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We get it. Lots of us worry about money. Some experts say it’s the number one thing that keeps us up at night.

In our heads we often know we should do something a little differently, but it can all seem just too hard.

Tackling one thing at a time can put you back on the road to financial wellness and help motivate you to focus on doing bigger and better things with your money.

With that in mind we’ve put together some of our favourite tips. Why not choose one of the tips and see the difference it makes:

1) Have a dinner party instead of going out

Pot Luck – have it at your house, get all your mates to bring a dish and a bottle of drink to share. Round out the night with some board games, cards or a scary movie.

Progressive dinner party – find a group of people who are keen to move around. Start at venue 1 where the host is responsible for entrée, venue 2 mains and 3 desserts. Those not hosting a course can be responsible for drinks or host next time round.

2) Know exactly where your money goes

There are people who have no idea what they’re doing with their hard-earned money. They “blindly spending” forgetting about future commitments. If the money is available in your account, that doesn’t mean it’s OK to spend.

Use a spreadsheet or app to track your bills, expenses etc and make sure you are only spending what’s left!

3) Start a piggy bank

At the end of each day put any loose change in the piggy bank. At the end of the month cash it in and put the money straight to your savings account or credit card debt.

4) Credit card

Consider getting rid of your credit card and operating with a debit card. Plan how to pay off your credit card/s in full. Each time you don’t, there is an interest cost.

Check out information on Balance transfers.

5) Automate

Never pay late fees again. Have your bills set up to automatically debit your account.

6) Open a savings account

Open a high-interest savings account that is difficult to access. Automatically transfer funds into this account each pay day. Make sure you watch your balance grow.

7) Grocery shopping do’s:

  • Buy your fruit and vegetables in season, you will save a heap.
  • Check out Aldi for alcohol, it’s reasonably priced. If not Aldi, try Dan Murphys, as well as being consistently lower priced than other bottle shops, they will give you a discount if you find it somewhere else cheaper.
  • Try it online – Coles deliver for free on a Wednesday if you spend over $100.
  • Write a list and stick to it, it will help stop impulse buys.
  • Go through the weekly catalogue before you hit the shops.

8) Grocery shopping don’ts:

  • Don’t do it when you’re hungry
  • Don’t be sucked in by rewards programs

9) Check your statements for payments for services you no longer use

  • Do you really need Netflix and Foxtel?
  • Do you pay for a gym membership that you don’t use?
  • Do you have a magazine subscription for magazines you no longer really read?

10) Think before you buy

Try an outfit or shoes on that you really like then go and do your grocery shopping, or meet your friend for coffee.

If you still want to go back then go back and purchase.

Having time to consider whether you really need that item may mean you have more money in the bank at the end of the day.

Do you have any other tips to add to this list? Please share in the comments below.

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  • oh gosh…those were the days….. have a dinner party instead of going out… in the age of covid its stay at home and cook for yourself instead of going out or inviting people over. LOL

    Reply

  • re-evaluating everything that you spend your money on is a good idea. write it down and keep receipts for a month and then sit down and go through it all. i bet that you might be able to reconsider a lot of it

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  • These are really fantastic tips. I often go grocery shopping while hungry but I have trained my brain to not listen to my stomach lol

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  • I love having parties at home, so much fun! I’m also considering to cancel my foxtel

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  • Thanks for your thoughts. Sometimes though I find it cheaper to eat out than entertain.

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  • I pay my bills by direct debit. It saves writing cheques or a trip to post office or the company involved to pay them. I sometimes go over budget but when I average it out over 3 months I am always ahead except the months that insurance bills arrive, both of them in March or April.

    Reply

  • Thanks Jen, another good read (I found part 2 first). I do use our credit card to pay for almost everything BUT it is ALWAYS paid out fortnightly and don’t buy what I can’t budget for that week. I then earn points for using the card, which I redeem for petrol vouchers to use on our holidays. This only works because it is paid out in the interest free period and the $55 annual cost is outweighed by the vouchers I redeem.


    • Good one!! I do the same, but we redeem for gift cards for birthdays and Christmas :) credit cards are great for the rewards programs as long as you don’t get caught out paying credit card interest! Cheers, Jen

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  • What is meant by not getting sucked into rewards programs? I manage mine so that I maximise my return. I do the same with my credit card rewards program.

    Reply

  • great tips…. Ive also got a money bank in the laundry, so when you find that spare coin or note in the pocket of your clothing just pop it in the little money bank and save it, it was found to be saved and best thing is check it at the end of the year and there might be enough for some christmas presents or a good night out for the family.

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  • These tips could not be any more spot on! Bravo!

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  • Very good tips!! I’ve been trying to save for so long but with the cost of living rising, bills, only hubby working and raising 4 kids it’s impossible.

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  • 1) If you have multiple credit cards put it all into one with the lowest interest rate and pay it off
    2) shop around each year for household costs such as electricity, phone and insurances.
    3) Make a weekly menu and try to stick to this, it cost a shopping list even further
    4) Don’t even go down the isles that you don’t have items on your list for
    5) 1 day a week make a freezer food dish from cheap cuts of meat and cheap veg. It will usually make more than one meal


    • Great tips!! I have to admit I do struggle a little with #5. Wish I had the energy!! I often manage in winter thanks to my slow cooker :)

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  • I believe I shop well – buying gifts in advance when they’re on sale, keeping a stash of gifts that I’ve bought cheaper than their normal price. I always pore over the catalogues and get food items on sale too. We also work to a simply weekly budget where we withdraw the $ we need from the back and work with that.

    Reply

  • Some good advice !
    We always plan our budget and stick to it.
    I write my expenses every week down, it helps :)

    Reply

  • Good advice here.

    Reply

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