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There are moments in life when we are forced to start from nothing, or for some of us, start again. This could be because you are new to Australia and have come here with nothing besides the clothes on your back; perhaps you have fled a domestic abuse situation and have no resources; maybe you have become divorced or widowed and are left in debt or destitute, or any other heartbreakingly difficult life event has left you stressed and concerned about your financial future. Here are some tips to help you use your money with frugality while the going is tough. Hopefully your situation is temporary and these tips are only needed in the short term to assist you in your journey.
Turn your flybuys into dollars. If you are a member of a points rewards system such as Flybuys get online NOW. Check your balance and click through to ‘turn your points into dollars’, so that you can purchase groceries or items for your home using the points you have accumulated.
Use free wifi. Most restaurants, shopping centres, libraries and council buildings offer free wifi. Sometimes you will need to have a receipt therefore the cost of a cup of coffee will give you unlimited access to complimentary wifi.**local councils have started installing park benches with free wifi. Smart benches | Yarra City Council
Feed your kids for free at school. Many schools have taken up government initiatives to offer free breakfast for students on single or multiple days of the week. Ask if your children’s school offers this and make it a fun weekly (or daily) tradition.
Cook with less or cheaper meat. For example, chicken thighs are much less expensive than chicken breast, so perhaps this could be an easy substitute in a weekly meal.
Set a shopping list that utilises all your ingredients so there is no wastage. Unfortunately, meat and fresh fruit and vegetables are the most expensive things in the supermarket, but try to be resourceful when planning meals. For example, I will buy an entire pumpkin as it is less expensive per kilo than a cut or quarter of a pumpkin. From there I will plan 4 - 5 meals that include pumpkin so that I have no wastage.
Take your cup, water bottle and a snack everywhere you go. Don’t get caught out paying for overpriced snacks or drinks when a homemade one will save you in the long run.
Use your pension card or health care card to get a discount. If you have applied and been issued a pension or health care card you need to get on the phone and start asking for discounts NOW. The discounted rates only apply from the day you call and provide your card details so do it immediately. They do not offer discounts retrospectively. You can gain a discount on car registration, medication, rates and utilities such as water, gas and electricity.
Use your fuel docket. Don’t bin your receipt at the end of your grocery shopping outing, keep it in your car and use it when you next fill up.
Resole your old shoes. Shoes will live forever with a little TLC, so take those old boots to the local cobbler and get them resoled; put a nice comfy insole in there and keep carrying on.
Get online and join your community Good Karma or Neighbourhood Network on Facebook. Believe in what goes around comes around? Then this is perfect for you. The Good Karma Networks are usually listed by suburb eg. Good Karma Network Oakpark, and as the name suggests provide good karma (warm and fuzzy feelings) for those offering to give away items at no charge. You can list items such as used furniture, toys, books, clothing, plants .. anything at all! And your fellow community members will respond and arrange with you to pick it up. You can also use the GKN to request items you need, to see if anyone has any they are willing to part with that you would like to rehome.
Similar to the Good Karma Network, also on Facebook is the Hard Rubbish Network. Never heard of them? They are a genius way of sharing and upcycling locally. Similar to the GKN groups they are usually location based eg. Hard Rubbish Rescue - Moreland and share images of items that are kerbside that will be going to hard rubbish if not saved. Additionally, members will post items free to a good home that would have normally gone to hard rubbish pickup, where they will end up at the tip. Items range from furniture, whitegoods, home appliances, game consoles, garments, sporting goods and anything else you can think of. The table I sit at right now writing this article was an item I saved from the tip via the hard rubbish network.
Cut plant clippings! Even if you only have room for a couple of small pots, try cutting some herb or vegetable clippings to save on those costly supermarket herbs and grow your own. You’re not going to grow a lemon tree overnight but you might be able to save $5 a punnet of strawberries which would be nice.
And if time allows, try buying your fruit and vegetables at the local market instead of the supermarket as it’s always cheaper.
Good luck on tightening the purse strings a little tighter!
Got any money tips you want to share? Feel free to leave a comment :)
