free nights would definitely be a saving, with 4 people eating... and DH is learning some great vego recipes, courtesy of the 12WBT! Selling stuff is scary... I keep on thinking "what if I need it??" or I think of someone who would actually really need it, and who I don't want to sell it to (eg: stuff that DS2 has outgrown ...my littlest bro and his wife want 2-4 kids, and they aren't flush, but are family (and some of the most generous people I know) and I've always just planned on blessing them with any of our baby stuff they want, when the time comes, rather than selling it ... maybe I need to think more broadly.

zazou - no Foxtel - but I did do that with our credit card and insurance :D very nifty, thanks! Where do I buy a [chopped up] lamb? I found somewhere I could get half a cow, but that's REALLY big! A lamb seems much more feasible ;) Non perishables other than generic brand are bought in bulk at our quarterly Costco trip with my sister and SILs, but I need to behave myself when I'm there ... I save $3 on toilet paper, but buy 5 books and a robot costume I really didn't need... :redface:

ladyneon - do you find that helps? I get so much fresh produce, and I'm really picky ... I always worry that I'll get scungy fruit ... ?

rowellen - no paid TV... will try meal planning further in advance to avoid wastage, thanks,and definitely will need to improve on using what we already have! Might have to set certain days when dinner is a "pantry night" or something ... there's always onions and curry and lentils and rice and veggies, so there's no reason this wouldn't work, right? :) And throwing out the junk mail before I read it in non-shopping weeks is a great idea. I have cancelled all my online email subscriptions for groupon and so forth ... that was a good move :) Making things from scratch is a really big one here - we've become SO SLACK. We *have* a slowcooker, a perfectly good oven, cook books, etc - we just don't use them very often. No smoking, we do drink a bit. But again - we need to drink what we have (in moderation!) before getting more ... finish the wine before buying more scotch, etc. And not having it as a standard ... We only recently went up to 2 cars (and until a little before that, got by without one at all!) but it's just not logical now. I catch the train to and from work every day, it's too far to walk (about 5kms) and the bus doesn't go past after 7pm - I'm not often home by then. DH used to drop me off and pick me up daily, but with two kids who are generally asleep when I leave, and often in bed or having dinner when I get home, it's just not logical. It's an expense I would love to drop, but until I have regular hours I know I can keep long term, it's not doable.


Thanks for all the ideas! I would love to hear more!

DH and I are going through them together :)

Go easy on yourself. Who could pass up a robot costume! (I am assuming it was for you).

Even if you don't want the software the stuff on the YNAB site is really good - quite a different way of thinking to what I have seen on other budget sites and it is really targeted at people who really need to save / get out of debt rather than the whole financial planning side of budgets. Astrid uses it too I think there is a thread somewhere on here. The forum is a bit American but has alot of money saving ideas.

I save money on petrol by putting everything on my credit card, then using the points to get a petrol voucher - probably save about $300 a year that way - for us we are using one every other fill up - but much of the money on the CC is from Childcare - but anything else I can like health insurance I put on it just to get the points - it is paid off every month.

Check you are paying the minimum on your mortgage - I had forgotten that we had at one point told the bank not to decrease our payments if the interest rate dropped so they stopped doing it, I then realized we were paying over the minimum approx $200 a month. As we have free redraw I decided not to change it but do count that 200 in our budget.

Check gumtree.com.au if need for new clothes/toys/books and lots more - it's awesome to get some good bargains for hardly used items. And you will feel good about reusing stuff as well! And you're doing your bit for environment. Also a good website if you wanted to sell any old clothes/toys etc that you don't use any more! Watch out though - it could be very addictive :)

My two best money-saving purchases in recent times are my stainless steel travel coffee mug (because I make tea or coffee before we head out instead of grabbing one on the way), and our Aldi coffee pod machine. We pretty much only use it when we would otherwise be buying cafe coffees, the coffee is cheaper and also you skip the temptation of buying something to eat as well.

Other suggestions - put electrical appliances onto kill switches or timers (so they are not drawing power in standby mode). Only fill the kettle with the exact amount of water you need. Get a water filter instead of buying spring water. Cook with slow cooker instead of oven where possible. Books on reserve from the library (our library has a phone app so you can find & request books on your ph, and we also have e-book borrowing). Also, if you buy magazines, set up a swap with a friend. Plan ahead for kids birthday presents by buying stuff when it's on special (this saves a lot of time & stress). Use microfiber cleaning clothes. Buy laundry powder/dog food/cat litter/dishwashing tablets in bulk at places like Big W or Cheap as Chips.

Meal plan. Meal plan. Meal plan. I choose $10 dinner type recipes and try to choose a few per week that I can put leftovers in the freezer from. That means there's always something in the freezer and I very rarely buy takeaway. If there's a Staying Down price option, I try to take that one (milk, soft cheese, washing powder, dried pasta, tinned tomatoes)

Like you, I'm aiming to drastically reduce dryer usage by using a clothes horse instead (it rains a lot here so clothes line outside is very hit and miss).

I'm cutting down on my clothes expenditure and going to a capsule wardrobe. It means I buy fewer things but I wear them a lot and I can mix and match. I still feel like I'm dressed nicely and it reduces the temptation to buy lots of cheap things that don't go with anything else in my wardrobe.

If it's 5km to the train station, I wonder if taking up cycling is an option and either taking it on the train with you or locking up at station?

What heating options do you have at your house? I know our gas ducted heater absolutely chews through the juice so we've just stockpiled a huge wood pile so we can have fires all winter

for clothes drying - anything involving heat, is an exxy way to dry clothes. but did you know that an electric fan (blowing air temp air around) also dries clothes? so if you have the space to put a clothes airer, and have an electric fan on, pointed at the clothes airer, that will dry your clothes cheaply.

we take water bottles with us EVERY time we leave the home, to avoid needing to buy drinks when out. It's a lifestyle habit that is saving us alot of money. If you're going out as a family, prolly help to have a big water container left in the car boot. (with icecubes in too). so you can keep filling up those water bottles.

when you KNOW you are going food/fruit n veg shopping in summer, pack icebricks, so your stuff gets home in good condition.

when you need a splurge and are stony broke - 30 cents soft serve icecream at Macca's. it's a cheap pick me up.

the energy audit i had talked about covering windows, as heat/cooling leaves the home through glass. So i got $10 block out roller blinds from spotlight clearance sales, until i could gradually find block out curtains at opshops (this takes ALOT of searching, patience).

in winter, lap blankets for sitting down time (computer, tv). PUtting on more clothing, before switching on heaters. You will laugh, my place is so cold, i am very warmly dressed AND wear a thick parka INSIDE my home in winter time. Places like best n less have nice affordable thermal underwear, looks more like a long sleeve t and leggins, but very warm. i only have portable heaters e.g blow heaters that are very exxy to run, so can only have them on sparingly. Like when you are getting dressed, for breakfast time.

OMG! Are the Macca's soft serves only 30c there! They are 60c in NZ. Ripped off and outraged!

Groceries are the biggest thing here that blows the budget. Going back in for just one thing always ends up in spending at least $60 extra. I have slipped a bit lately but when we are in good savings mode I plan the meals so that I get everything I need for those 7 meals and don't need to go back to the supermarket for any reason.

I very rarely use the dryer - clothes horses are in the way all the time but so much cheaper. I only put a load of towels in the dryer if there is no break in the weather and I am backed up.

Balance transfer any credit card debt to cut down on interest.

We have just set a new budget which gives DH is own personal spending money so he can keep track of what he is buying by looking at his account rather than a free for all out of the main account which he always thinks has money but it is ear tagged for shopping/petrol/living costs. It seems to be working. So maybe give yourselves a small personal budget so if you *need* a robot costume you can get it out of your own funds.

Make sure you bank the saving/ difference you got on your insurance etc.... It will add up.
Definitely meal plan!! I shop once a week, I do have to restock on fruit though.
Have you had the energy saving plugs installed??? It's free.

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Where do I buy a [chopped up] lamb? I found somewhere I could get half a cow, but that's REALLY big! A lamb seems much more feasible ;)

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PM Rouge and ask her for the details of her halal butcher. They are super cheap. Then you can ask them if they will do a lamb for you. If they don't they might know a butcher who will. Usually you just need to ask around a bit.

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Make sure you bank the saving/ difference you got on your insurance etc.... It will add up.
Definitely meal plan!! I shop once a week, I do have to restock on fruit though.
Have you had the energy saving plugs installed??? It's free.

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What's an energy saving plug?