2020-03-06
3444The conflicting priorities of life can sidetrack your savings goals, but if you do it without losing your mind, you could stay on top of your finances. Here are some tips to save money in Australia that will help you with your money matters.
Aussies who are incredibly passionate about saving money can understand the value of every cent; how it adds up to savings in the long run. So, try to improve your spending habits and enjoy a leaner, more fruitful life. With just a little planning and discipline, you can maximize the chances of success.
Here are some tips for saving up money in Australia that will motivate you to stay on your budgeting track every day.
More than 50% of Australians invest a part of their income into savings and the non-savers also keep something aside for rainy days. So, if you are a kind of slow and steady saver and want to know the real tactics to save money, this post is for you.
Let's find out some ingenious ways to save money without leaving the quality of your life.
Craft a clear saving plan first to set your limits. Saving without limit may be a good idea, but when you set a target amount, it will be much easier to get closer to your budgeting goals.
Track where you spend your money every day to be aware of unnecessary purchases that you may be making. About 75% of successful savers plan their day-to-day spending by keeping a daily log of expenses even if it 10 cents. Include a budget for daily/weekly/monthly spend limits on grocery, utilities, electricity, fuel, maintenance, etc., payment method, budgeted (yes/no), or tax claimable (yes/no) in your diary and track your spending habits.
Manage your finances by leaving all the burden to budgeting and savings app. These apps connect your bank accounts, credit cards, loans, or superannuation and cover all bases along with other impressive features. It helps you get a lower rate on a home loan, used car over a new one, cut down on credit card interests, and much more. Apps like, WISR, RAIZ, Moneybrilliant, Frollo, Moneytree, Finch, ATO, or ShopBack are ideal for Aussies for their financial management.
Always hunt for discounts and promotions to save money easily. Many Aussie bargain sites offer some really insane deals and coupon codes that can save you a significant amount on the things you regularly buy. From meals out, activities, clothing, to the pharmacy, and yoga classes, you could get some high-priced items at a relatively lower rate. Sites like Groupon, Revounts, PennySaviour Australia etc. are good names to hunt for the best deals.
Woolworths supermarket offers many chances to save money in Australia. Shop at the day end and get $7 yoghurt for 99cents, free hot cross buns, and packs of sausages for $2, or loaves of bread for under $1. Prices drastically reduced at the end of the day that will help stretch your dollars.
Paying a bargain price for merchandise that will need a replacement after a few uses is not a better deal at all. If you want to buy items for long term usage, look for the quality and pay more for the well-made items. It is less expensive.
Shopping around groceries special can save a decent dollar. Coles and Woolworth offer cheap rates on groceries with a lot of product varieties. They have half-price specials and change their selects on Wednesday, till the following Tuesday. Have a look at their website that the product you generally buy is on the special flat week, and if they are, visit the store and get them.
The best way to cut down your spending is by checking your credit card statements from the last six months. Maintain a spreadsheet and list down all recurring expenses that are not necessary anymore, and you may cut them. Also, sort out any high expenses that you could reduce.
If you want to save money in Australia, Cashrewards are the most notable things. They sell WISH Gift Cards 5% less expensive than market worth, which you can redeem at the Woolworth's group, including the grocery stores, petrol stations, and alcohol stores (Dan Murphy's or BWS). You can convert your cash to a gift card and get all the things 5% cheaper.
Many Aussie banks give you a welcome bonus of $40 to $60 when you sign up as a new member, deposit $500, and make five transactions within the first 30 days. If you haven't opened up your account, then this is something that can easily fit into your saving schedule.
Saving Money Australia isn't that tough when you have concierge services. There are many concierge services for which you can sign up and get perks 24/7. It includes customer loyalty programs, incentive travel programs, residential support services, corporate hospitality solutions, etc. Some retailers offer concierge programs in which they give you vouchers with three years of validation. You can use the coupons to buy coffee, batteries, soda cylinders, vacuum cleaners, coffee machines, headphones, computers, etc.
Most of the Australians love Aldi, while some don't. Regardless of your perceptions about it, there is no doubt that it is cheaper than other grocery stores. And if you want me to share Household Money Saving tips in Australia, then I recommend you to stock up on household essentials at Aldi. From toilet paper, toothpaste, and tissues, shampoo, salt, pepper, herbs, and olive oil, you'll notice the savings straight away.
Aussies' credit cards have a reputation of sinking a person deeper and deeper, but that is not true for all the credit cards. There are many store Credit Cards like Woolworths and Coles that offer bonus points and discounts on shopping. You can sign up for different credit cards and earn discounts at various locations.
Want to know the secret to saving money? Price comparison is the best way to get a lower price on the amazing things you ever wanted to buy. Frugal shoppers always compare prices from supermarkets like Aldi, Coles, IGA, and Woolworths through an app called Unocart to find the best value.
Opportunity shops are something where people donate stuff they do not use. There can be furniture, clothing, kitchenware; you could find everything there. You could find a blazer worth 300$ for 15 dollars. These are the clothes that are used by someone, but they are in good condition. You'd be surprised by the things you can find at these stores for a fraction of the original price.
Want to save money in Australia? Coupons can do the thing for you. These include BOGO coupons, free shipping coupon codes, sitewide or exclusive coupon codes, manufacturer, and store coupons. You could find these coupons from magazines, your grocery bill receipts, couponing apps, ad flyers, or couponing sites.
There are many ideas that help you save money, and gaining free gift cards is the most promising one. You can get free gift cards by joining a completion, becoming a member at the club, do online surveys on many Aussie survey sites, or signing up for focus group or market research panels.
You won't get rich from money-making apps, but yes, you may score some good dollars to cover the uninvited expenses that pop up during the year. These apps require you to join in an activity and earn credits which you can redeem for money. It could be through surveys, watching videos, playing games, or completing a task from your phone. Apps like Pureprofile, Nielsen Mobile, Toluna, or IRI Shopper Panel are some good names to consider.
All major urban areas in Australia have 'hard rubbish days' when householders put all their unwanted goods (not rubbish) out the front of their house. The local council then pick it up. This happens twice a year, and you can also ask the local council to pick the goods up. It usually has the best finds!
When ordering a meal online, ask your friends, maybe they also want to order from the same site or share the meal. Sharing with friends will reduce the cost or even the shipping charges. When you go out with your friends, split your entrée and a dessert If the portions are big.
Having private health insurance can save on things like glasses, dentistry, chiropractic care, etc. that can be very expensive without health insurance.
Don't get into impulse buying by just seeing an ad of the new fridge on the flyer. Before investing your money on buying a TV, refrigerator, or any white good, ask questions, check reviews, and know about the reliability so you won't end up buying a cheap one that likely to cost more in the long run.
Free things are all around Australia. You can get some fantastic free stuff on Gumtree from a section called 'Freebies.' A lot of people put a lot of quality stuff on Gumtree for free when they're moving to get them off their hands. From furniture, clothes, and appliances to books, movies, and even pets, you can get everything free.
Reward cards are the best option to save money in Australia. It will save you $10 for every 1000 points you earn. Or you can save four cents a litre on fuel by spending over $30 at a shop.
Want to save money on almost everything you buy? Try shopping apps that allow you to get some bargains out of your shopping. You can earn rewards for the things you buy, get food vouchers which you can redeem at the restaurants or purchase them at cheaper rates. Apps like a ritual and OlA are good options.
When you pay with cash and get a $5 bill, set it aside. This new $5 note is taking Australians by storm. The challenge is to stash out of sight all the $5 note you receive in change. Save all of them in the jar for a year. Do not spend or count them until you completed the challenge. It is a crazy way to save money in Australia.
Did you know about the fuel discount loyalty programs? Many petrol stations across Australia like Coles/Shell Express and Caltex Woolworths offer 4c off per litre of fuel to customers who spend $30 or more at their supermarkets. There are also many free fuel saver smartphone apps that show some of the cheaper fuel prices in your area.
The Australian government has introduced many programs to help Aussies in their money-saving journey. If you want to buy your first home, the government sets a significant leg up to slash the rates of the home loan deposits as low as 5%. In that way, they could save around $10,000 in lenders mortgage insurance.
If you always wish to save money, open a savings account USaver and tie it to the UBank ultra transaction account. You can transfer at least $200 per month into any of the two accounts, without any monthly or international fees and earn bonuses on balances up to $200,000.
We usually throw receipts after shopping without even noticing that they have coupons on the back or bottom. Many stores offer coupons for Pizza, carpet cleaning, dry cleaning, and accommodation on the receipts, so check them before throwing away.
If you really want to save money, bloggers and social media influencers can help you. These are the people who are into these saving things all the time while writing reviews, saving tips, hacks, or hunt bargain ideas. They often have great discounts, or special offers when they do reviews. Read their saving blogs or follow them on twitter to be a part of great giveaways.
Interacting in Reddit communities is the best way to save money in Australia. It is where people share their first-hand experiences and ideas and sometimes freebies or gift cards that they don't use to people who need them. r/AUfrugal and r/fiaustralia are the two most promising names to discuss cheap finds and saving ideas on your favourite supermarkets.
Loyalty programs are the hub of savings and hidden bonuses. Join the reward programs of your favourite stores, supermarkets or companies, and access discounts or redeem freebies. Loyalty cards like Coles Flybuys, Woolworths Rewards, Qantas Frequent flyers, Optus Perks, etc. are some loyalty cards worth their place in your wallet.
Don't let your groceries go to waste by purchasing in bulk, which you can't get a chance to eat. Set a meal plan for the week that use simple ingredients and eliminate excess grocery purchases.
Electronics and appliances like Coffee makers, laptops, cable boxes suck up energy even when turned off, and it will add to your energy bill. So, it is wise to save energy to save on your electricity bills later.
You always get some cents in return while you pay your bills. Set them aside in a jar or your savings accounts for at least six months or a year. When you open up that jar, you'll be amazed by the money you saved every day.
You could save on your baby clothing by swapping the clothes. As you know that kids grow fast, and most of the time, you have a baby closet filled with items your kids haven't worn at all. Why not arrange a clothing swap in your school, church or neighbourhood, and get some new one without spending a dime?
Retail outlets often charge more for seasonal items if you buy them during a time, you need them. Grab all the things like warm weather clothing, and home maintenance products from the off-season sales to get the best deals.
Driving your vehicle more often may be convenient, but is it cost-effective? Instead of driving your car to the office every day, use public transport like trains, buses, shared vehicles, or walk if the office is near your home. In this way, you could save your wallet and health at the same time.
If you usually travel throughout one region for a set amount of time for business meetings, bus passes would be a great money saver for you. Hop On Hop Off pass is an excellent option for saving money in Australia. It will help you travel between two cities, hop on or off as many times as you'd like within three months. Another one is OPAL that comes with added extras like activities and accommodation and guarantees cheaper fares than individual tickets.
It is one of the great money-saving tips in Australia. If you often travel for business purposes, use Jet Star or Tiger Airways. They offer a Friday Frenzy sale every week, periodic deals during the year, and crazy-cheap flights on domestic and international routes.
Don't spend money on books when you have a local library. Purchasing new books can cost up to $50, and you only read them once. Have a library card and borrow books and magazines for a month or two.
Eating less meat is better for your wallet and your health as well. Why not set a few days a week meat-free? Like Monday, Wednesday, or Tuesday? It can help you save more as it the most expensive part of your grocery shopping, and cutting its costs down one or two nights a week can save on your grocery bill.
Go green with reusable cups and protect the environment along with your money. A lot of cafes in Australia offer discounts to people who bring their own cup to support the cause. Keep an eye for such discount offers in your local area and make it your regular coffee point.
Spending money on dining and buying baked goods or coffee can get big holes in your wallet, which you can't realize. Instead of buying prepared food, try to cook a meal at home and eat freshly prepared dinner or lunch. Also, avoid spending money on buying lunch at the office, instead bring your home-cooked food in your lunch box daily.
Retailers usually offer the best sales in their online stores, and it is advisable to look for the items online before hitting the stores. Sometimes the things that are available on sale online are not on sale in their physical stores.
Hold the items in your shopping cart for 24 hours and wait for the magic code. This is one of the most favourite ways to save money in Australia. Often, when retailers see you've got something in your cart, they try to rescue that cart by sending you a discount code. It might not work every time, but certainly worth to try.
Generic brand prescriptions and medicine can cost you more cheaply than the brand-name stuff with the same ingredients. You can ask your pharmacist for the generic option if you have got the form to fill.
You can get discounts by referring your friend to a brand or supermarket. When you sign up, you get a referral link that you can send to your friends, and when they purchase via your referral code, you get a discount each time a friend buys with your code.
Learn how to sew a button or stitch up a hole to avoid spending extra money by giving them to a tailor. If you can sew the items or make repairs, then do it to your favourite staples before landing them in the bin.
Do you have a creative spin? Then why wasting money on buying when you DIY them? Minimize your expenses and save money in Australia by making plant hangings, bracelets, pencil holders, racks, party décor, or other home décor items at home.
Many supermarkets have a scheme of offering discounts on bringing a reusable bag to store for shopping. Save your money on buying plastic bags and opt for reusable bags.
You don't need to pay for fitness in Australia. Ditch the gym membership costs by going out and try some fitness activities like hiking, biking, running, or swimming. Many communities offer free fitness classes, so find them and avail the same benefits of weight resistance training in a beautiful fresh environment.
Want to save money in Australia? Do you often shop online? Then do this trick the next time you make a purchase. Clearing browser history or going incognito can save you from paying hefty prices. Sometimes most of the sites like travel save cookies of your previous search and display prices according to it, and in that way, you see a higher price for cheap stuff. It mostly happens in booking airfares.
Having an economical phone plan is an excellent way to save money in Australia because it is what you use frequently. Find a company that offers a discount for various lines. They allow you to pay only for the data you actually use rather than billing extra for SMS, minutes, and other features you may not use.
If you really want to save money in Australia, do your research to locate the best deals around. Before signing up, make sure you pick the best one with a lower interest rate, so you get the best deal. Likewise, try comparison websites to get the best price for an item, or look for a great deal on electricity and gas bills on the Australian Government's Energy Made Easy site.
Many frugal shoppers in Australia things about the long-term use of certain items. And if you desire to save money in Australia, you can reuse things like gift wrappers, food containers, or plastic bags to save on buying new.
Saving money in Australia is easy when you work in an organization that offers many perks to its employees. Make use of office benefits like having free fresh fruit, coffee, skin checks, discounted gym membership, or medical insurance.
Why paying for picking up unnecessary items when you walk the aisles? Order groceries online and choose a pick up for free option at the time of check out. See if your local Woolworths or Coles store offers any pick-up options, go for it, and save a few dollars.
In Australia, there has to be a major sale period at the end of every season. What you can do is to look for this kind of sales and discounts at your local opportunity shops, or factory outlet stores for major brands and find pre-loved bargains. You can even negotiate to get an item at an even lower price than the sale price.
Pack snacks and meals for the next road trip to save on costly road-side convenience food. If you take your food along with you, you could save yourself from driving around, and burning fuel while looking for the meals.
You can save money in Australia with your student card on almost everything, including movies, public transports, and retail stores. Just connect your UNIDAYS account with Coles, Woolworths, or your favourite store account and grab your student discounts everywhere.
We often overlook our spending and feel bad when we look at our budget at the end of the month. It often exceeds. So if you put money into savings first and then spend the rest of the income, it would be ideal. Split your pay in a way that a certain amount says 5% of your income goes directly into a savings account, and the rest to your transaction account. Creating a saving account would work best in this matter. In that way, you will realize that the remaining 95% of your pay is actually the full amount you could adjust the whole month.
If you have cooking skills, then you save a lot of money by making a new dish with leftovers. Australians waste about $9 billion worth of food every year, and turning leftovers into a fresh meal can save money and avoid food waste at the same time. In that way, you are doing a favour to your wallet and the planet.
Sharing streaming services like Netflix, Spotify, and Stan is the best way to save money in Australia. These services allow up to five users to share one account. You can share the account with your family members or friends and split the monthly cost rather than paying it all individually.
Have a coupon for a product that is on sale at Coles, Woolworths, or ALDI? Then buy the items you use the most in large quantities when they are on the sales rack. It's usually cheaper to purchase grocery items in bulk because they cost cheaper. You can stockpile toothpaste, tissues, shampoo, Olive oil, coffee beans, detergents, dishwashing powder, etc.
Many banks have no ATM withdrawal fees. So, go for the one having this policy. Because spending $2 withdrawal fee here and there can cost an average of $208 over a year if you're doing it twice a week.
Don't get overwhelmed by the hefty booking prices on hotels. Use this technique to save money in Australia. Do a quick search for deals and coupon codes online or call the hotel to ask if they have any ongoing deals. Sometimes hotels give compensations if people make an effort to negotiate with the manager.
When you have a busy day running around the city for business meetings, spending money to buy lunch at a café daily can dig holes into your wallet. So make a habit of bringing some snacks like fruit and nuts or muesli bars with you when you're out for the day and save money.
Have an even later tonight? Planning to buy a new outfit? Why not borrow a lovely dress from your friend? It saves you from last-minute shopping hassle and also some good dollars. And if it is something that you will never wear again, then don't waste your money on buying it.
Spring cleaning can take out all the hidden unwanted items you had in your home. Sell them online before taking them to Vinnies. You can put them on Facebook Marketplace, or Gumtree, and get a few bucks in return.
Your bank accounts are a gem of savings. They offer tools to help you save without doing anything. Such as ING ORANGE everyday account rounds up your daily transactions and sends the remaining digital change to your savings account. Plus, Young Australians aged between 15 and 17 can enjoy fee-free transactions with an interest rate of 1.95% p.a without any deposit condition.
Whenever you can, try to make additional mortgage repayments to become debt-free as soon as possible. Like if you get some money back via the tax return, selling some assets like shares or receive money from an inheritance, pay a little extra each month, and get considerable savings in the form of interest.
An energy-efficient heater or even a bulb can make a significant difference to your power bills. To verify whether the device you are buying is energy-efficient or not, see the star rating label on the machine, greater the stars, higher will be the energy-saving efficiency.
Searching for a pet cat or dog? Ask your neighbours or friends if they have allowed you to adopt a pet instead of purchasing expensive breeders from the pet stores. You can also ask your local pet shelter to borrow for free or at a reasonable cost.
Looking for some more ideas to save money in Australia? Keep reading. Enjoy the early bird discounts for booking ahead on festival and concert tickets. There are many places where you can get a discount by booking in advance and save yourself some dollars.
Shopping from one big shop instead of several small ones can cuts down on takeaways, wastage, and impulse buys. You can also save the fuel cost of wandering to different small shops.
Eating more vegetables can save you good cash at the end of the month. Vegetables are way cheaper than meat and help you stick with your weekly budget.
Frozen veggies are inexpensive than fresh ones, and if you store them correctly, they could have a prolonged shelf life. They are also as nutritious as fresh vegetables; Dietitians Association of Australia claims that. So, you don't have to worry about your health.
You can save yourself from spending money on food while grocery shopping if you eat beforehand. There are some studies conducted in this regard that hunger may cause you to buy extra or unnecessary items.
Keep your credit record clean and avoid late fees by paying your bills on time. If you pay your bills regularly on time, some energy providers will offer you a discount as well.
Little things can add up to make something big. Spend some time outside in the park to save electricity costs associated with your appliances. Also, turn off the lights before going out as they also contribute to the power bills.
Having a birthday of your friend? Planning to buy a greeting card at the shops? It would cost you $3-$10 per card or maybe even more. Why not save that money and make one at home? You can also use a free online card template and have a print at home.
You can save around $45 or above whenever you wash your car. It is not only a great way to save money in Australia but also good exercise and a better way to lap up the sunshine.
You can save the cost of fixing several household items by repairing it yourself. There are some tasks that you can do yourself by watching online video tutorials. It is an excellent way to live an economical life.
Having two or more events or birthdays in the same month? Mark the calendar and buy all the gifts in bulk from sale and specials. It can save some dollars on last-minute gift purchases.
You might have joined a lot of clubs in which you are not active anymore. Why not cancel all those memberships and save money? It may include your gym membership or sports club membership for which you're paying but not using. Cancel them right away!
If you and your friends are going to the same destination regularly, such as university or college, you don't need to pay the daily fare on cabs. Gather your friends to share the ride and split the cost with carpooling.
Looking for something to do on a sleepy weekend on a limited budget? In Australia, there are many free community events, farmers market, or concerts in a park that won't cost you a dime while giving you better alternatives to dining out or hitting the cinema. Beach barbeques arranged by communities are also a good option to save money in Australia.
Do you have your favourite store where you commonly shop? If so, then look for their loyalty programs and sign up if it's worth it. Some stores like Coles, Woolworths, ALDI, and AGL provide discount vouchers, gift cards at low rates, and other benefits, including free shipping, or exclusive update about promotions to their loyal customers.
Aussies are smart people; they know how to save money every day. In this tech-driven era, you could easily connect with your loved ones without spending money on overseas calls. Avoid paying a hefty phone bill by using WiFi-powered apps. Many apps provide texting and call options or even video functionality.
If you want to save money in Australia even after your retirement, find your lost super. Maybe there is still an unclaimed asset that is waiting to finance you in your retirement period. If you had changed houses, names, or jobs, there is a possibility that you have some lost super of a few hundred or thousands of dollars floating around. Remember that it's your money, and you worked hard to accumulate to see your retirement year in comfort, so claim that right away.
Have a look around your personal insurance, such as life insurance, permanent disability, income protection, or trauma insurance. You can pay some of them via your superannuation fund. It might be a practical option for your financial needs.
Aussies who regularly shop online from overseas websites pay an added 3% on the total of each purchase as a foreign transaction fee. But there are few banks that don't charge this added fee and give you free international transactions. Find them and sign up for an account if you want to save money in Australia.
Everybody cares about their home maintenance and works continually to make it look good. Renovation is vital to save your house from damage but do it in a way that is worth the costs. You can save on renovation by skipping expensive flooring, go for cheaper alternatives, Or hiring cost-friendly professionals.
Do you know that you could claim a tax deduction when submitting your tax return? If you have paid for some work-related expenses over the year, you could claim the reduction of that cost at the time of tax return. There are some possibilities for the claim, but you could save a few dollars in that way.
Sticking to your habits of spending will break out your monthly budget before the month ends. Commit to change one of your regular spending habits, and you will be surprised to see it adding up to massive savings in the long run. Cut down on alcohol would be a good start.
Aussies always think of a financially secure future. And to do this, you need to do proper planning on how you could save money in Australia in the long run. Try to invest your money in bonds, running shares, or commodities that can give you some good cashback every month.
If you want to save money in Australia, fix the amount of
savings you wish for every month. And each time when you receive your salary,
the fixed amount will automatically transfer to your savings account.
There are four types of money-savers. Dreamers having saving goals but no plans hit & miss who want to achieve their saving goals but don't stick to it always, slow and steady who save small amounts regularly and eventually reach their money-saving goals, and fast and determined. The fourth one includes people who are always focused on savings and want to achieve their goals as quickly as possible.
If you want to save money in Australia, you should need to be dedicated to it, taking action after reading all these savings tips is what matters the most. It isn't necessary that you try all these tips, pick up a few of them that suits you, and make a positive change today.
In this growing economy, conserving one of your most limited resources (your money) is a tough thing; no matter how much you earn. If you want to maintain the quality of life, you need to be more strategic with your savings goals. You have to save at every stage to avoid overspending. Whether it is your kids' schooling, travelling, accommodation, transport, transactions, or everything in between; be more creative about cutting corners without sacrificing the quality of your living.
So, Aussies, tell us about how our ideas have helped you or if you have any that we have missed, share them with us.
Save money today, and it will save you once you retire!
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