Life hacks

EileenW1

I had a wardrobe bulging with clothes from my working and more sociable days. Now longtime retired and struggling financially, rarely going out for dinners, to theatre, entertaining etc. I have so many outfits I now never wear. Some have been unworn for years but far too good to throw out.
Although not very competent on my sewing machine, I have begun to upcycle my clothes. Long dresses have become tops, the skirts of some have been put onto the tops of others. Some have been adapted into a different style or adorned with trimmings. Others are cut into patchwork type shapes and sewn together into a bright colourful dress, skirt or top and even new cushion covers.
Not only have I become creative, saving money by not buying new clothes, I am reducing the horrific amount of clothing which ends up in landfill, receiving compliments for my 'new' outfits and also having fun.
Those I really cannot adapt go to the Op shop.

marktime

if you don't see it you can't spend it. Even as little as $20 a pay day ,put to a special savings account soon adds up towards a major purchase. Even more so if you more or less set and forget for the first few years of working life while perhaps just paying cheap board at home.

Jeollie

I love to grow veggies (& fruit a little) in our backyard and in containers. It’s satisfying and fun. We have just taken on two chickens and we feed them household scraps and they keep us and neighbours in eggs. I try and make as much of my own cleaning products as I can. We are a toxin and chemical free household so I use all natural and plant based cleaners. It’s way cheaper and much better for us all.

Alice3271

Laundry services is an excellent way to save time and water.

capfantastic

Don't eat so much. Don't care about the way you look. Don't care about travel, because it no longer broadens the mind. You have everything you need right there to understand wtf is going on...... you just don't WANT to.

s

Grow vegetables in the ground or pots the rewards are delicious and saves you money.

annielou

Making a chai or a cup of tea before I go out and taking it with me in a well-insulated travel cup. Taking snacks with me too is cheaper than stopping somewhere if I get hungry while I'm out.

ellamay

I grow my own vegables and have fruit trees which in season I stew the fruit which I freeze so can have different stewed fruit with custard or plain yoghurt or ice cream all year round. I have in the past made plum sauce and various jams. When my children were small we would go to farms and pick raspberries, cherries and strawberries. I would then make jam from these. Much nicer than the shop bought ones!

Saving money I repair small holes in clothes and shop at op shops. Also if sheets had holes make pillow cases out of the better part of the msterial and the rest of it use for rags. Holey towels I cut down and make face washers or small hand towels.

passionate2010

Make bulk food items and freeze it and use as required

mymonkey

Buying frozen fruits & veges is a lot cheaper than fresh, going to cheaper markets, I get cheap fruits & veges, I chop and freeze whatever can be frozn, our meals are healthy and not extravagant. With a lot of thinking and planning, we have done well

Stevie3275

Money is definitely tight for a lot of people right now, and when life is hectic, the small changes really add up. Beyond meal prepping and shopping sales, a lot of people save time and money by planning their week in advance, things like setting one grocery shop day, batching errands together, or using click-and-collect to avoid impulse buys. Automating bills and savings also helps, even if it’s just a small amount, because it removes the mental load.

People also simplify by cutting out “convenience spending” where possible, making coffee at home, unsubscribing from unused streaming services, and buying generic brands. Using multipurpose products (cleaners, skincare, household items) saves both money and storage space. Buying second-hand, borrowing instead of buying, and doing basic DIY or repairs are other common hacks.

Overall, it’s less about big sacrifices and more about systems that reduce decision-making. When life is busy, anything that saves brain power, time, and a few dollars makes everyday life feel a bit easier and more manageable.

vedu

I buy products on discount price, buy supermarket brand products, compare prices in different supermarkets, use loyalty cards/points.

musicmum

Grow my own veggies, herbs and herbal teas, not only saves me money, keeps me healthy and they taste heaps better. I also buy bulk pantry goods online.

Tina 32226074

Only go grocery shopping ones a fortnight ( apart from milk and bread, you will need to go more often for those things) before you do the grocery shopping sit down and do a meal plan for that fortnight, only buy food that you need for the meal plan. Pick meals that you know you will have left over so you have meals to freeze, this will mean you have quick meals when you're to busy to prepare a meal, it will also mean you don't rely on expensive take away when you are to busy to cook. Buy things in bulk if it works out cheaper. If a non perishable item on your grocery list says half price purchase 2, then you will have extra when it's not on sale

MumAils

We collect all of our bottles/cans that can be recycled for 10c each and take them to the local depot and claim our money back, once we have about 5 or 6 white garden bags full. We then use the money we get back on things we need for the house or garden.
I bring my own lunch to work each day, its a good way to use up leftovers and so easy to make a sandwich etc to take to work. I don't buy a coffee everyday, I prefer to have one at home with my breakfast and then if I feel like another I will make one at work using the coffee and milk provided by the company.
I also wash in cold water, hang my clothes out on the line and only use the dryer if I really have to.
We also limited our ducted heating useage last Winter to 2 hours per day if the temperature got below 12 degrees, otherwise we used a heated blanket on the couch that we could plug into a rechargeable battery, wore an oodie or snuggled under a blanket while watching TV.

GreenLego

Gift card discounts.

As a member of RACQ (I assume it's similar to motor clubs in other states) you get 4% discount at Woolworths and petrol. Woolworths also gives you -4c per litre discount on petrol.

As a Woolworths car insurance holder, you get 10% discount on your shop once a month.

I bank with Macquarie and you get discounted gift cards there too.

Try to use the cashback schemes from ShopBack, and TopCashBack.

Watch for bargains on OzBargain.com.au

jtmorri

Convenience isn't important to us.
I buy fruit and vegetables in season to cook as their abundance makes them cheaper. I also don't waste money on pre-cut produce. I stick to a list and buy what will be used and not wasted.
We organise our fridge so items that need to be used are moved to the front. Meals are planned around what we already have in the house.
We don't have any gym memberships or television subscriptions.
Our mobile plans are all pre-paid.
I always buy bedding and towels at the end of the season when they are on sale.
We always will fix something rather than going out and buying a new household item.
I mend clothes for longevity.
I wash in cold water, and I dry clothes outside rather than running a clothes dryer. I only do full loads and choose economy cycle.

frasercrown

This is more of a hack when slow cooking. I know some recipes tell you to fry the foods before placing into the slow cooker. I found that if you just put everything into the slow cooker without frying then it all cooks the same at the end. No need to fry anything beforehand. This makes my life a lot easier and saves me time, as I set the slow cooker just before leaving to go to work and that way when I get home it's all ready and I only need to make rice/pasta and dinner is ready. Handy if you need to care for younger children and don't have time in the morning for a fry up before going to work.

ozycash

Buy only what you need not what you want. Stop throwing things away like food.

AdelaideM

Apps like 'petrol spy', which tells you have much petrol is at various stations can save you a bunch.
I try and mend my clothes, rather than buying new socks every time they get a whole, or taking them in when the elastic gets old.
I also try and spread things like Christmas gifts across multiple pay slips, so that I'm not having to buy everything at once, and I start in June so that I can buy them when they're on sale.

capfantastic

If possible, stop driving! I know this is out of the question for a lot of people. As soon as I retire, I'm going to sell my car. People think you lose your freedom. On the contrary, the freedom starts when you can stop paying for petrol, repairs, insurance, licensing etc. You can stop queuing at smelly petrol stations and getting abused by other drivers for going too slow. You can now relax and enjoy travel by ride share when you want to go somewhere, because you would have saved a fortune by selling your car.

dollymay

i grow my own vegetables like potatoes, carrots, shallots, tomatoes, capsicums, beans, peas, cucumbers. and herbs, i have my own fruit trees and vines, chooks for fresh eggs, dehydrate food, preserve food, freeze meals, nothing goes to waste in our house,

ellamay

I grow my vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers and lettuces. I have fruit trees so freeze the fruit when harvestedand make jams out of them. I reuse plastic bread bags and lunch bags after using, wash them out and dry ready for another
use until they are holey.

MissLizzie

I always take lunch when I am working. It's not that difficult to make a sandwich or salad the night before. The salad can be dressed just before eating before you leave for work.

Anthony 123

Have a menu plan and shop accordingly. This really helps with food waste. I also freeze leftovers in silicone soap molds as it great for portion control. Just add more blocks for more people

s

Walking a 1km to the local small supermarket saves money on opal card.
Doing online surveys everyday and are able to get egift cards including supermarkets, and sometimes chemist warehouse.

MissLizzie

Walking a 1km to the local small supermarket saves money on opal card.
Doing online surveys everyday and are able to get egift cards including supermarkets, and sometimes chemist warehouse.

And get in some exercise at the same time!

Amy93

1. Buy canned vegetables such as canned tomatoes for making sauce, same amount of nutrition but tastier and more affordable
2. Buy meat in bulk from local butcher and freeze them. Defrost as you go. This helps avoid wastage and the meat quality is better than supermarket bought.
3. Download the “Too good to go app” you’ll find some very good grocery and food deals

site77

Intelligent freezing, ground beef or chicken breast in frozen individual portions avoid waste and allow to assemble quick meals only heat up + pre‑laved vegetables

JAM

buy products near their use by date and freeze them,keeping the same amount of time to use by!

Rahrah

I have been writing down all the meals and fridge snacks that I have and putting the list on the fridge so I don't forget what I have and to reduce any food waste. If I am tempted to get food delivery because 'there is no food', I can look on the fridge and see if I have eaten all the meals I have brought food for first.
I have also started bringing a large tub of yogurt to work and a bulk bag of oats so I can just make breakfast or a snack on my break at work.

Zanyt

I am using the slow cooker more than I use to, which I put on in the morning so I am not tempted to buy dinner because I am tried after work. We are also doing meal plans every week so that everyone know what we are having for dinner so the first person home can start cooking.

Sueswims

If I'm exercising the next morning, I always pack my bag the night before!