Frugal Living Australia

Penny pincher tips to save a few dollars

I don't know about you, but with the ever increasing cost for evvveerrythhingggg (a wee bit dramatic, but feels like it), PLUS trying to be sustainable has me stressed out and spinning!

It feels like we are even more cash strapped and always trying to find ways to save some extra money and/or earn a little bit more. I tell you, I have been constantly Googling 'How to make $1000 in a month', but with no such luck of a magic formula :)

So instead, here's some penny pincher sustainable frugal trips to help you gain more bang for your buck while being kind to the planet....let's goooo....

1. Use what you have and meal plan

Before every grocery shop, stock take what you currently have on hand and meal plan around those items. Apps such as SuperCook are an awesome way to find recipe and/or see what you can make with what you have. You simply input all the items you have in your fridge and pantry and BAM! It will populate recipes based on your items. Genius! No more food waste and can reduce your food bill.

This also applies to beauty items, cleaning products and other household items. Use what you have first then buy or DIY them. I often have 'use me first' boxes around my house so I can see physically what I have so I don't go buy another face cream to add to the three I already had at home collecting dust. Not alone right? Also using up those samples as well before buying more. Along with cutting that toothpaste tube and scraping the last tiny bit out before buying more...well maybe NOT that far...But you get the drift.....

2. Make your own - DIY

Which leads me to my next point, make your own. Multipurpose cleaner to dish soap is easy as......here is my go to recipe (for free!).

Option 1: Castile Soap All Purpose Surface Cleaner

• Empty spray bottle (glass or reuse an old spray bottle)
• 2 cups of water
• 2 Tbl liquid castile soap (scented or unscented)
• 15-30 drops essential oil of choice (optional) - lavender, peppermint, orange, or lemon etc

Option 2: Vinegar All Purpose Surface Cleaner

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 15-30 drops essential oil of choice (optional) lavender, peppermint, orange, or lemon, etc.

Hand Soap DIY

• 1/2 cup liquid castile soap
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tbl vitamin E (optional)
• 1 Tbl almond oil or olive oil or jojoba oil (optional)
• 15 drops tea tree essential oil (optional)
• 5-10 drops lavender essential oil (optional)
• Old pump bottle

Also applies to baked goodies and meals. I know it might take a bit of extra time but you are saving dollars in the long run. Plus its healthier as you are using less ingredients and often more natural too.

3. Buy generic brands.

Say goodbye to brand names and embrace the generic brand life. They are basically the same quality, taste BUT often cheaper.

Do note, where the product is made, I personally am willing to pay an extra 50cents for Australian products over internationally made. This reduced food miles and supports our agricultural industry.

4. Say goodbye to subscriptions

I know, I know, you probably have a favourite Netflix show that you have to watch and might die without it but seriously, you could be saving anywhere from $12 to $20 bucks a month, depending on the amount of subscriptions you have! 7plus, ABC Iview, SBS etc have plenty of movies and shows for free to feast your eyes on instead. Or even try the local library. A free subscription with them can get you a whole repertoire of good movies. FOR FREE! Did I already say that? FREEEE

Or pick up a book, start actually talking to your family (you might find out that they are actually pretty cool) or take up a hobby in the evening instead of binging TV. See, free stuff and saving money can be beneficial in many other ways.

5. Use cashback apps

Utilise technology to maximise your online purchases. Cashback apps such as 'Cashrewards' and 'Shopback' offer the opportunity to gain 5 to 25% back on items from your favourite retailers. How does it work? According to Cashrewards website, "Cashrewards, we earn a percentage from those retailers and pass a large portion back to you!". Winning! Free money, sign me up!

6. Get thrifty and purchase second hand

Op shopping and thrifting is becoming popular than ever before and for a great reason too. Not only is it kind to the planet but you can save heaps of money!

Developing a mindset of buying used before new will change how you look at things and how you purchase items. So whenever you are in need of something, clothes, kitchen gadgets etc look at the op shops before hitting the main stream shops.

Secondly, Facebook Marketplace is a gold mine of peoples unwanted wears at awesome prices.

And my favourite clothing second-hand app is Depop, to point I have banned myself at the moment. But it is a great platform to sell your clothing and purchase items at great prices. Check them out today!

7. Start a side hustle

When I say start a side hustle I am not talking about those crazy passive income schemes on TikTok or pyramid schemes. I am talking about the simplicity of using what you already have and maximising it. We all work full time, some people have a family to look after, who's got time for another full on job on the side?!?

Make it easy and when I say side hustle I am talking about using what you have, your current skill set and start monetising it. Such as selling your unwanted wears (clothing, household items etc), sell your produce from your veggie garden, mend peoples clothes, rent our the spare room, mow lawns on the weekend, use your ute to take peoples waste to the dump etc. Those sort of things.... I made over $100 from selling pumpkins from my garden that came up in my compost! Winning! Keep it simple and see what you can do.

Platforms such as Airtasker; can help leverage your skill set and sell your services as well as finding odd jobs in your local area that you could do (and get paid!). I have done all sort of sewing tasks off the platform for people in my local community; from sewing tablecloth hems to mending 100 pants for someone's shop stock. Its these little bits of cash that can add up and/or assist with paying the groceries for the week so you can save more.

6. Utilise reward programs and vouchers

In Australia, we sadly don't have coupons like they have in America to save money on groceries etc. BUT instead we have 'Everyday Rewards' and Flybuys', each have their own features and benefits. Flybuys you can trade in point for monetary amount off your groceries which is awesome. Whereas with Woolies, they are now getting sneaky and have 'Everyday Reward' prices and a non member price, so don't forget your card and benefit from those discounts.

Secondly, do you remember those deals you used to get on the back of your grocery receipts? Well they still exist, they might not be on all receipts now but is another platform to save some money and cash in on great deals. Shopa Docket is our equivalent to coupons, with local deals daily in food, health & fitness, shopping & retail, and more. Check their website out and see what you can score.

7. Start a veggie garden

But I have a small apartment or minimal backyard for one! That's okay! Do what you can, regrow your lettuce and leafy veg from scraps and/or start a herb garden that would easily live on your kitchen windowsill. By growing your own, it can save a few dollars and have produce easily accessible. You can use the seeds from store brought produce to grown your own, such as pumpkins, tomatoes can easily be grown from the seeds. Just dry them out and then plant them.

8. Restore, repair and reuse

Just adding a few more R's the recycling philosophy!

Restore and repair: we live in a throw away society and restoring broken things will not only save a few dollars but ease some resource strains on the environment. Mend your clothing (or get someone else to do it for you), restore that broken chair, repair those shoes etc.

Take some time to care and appreciate the items you have, instead of rushing out and buying a new one all because it needed a new button. Did you know there is a thing called 'Repair Cafes'? A network around Australia where you can take your broken and damage items to get fixed. Amazing!

Reuse: everything can have a second purpose in life, from gift wrapping to food containers and plastic bags, many items we have around the home can be reused to save on buying new. This will not only help you save money, but could help out the environment, too (Canstar, 2022).

9. Shop around when it comes to the big things

Are you getting the best deal when it comes to insurances, your mobile phone plan and more? It pays to always refresh and compare what you are paying every 6 months. With the increase prices for everything, perhaps there is a better deal out there for you with more benefits at less cost.

There are a lot of online tools out there to help compare policies and costs, utilise them to your advantage and make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck. I recently combined my insurances with one company in turn they gave me 15% off my car insurance, I can tell you, that made a massive difference!

10. Needs vs wants

Do you really NEED those new pair of shoes or that new gadget?? How many times have we impulse brought something cause we just NEEDED to have it? Next time you have something in your online shopping cart, take 10 seconds, do some deep breaths and come back to it in a few hours. Most times the feeling passes and you just instantly saved a few dollars as you didn't purchase that item (saved the environment, with one less thing too). Instead, transfer the amount for that item into your savings account, there is an instant reward right there.

I am super guilty when it comes to vintage fashion, always finding one of kind, may never come around again pieces resulting in me hitting 'add to bag', and impulse buying it. A week later I am on selling it cause it is not my style and/or didn't fit!

BONOUS TIP!

Enjoy life and what you have. Sometimes simplicity is best and having less can mean you appreciate things more. You care for what you have, ensure its longevity and in turn are happier. The environment will appreciate you too with less waste.

"Mend and make do, rather than buying new"

WWII saying

At the end of the day it is a mindset about seeing everything in a different light. When we talk about frugality, its not about going without (especially food) or reusing the bath water for the whole family (have you seen those shows on TV??), nup, not that far. Its about reusing, rewearing, repairing, etc to save few dollars here and there. Finding ways to cut expenses that won't be missed and simplifying our lives.

That's it from me this year. I hope to write more posts next year to inspire you on creating a simpler, more sustainable life. It is all possible and we have the power to make a difference.