We all know how hard it can be to save money when there are so many bills to pay. It’s not realistic to completely cut off going out with friends just to save money either. Luckily, however, there are a few super simple things you can do that will save you money without changing too much at all, and they involve staying informed about what you spend.
Steer Clear of On-brand Groceries
Our parents have always told us that ‘we’re only paying for the brand’ when you purchase more expensive groceries from the store, and they’re not wrong. There are so many more affordable choices when it comes to groceries if you just switch to home-brand and generic produce. You might even be able to cut your grocery bill in half if you stick to essentials only.
Spot Bad Habits and Stop Them
We all have one bad spending habit that we wish we could just stop and now’s the time to shape up. Take a look at your bank statement and find a non-essential that you spend the most money on and look for a way to stop it.
You might splurge up to $10 on coffee every day and a quick fix to this is just make one at home in a takeaway cup. Eating out for lunch too often will hit your saving balance pretty hard too, so consider making your lunch at home.
Always Look for Discounts
With so many saving platforms online like Honey, Extras, Groupon and more it’s best to hold off purchasing anything unless you can get a deal on it – unless it’s important. You could save up to 80% off some purchases and even get freebies which will keep your money where it feels most at home, in your savings account.
Learn to Capsule Dress
If you’ve found that shopping for clothes is your weak point, then consider learning to capsule dress. This is basically having just a select few outfits that all work seamlessly together, so you’re able to mix and match without buying new clothes each time you go shopping. It might also pay off to try your hand at op-shopping too, you never know what you could find.
Cut Back on Electricity
There’s a good chance you’re fed up with Australia’s insane power prices, and for good reason. We have some of the highest electricity bills in the world and that means you should always be turning off appliances you’re not using. Cut back on using the clothes dryer, try the fan before the air conditioning and set the fridge temperature to around 4ºC.
You could also invest in electricity trackers to monitor just how much power certain appliances in your home are using.
Don’t Feel Peer Pressured
There’s one time we all lose track of our saving goals and it’s when we meet up with friends. When it’s time to go out for a coffee or a snack, just stick to the coffee and the snack! There’s no need to splurge or buy clothes, more food or something else each time you go out. If you’re extra peckish, take a snack from home to eat before you arrive.
Buy a Water Bottle
Something we can all agree on is that the price of water is far too high. When you’re out and about, you should have a water bottle from home. This way you’re not inclined to spend $5 on a vending machine bottle in the city.
Change Phone Plans
With smartphone prices surpassing $2,000 this year, it’s time to look at where you can save. Try a refurbished model, look for a subsided plan or even hold on to your existing phone until you really need an upgrade.
Take Advantage of Public Transport
If you’re heading out to see a friend or going somewhere that you don’t need to be urgently, then take the train, tram or bus. It’ll save you on fuel, parking and the risk of a ding in the car park. You might even be able to consider selling your car or not buying one in the first place if you get a good hold of public transport.
Shop Online
Giving up shopping for clothes and other non-essentials might be unrealistic, but if you must, then consider shopping online instead. It’s effortless to browse through hundreds of stores to find a deal and you’re more likely to save a few dollars. The same goes with grocery shopping, you can peruse all items in an aisle and find the cheapest at a glance, rather than running up and down the supermarket.
