New year, new me budget! I can’t be the only one feeling the squeeze of the purse strings in 2020?
December was spent (literally) in a whirlwind of EFTPOS card taps or swipes. I don’t have a lot of cash left in my purse to show for it. Sure I LOVED all the wine, the Christmas hams and the footloose and fancy free HEY IT’S CHRISTMAS attitude but aye ca-rumba, do I have a *smidge* of overspending guilt.
So with that over-expenditure in mind, I’m cracking the budget whip for the first quarter of 2020. I’ve gathered a purse-full of awesome money saving tips that I plan to stick by. They won’t give me thousands of dollars overnight, but it’s a good start. Who’s with me?
10 Money Saving Tips Everyone Can Use
Just to be clear, saving money doesn’t need to be the killer of all joy. It can be kind of fun to challenge yourself and the household budget. PLUS when you have the extra cash in your hot little hand, you CAN do fun things with it!
1. Save at the supermarket
Saving money almost ALWAYS starts at the supermarket for my family. By shopping online, you can easily stick to your budget, keep track of your spend and there’s NO nasty checkout surprises. Temptation is futile – I don’t buy half the confectionery aisle when I’m not in store. My relationship with Kit-Kats is both complicated and expensive.
2. A self-imposed grocery challenge
I’m going to start doing this once a month – a self imposed grocery challenge. Feed the family for the week for $100 and get REAL inventive. It’s an awesome way to keep some extra $ in the grocery account to get you in front, as well as clearing out the pantry. And frankly, who doesn’t want Toast Tuesday instead of Taco Tuesday every now and then?
3. Sell anything you no longer have a use for
It’s time to Marie Kondo the shiz out of your house contents and sell it on. Think kids toys, clothes, plants, books, any excessive to needs Tupperware… One look at Facebook Marketplace will show you you can sell just about anything. Set your prices low (but fair) and they’ll soon be off your hands!
4. Cash in your shopping rewards
If you’re part of a shopping reward scheme and haven’t checked your reward balance for a while, it’s time to cash in! If you’re not, check out Shopback where you can get discounts, coupons and ‘Cashback’ from many retailers – including Woolworths! The Cashback money you made shopping online could very well start paying for your shopping!
5. Free outings and money saving snacks
A massive chunk of money goes to entertaining the family during school holidays. MASSIVE. So because we want to still have some fun and not be a family budget grinch, let’s go somewhere FREE and pack a picnic or buy lunch supplies at the supermarket instead of at an overpriced playground kiosk. Still fun, but on a budget. Supermarket finger buns – four for $4 versus $2-3 each at a bakery… makes sense!
6. Set up a family budget for SUCCESS
I know, I know, but the word ‘budget’ isn’t a dirty word. Budgeting allows you to save for a holiday, fun things (even Christmas!) and then you can spend that money guilt-free! WOOT! Start with small, achievable goals and you’ll soon find your money saving groove.
7. Reassess your billers
No one wants to pay more than what they have to. Look over your bills from the past year and request better rates or deals for your services. Your electricity, gas, telephone and internet provider are all excellent starting points. There’s often loads of money to be saved with insurance too – so add that to your list!
8. Eliminate a service
Stan, Foxtel, Netflix, Spotify… This one might require a family meeting to decide which paid service you can live without. For me, it’s Spotify. I don’t mind listening to a little advertising if it saves me money every month.
9. Rock your sale outfit
I DO enjoy rocking a new outfit. Telling myself I can’t spend money on clothes will have me abandoning the saving money brief quicker than drinking a complimentary holiday cocktail. SO, I’m going to TRY to buy clothes at sale prices only. Yep – the kid’s and husband’s too! Head to the DFO or TK Max. You will save a fortune.
10. Keep it real
Possibly the greatest money saving tip of them all is to keep it real and be honest with yourself. There will be times when saving money will be a struggle. Remember though, some is better than none. And there WILL be weeks when you might struggle to save even just $20. But just remember the big picture – that measly $20 this week going to the Christmas fund could be a splendid bottle of wine come December. #sweet #bigpicture
Have you got some awesome money saving tips? Please comment and share them below, I’d LOVE to hear!
Here’s a few more stories to get you inspired to save:
