Tips to save money

[Kaileysmum]

I thought Id start a thread on just everyones general tips to save money in everyday family life. Things like food, clothes, kids stuff, power, water etc.

I'm really bad at this type of stuff and I want to improve in the saving area, so I'll be watching this thread for all the wonderful tip's you guys have.
So lets start sharing tips.........:smiliedance:

[carls]

Buy the energy saving light globes (the funny white twisty looking ones). I have put them all through the house, and not only do they last something like 10,000 times as long as normal globes, they have shaved about $50 off my electricity bill!!! The initial outlay for them is a lot more expensive but they pay for themselves in a couple of months. :smiliedance:

[timetoplay!]

Buy and sell your kids clothes on eBay!

[InSaneOne]

buy home brand or coles brand food and cleaning products. they are the same as the more expensive products and some you can't even taste the difference. for half the price.

[cheezelkat]

Don't pay full price for anything unless its dire - things like clothing, shoes and manchester can always be found on sale every few weeks at K-Mart or target on their 20% off sales.

Make lists when you go shopping so you don't buy anything you don't need.

Make ahead meals - if you make in bulk meals using bulk buy mince or stewing beef, it works out cheaper than more expensive cuts and saves you time in the evenings.

Utilise the evening bakery/meat discounts at the supermarkets. I buy my bread rolls for 50cents for 12 and freeze them.

And generic items are great, for some items. They can save you a fortune!

Oh, and make sure you turn off lights and thinhs when leaving a room, and don't the TV off and not leave it on stand-by. They are big drains on electricity!

[cwsmum]

Woolies Homebrand nappies (the white pack with black & red writing NOT select ones)
Woolies Homebrand laundry powder/liquid...I use both, the liquid for all our clothes and cloth nappies and the powder for towels, linen, etc...I have used the liquid on DD's clothes since she was born without a problem.
DH & DS both love juice so I buy the concentrate, $1 for 500ml...mixes up to make 2L. Cheaper than $3 for a 2L bottle of juice.
Homebrand Rice Bubbles & weet-bix aren't bad...DS loves both of those.
I don't buy any fruit/vege from the supermarket, except for frozen peas once in a while. I buy it all either from markets on a weekend (when I can be bothered getting up early) or from a fruit shop.
Formula is often cheaper in a chemist rather than the supermarket.
can't think of anything else but when I do I'll be back :D

[FourAngelKisses]

Do you really need the heater up so high?? Throw an extra layer of clothing on and turn the heater down.
Do a toy exchange with a friend whenever your kids ask for "new" toys.




I can't really think of any others, I skimp whenever I can, all my money goes on petrol, lol.

[CJJHRA]

If you make alot of phone calls, get a phone cap.

Dont go food shopping when you are hungry

if somethings on special, try and get 2-3 extra if you can (especially for things like toilet paper and washing powder, tin food) and if you can afford the extra, put them away for if you are having a lean week and need extra elsewhere.

put all your coins in a jar and pretend its not there.

If you feel like take away, try doing a home version of it, and put the $$ you would have spent in a savings jar.

Open a second account, (passport account, no atm cards, so you have to go into the bank if you want to withdraw the money) and get $10 a pay automatically de-ducted from your usual pay, so that way you dont miss it. Everytime your money jar gets full, go deposit it into your 'secret' acount.

Clothes, for kids, buy a size bigger in winter clothes, incase the next year you cant afford to get them straight away, the year befores cloths can make do for a bit inf need be.

Laybuy christmas presents throughout the year when there are specials on as long as you got a good hiding place, saves a big expense at the end of the year, and saves lining up in the early chirstmas laybuy lines that are 1000 people long.

Flush the loo every 3rd time (unless its brown LOL)
cut down on bleaches and stuff, and try to use a natural alternative like vinegar, much cheaper, and environmentally friendlier too.

[mysonroger]

i was raving about this sponge i bought at mitre 10 called 'white magic' . its for cleaning bathrooms, kitchens, etc. it cost $5 but you don't use any detergents or cleaning products at all. but i've only had it for a few weeks so i don't know how long it will last. but it is pretty amazing.
don't use other banks' ATMs and all those bank fees for EFPTOS etc all add up. beauty products that come in pump packs , it seems like the bottle is empty because the pump has run dry, but if you get into the bottle somehow (cut it open if its plastic, for example) you'll be amazed at how much is still left. if you use a product that comes in a mousse style, like tanning mousse, when you think its finished, put the can in warm water for awhile, then use it and you can get another couple of applications out of it.

[five]

I do my weekly shopping out of the catalogues. Weird I know, but it takes me 10 minutes on a Sunday to go through the catalogues and make lists for each store of their good specials, and when somehting is super cheap, I buy in bulk, 10 or more of that item. I don't buy things that I don't need, and I have a weekly menu drawn up, so I only buy what is needed for those meals, plus fruit and lunchobox fillers. It saves heaps of money, and the kids still get all the stuff they like too :D
For clothes shopping, try to think ahead, and with the end of season clearances buy up clothes two sizes larger than your child is in now, and try to buy things that won't date, things that aren't 'the latest' in fashion so to speak. I mange to buy my 5 kids a complete wardrobe for the next season for under $100, and that's for 5 kids!!!!
My motto is never ever ever pay full price for anything, because you only line corporation pockets, and there are plenty of others to do that. Much better to line your own pockets, and never have to go without anything because of the money you save :D

[Indy]

I have heard somewhere that leaving appliances on stand by costs a fair bit in the long run (tv's, microwaves etc). I tried to switch them off but DP gets annoyed when he goes to sit down and the remote won't work cause the tv is switched. He was :( you know how men can get. He won't believe that that leaving them on costs much money. Anyone know much about this?

[FourAngelKisses]

I have heard somewhere that leaving appliances on stand by costs a fair bit in the long run (tv's, microwaves etc). I tried to switch them off but DP gets annoyed when he goes to sit down and the remote won't work cause the tv is switched. He was :( you know how men can get. He won't believe that that leaving them on costs much money. Anyone know much about this?

They had something on Sunrise about that recently, I'll have to see if I can find it on their website.

[carls]

I have heard somewhere that leaving appliances on stand by costs a fair bit in the long run (tv's, microwaves etc). I tried to switch them off but DP gets annoyed when he goes to sit down and the remote won't work cause the tv is switched. He was :( you know how men can get. He won't believe that that leaving them on costs much money. Anyone know much about this?

I asked my ex-boss who is an electrician whether turning power points off and turning things off stand-by saves electricity and he said no and if it was to save money it would be a matter of cents per year.

[diamonds22]

I asked my ex-boss who is an electrician whether turning power points off and turning things off stand-by saves electricity and he said no and if it was to save money it would be a matter of cents per year.

Thats what I seen on Myth busters as well....but then on Extra...they had a segment on how to save on things...and the presenter strongly recommend turning the power off at the wall when not in use..ie the Microwave and turning the lights off....so annoying... I wish we could get a definite answer without it changing all the time!!

Now hmmm my tip..(i've only just recently started to become financially savvy..and I've still got heaps to learn..so thanks for this thread!!:D )..but my tip would be shop at ALDI if you can!!!! seriously..we have saved over $200per month and we end up with more food/cleaning products!!)

Buy your fruit and veggies from either aldi or fruit markets...It's ridiculous what coles/woolies supermarkets charge!!

[Kaileysmum]

Now hmmm my tip..(i've only just recently started to become financially savvy..and I've still got heaps to learn..so thanks for this thread!!:D )..but my tip would be shop at ALDI if you can!!!! seriously..we have saved over $200per month and we end up with more food/cleaning products!!)

Buy your fruit and veggies from either aldi or fruit markets...It's ridiculous what coles/woolies supermarkets charge!!

I so would but we don't have aldi here. Its tasmania. So unfair!!!!:thumbsdown:

[Little_Toad]

Buying big ticket items like fridges or tv's, go to a seconds store, they have brand new ones that might have a scratch on for about half the price.
We saved $500 on a $1100 tv.

Also you can go to furniture auctions, they have brand new liquidated stock.
I got a $4000 bed, two chest of drawers and a 3 + 2 seater italian leather lounge suite all for $2000 instead of $10k.

Make your DP's lunches for him instead of him buying them. One more way to say i love you and save money at the same time. Or get the lazy bugger to make his own.

Eat from your fridge for one or two days a week.
Instead of shopping for 7 days a week, shop for 5 and make meals from what you have left in your fridge for the other two days.

Get an online bank account like ING or Esanda and put a little of $ in it each week.

[mum2bubba]

Most of Hayley's clothes and toys have been bought from second hand stores or have been given to her from friends/family whos children no longer need them, so we save a heap of money there.

If you have friends/family with children the same age/s as yours swap there toys and clothes over, also try looking into libraries and toy libraries that way you save money and when your children get bored of something you can swap it for something in your childs next developmental stage.

Put your child(rens) toy away for a few weeks and get other toys out this way when the older toys come out your child will think they're brand new (hopefully).

Buy Xmas/b'day presents at mid year or end of year sales.

If you're a creative kind of person make your own things for around the house, put your children's art work in frames (even if its just scribble) it actually looks good and you save money on expensive paintings etc

We buy most of our food in bulk and we don't shop if we're really hungry

I buy alot of things off eBAY, I bought a porter cot which had only been used once in exellent condition for only $20!

Make your own cakes/biscuits etc and freez them rather than buying a whole heap.

Only use your clothes dryer when/if you absolutely have to.

Buy store brand products: a packet of Tim Tams for example is $2:80 and the cheaper version is $1.50 and they are exactly the same thing, look for items on sale and buy more if they are.

Don't buy your children all the latest expensive toys or clothes, children want more time with you reading them stories or taking them to the park etc which is priceless anyway.

If you have 2 cars and think (or know) you could do without one sell it, not only will yo save money on petrol and car rego but you will get plenty of excersise and fresh air coz you will be walking or catching public transport everywhere

When neighbourhoods have hard rubbish collection you can get some realy good stuff there, we got a bed from the nature strip last year in good condition we only had to get a matress for it.

When you go shopping for clothes or things you want (not grocerie shopping) don't take credit cards with you (in fact chop your credit card up) only take the amount your going to spend, leave your bank card at home too.

Enter heaps of competions (get your kids to do the same) stay away from phone comps though where you have to ring a 1900 number, I won $2000 a few years ago on Fox Fm in Melbourne and have also won cleaning products, also try and do surveys that pay money, I did one at the start of the year and got $50 bucks and it only took 40 minutes (it was person to person) some market research companies will either pay you money or give you free samples of their products.

I have a book at home called "How to pay off your mortgage in 5 years, by someone who did it in 3" its written by Anita Bell and she has a lot of hints and tips to save money, its worth the read. :)

[Ange&Seth]

Thankyou to Diamonds for already suggesting ALDI!! They are so much cheaper.

I always look through the catalogues every week and write a list or keep a mental list of what products to get from where (only cos Woolies and Coles are across the road from each other!) or we also have an IGA just around the corner and they sometimes have great specials, so I'll stop in there and grab a couple of things.

I buy multiples of things when it's on sale like coffee, formula, toilet paper etc. At the moment, I have SO much toilet paper in my hall cupboard it's almost funny! As someone said, Formula is often cheaper from a chemist rather than the supermarket, but I've found Kmart and BigW are even cheaper! Example: DS's formula from Coles is $12.60 a tin, but from Kmart or Big W it's $11.00!!! So, whenever we have a bit of extra cash, I go and buy 2 or 3 tins (got 4 in the cupboard atm!!) to put away, but still buy one every week so that I've always got spare ones if we have a 'lean week'. Did that make sense? :o

We don't have an ALDI here in Wagga, but there is one in Albury which is where my mum and dad live. Whenever we go down there, we go and do a big shop but still only spend about $100-$150 and we stock up on things like Nappies ($17 for 50!!) wipes (same as huggies but half the price) muesli bars for DPs lunch etc. We end up with SO many bags of goodies, when we get home it's like Christmas!!

DP used to buy his lunch, only because we had the extra money to throw around (:laughing: those were the days) but then when we went on one wage we just couldn't afford it anymore. He used to spend up to $60 a week buying his lunch, but now we do it for less than $15 (and now we're back on two wages and he's still NOT buying lunch!).

That's all I can think of at the moment.........

[aardvark]

Ebay, shopping the factory outlets, a vegetable patch and some fruit trees.

If you really want to, there are chooks, too. Eggs and fertiliser for the garden in exchange for your kitchen scraps.

[Bubble*Crazy]

Laybuy christmas presents throughout the year when there are specials on as long as you got a good hiding place, saves a big expense at the end of the year, and saves lining up in the early chirstmas laybuy lines that are 1000 people long.

And don't 'forget' about what you've bought and buy more pressies like I do!

Also, Target has their HUGE toy sale in July (I think), so keep an eye out for this.

[BabyJoy]

All great tips ladies! :thumbsup:

My tip is to make your own cards when it's someone's birthday, anniversary, etc. Most computers have basic programs to do this, or get out your scrapbooking stuff and get creative. You can also make your own wrapping paper - or get the kids to get out their paints. Store bought cards cost around $4.50 or more, and if you have to buy a gift as well, it all adds up. Homemade gifts are also great: jar of biscuits, homemade soaps, candles, etc, or I make my own massage oils and body tonics blended with essential oils like lavender and jasmine, etc. You can buy the coloured glass jars for about $1 or $2 each on the internet.... most people don't realise it's homemade until you tell them, and then they are so touched that you took the time to create something especially for them.