Is the rising cost of living leaving you MIGHTY reluctant to leave the house or open your purse? Us too, but don’t fear, we asked our Facebook community to share with us some of their best money saving hacks and tips to help us (and you!) keep hold of your hard-earned dollars for longer. And boy oh boy did you deliver the goods!
From saving money at the supermarket to saving on school uniforms and chemist prescriptions, we have ALL the money saving hacks and tips to help you get through this very bumpy year and into the next. With any luck and some careful planning, we can feel a little less like we’re just vomiting money wherever we go.
If 2022 could be a GIF, it would be this. via GIPHY
Ready to save some money? Make yourself a cuppa and take in this glorious list below of money saving hacks and tips! KA-CHING!
Money saving tips to use at the supermarket
Cutting back at the supermarket is usually our first port of call for saving money, because it’s one of the easiest. Here are some fantastic money saving tips we can all apply to our grocery shop!
1. Before you go grocery shopping, use what you already have at home! Check out what you have in your pantry, fridge and freezer and think about how you can use it up during the weeks ahead.
2. Plan and SAVE. Meal planning means there’s less impulse or last-minute buying of food. This clever dinner hack idea is a winner and super easy to do!
3. Always, always, always shop to a list AND STICK TO IT. Got it? Don’t shop without a list.
4. Speaking of lists, check out the WiseList app to save you time and money when grocery shopping! Simply enter your grocery list items into the app and it compares item prices between Woolworths and Coles, calculating which supermarket would be cheaper for you to do your shop. GENIUS!
5. Do your grocery shopping online so you can’t buy all the other temptations – plus you can track how much you’re spending.
6. Open those supermarket catalogues and promo emails! Sometimes there’s a code for saving money on your online shop plus it helps to plan meals based on what’s on sale or special.
7. If the price of fresh vegetables is too insane for your budget, buy frozen or tinned veggies – they’re snap frozen and there’s nothing wrong with them!
8. Buy generic brands as much as you can! Check out this post here on the simple swaps to help you save over $2,000 a year on your grocery bill!
9. Stock up on heavily discounted items when you can. If laundry powder is half price, buy two if you can afford it and you won’t have to buy it at full price later.
10. Absolutely do not do the grocery shopping while hungry. Between the hunger and the random things going in your trolley because of hungriness, it will be a fresh kind of Hell at the checkout.
11. Shop by yourself. Shopping as a family field trip is stressful and expensive and there will be tears (probably your own).
12. Shop later in the day to try and get some marked-down meat bargains. Meat and bakery goods are often marked down in the afternoon – that’s a BRILLIANT money saving hack!
13. Use your freezer! It’s a little bit cheaper to buy meat in bulk and if it stops you from going back to the supermarket, you won’t be tempted to spend again on unnecessary items.
14. If you or a friend has a Costco membership consider doing a group shop, buying in bulk and dividing it up between you. Sure, you might not need 1kg of Maggi gravy, but divided by a few of you it’s a score!
15. Big supermarkets are convenient BUT you can often get great bargains by shopping at farmer’s markets or direct from the grower. So shop around!
16. If you see discounted gift cards that you can use to pay for your grocery shopping – take advantage of them and snap one up.
17. If you’re going to the supermarket for ‘a few things’ don’t pick up a basket. If you can’t carry it, you can’t have it.
18. DIY cleaning sprays! It’s really tempting to spend a fortune in the cleaning aisle on bathroom sprays, kitchen surface sprays, glass cleaners, and fridge wipes… save yourself a fortune and keep cleaning agents simple and cost-effective.
Save even more with these food tips and money saving hacks!
Supermarket aside, here’s how you can save money on food in general. From using stalks on broccoli to growing your own, you’ll find them below:
19. Choose your meat, buy it in bulk and/or make the most of it. A roast chicken could be used for risotto, a pie and the carcass could be used for chicken soup. Beef strips can be used for both stir-fry and delicious beef and mushroom stroganoff. Buy mince in bulk and make a yummy spaghetti bolognese one night, tacos another night and of course, rissoles!
20. My favourite hack is to cook meals that can be stretched out for two nights. Bonus, eating leftovers practically gives you the night off cooking as well as saves you money. Just heat and eat!
21. Instead of meat every night, shake it up and try meat-free meals a few nights a week. From baked potatoes, mac and cheese to vegetable lasagne – we have loads of vegetarian recipe ideas!
22. You can eat vegetable stalks people! Throwing them in the bin is throwing money in the bin! Broccoli and cauliflower stalks can be steamed or sliced up for stir-fries. YUM.
23. Eat healthier portions. So many of us eat more than what we should and cutting back is as good for our budget as it is for our waistlines.
24. Grow whatever food you can. Even if it’s just a pot of coriander and parsley – that’s $7 a week you could save at the supermarket on herbs.
Money saving hacks: grow your own herbs at home and SAVE! (Also feel very Masterchef-ish!) via GIPHY
Entertaining kids on the cheap!
The money saving hacks are coming thick and fast! You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a fun day out, promise. Ditch the cinema and choose a new playground instead!
25. “Don’t leave the house” was a common answer to saving money BUT there are plenty of inexpensive or free options out there to prevent us from feeling trapped in our homes – they might just require a bit of planning! Museums, art galleries and botanical gardens often have free entry.
26. You don’t always have to spend money to entertain the kids. Rug up and explore the beach in winter, take a bike ride, and head to the library for some school activity fun.
27. Check out if your local shopping centres have any school holiday fun programs running. If you’re lucky they might have face painting, art classes or other fun things for the kids for a small fee.
Save money on living expenses
Prescriptions, heating, fuel – these are all common areas of concern and things we NEED. But here’s how we can spend less on them!
28. Shop around for chemist goods. Ask your doctor to prescribe generic brands where possible and look to discounted chemists such as Chemist Warehouse to get them filled and save money.
29. Using public transport can be cheaper than taking your own car after factoring in high fuel costs, time and parking fees. Plus, kids LOVE THE BUS (and side note: it means fewer cars on the road which is better for the environment!).
30. Before turning the heater on, put more clothes on. I KNOW it seems obvious but an extra layer or sitting on the couch with a throw rug, thick socks and a hot drink could hold you off from putting on the heater or just that little bit longer, saving on your electricity bill!
31. Heating aside, be mindful of the rest of your power usage now that electricity prices are on the rise. Turn lights off, don’t leave the TV on all day as background noise, keep doors closed to keep the cool air out and turn appliances off when out of use.
Power prices are also on the up and up so be careful! via GIPHY
Miscellaneous money saving hacks and tips
Random money saving hacks and tips? WE HAVE THEM TOO!
32. Instead of taking the kids out for the day and having a takeaway or fast food for lunch, pack a picnic and enjoy the playground or park. It’s usually cheaper (even with a treat thrown in) and it’s fun family time.
33. Always check your receipts for discount codes on fuel or coupons for services.
34. It’s not too late to start the $5 saving challenge. If you’re lucky enough to have them, save them!
35. Leave your bank and credit cards at home and carry cash. You tend to be more conscious about how you spend when you SEE that $50 note leaving your purse.
36. Really think about how you’re spending your money, use a budget and don’t waste anything (which takes some discipline, but you’ll get there!)
37. Grow what you can at home. Grow lettuce, cucumber, zucchini and tomatoes in pots. If your neighbours grow produce too or have chickens, swap with them. Freeze fruit and veggies when in season, or preserve – pickle olives or make fruit jams – you could have a mini share and swap co-op on your street, so much fun!
38. Put pump dispensers on dishwashing detergent, shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottles to make them last longer and stop people from free pouring ample suds. I’m looking at you, kids.
39. Shop the second-hand school uniform shop for school uniforms. So many kids grow out of their clothes so quickly, they look like they’ve been hardly worn and you’ll save on brand new.
40. Streaming subscriptions can be expensive – consider which one you use the most and then cut the others loose. Or sign up, enjoy the free trial but don’t forget to cancel it!
41. Stop paying for that gym membership if you don’t use it. Seriously.
42. Get brave and jump on the phone and ask your lenders for a better rate and insurance providers for better premiums. They won’t give it to you unless you ask (and they can only say no). What have you got to lose?
43. Impulse buying: exercise some willpower and discipline muscles. Really think about needs versus wants. And if you have completely justified a purchase, sleep on it for 24 hours and see if you’re still as passionate about it the next day.
Tips on how you can MAKE extra money
Every dollar counts right? RIGHT. Here are a few ways to get some money back into your pocket!
44. Believe it or not, companies WILL pay for your opinion! Filling out surveys online can help provide a little extra income. Some survey companies include Octopus Group and Opinion World.
45. Utilise apps that give you money back on selected online purchases such as Cash Rewards and Shopback where you earn cash back from buying from some of your favourite stores! They’re free to join and easy to use.
46. Join and actively use your chosen supermarket’s rewards program for great savings, free products and earning points which turn into spending dollars! Woolworths has Everyday Rewards and Coles uses Flybuys. Both are fab!
47. Sell (and buy!) fee free on Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree. There are SO many of us in the same boat trying to make our money go further so, don’t think your unwanted goods won’t be another person’s treasure (especially if it’s at a bargain price). It’s a win, win!
Spend wisely, join our Hot Deals Australia group to bag some real bargains!
48. Finally, we’re STILL going to need/want to buy things even when money is tight – and let’s not forget Christmas is less than six months away. Join our Hot Deals Australia Facebook group to keep an eye on some of the hottest deals spotted in supermarkets, retail stores and online to help you and your family SAVE money – and score some great gear!
It’s BARGAINS GALORE and money saving hacks in our Hot Deals Australia Facebook group! via GIPHY
There you have it guys, 48 money saving hacks and tips to see you make wise decisions about your dollars in 2022. Buckle up guys, the seas may be a little rough for the next while, but we’ve got this – AND WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!
