Jody Allen Founder/Chief Content Editor
Jody is the founder and essence of Stay at Home Mum. An insatiable appetite for reading from a very young age had Jody harbouring dreams of being a published author since primary school. That deep seeded need to write found its way to the public eye in 2011 with the launch of SAHM. Fast forward 4 years and a few thousand articles Jody has fulfilled her dream of being published in print. With the 2014 launch of Once a Month Cooking and 2015’s Live Well on Less, thanks to Penguin Random House, Jody shows no signs of slowing down. The master of true native content, Jody lives and experiences first hand every word of advertorial she pens.
Mum to two magnificent boys and wife to her beloved Brendan; Jody’s voice is a sure fire winner when you need to talk to Mums.
If saving money seems like too hard a task, it’s good to start slow. Here are 50 simple ways to save money – start today!
1. Track your expenditure. Use a diary or if you have a Smart Phone use an app such as iXpenseit. Or you can use our awesome free budget spreadsheet!
2. Keep track of your tax deductions during the entire year and file all receipts in one spot. If you enter your receipts into a spreadsheet – not only will it make your accountants job much easier – there is a good chance they will charge you less for the work!
3. Use tax returns to pay off debt such as credit cards and minimise the interest you have to pay.
4. Ensure you have registered as a family for the Medicare Safety Net rather than as two individuals. This will lower your Medicare Safety Net Threshold. Once you reach a certain limit, you can get more money back for out of hospital expenses.
5. Ask your bank to review your accounts to make sure you are getting the best deal. And even if you are getting a good deal, ask for a better deal for being a loyal customer.
6. Limit your ATM transactions to once a week to avoid excess fees. Only use your own bank’s ATM.
7. Review your home loan package. Research competitors and pressure your lender for a better deal.
8. Check with the Australian Tax Office to see if you have any lost super and consolidate.
9. Make extra contributions to your superannuation if you are eligible to do so via the government’s co-contribution scheme. Not only are you providing more income for when you retire, often if you ‘salary sacrifice’ additional funds into your super, you can end up with more in your pay packet (because you can lower your tax bracket – ask your accountant!).
14. Never water the garden between 10am and 2pm. Water is evaporated and lost in the heat.
15. Place a bucket in the bottom of the shower and use the gathered water to give your dry garden a good soaking.
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17. Make your own cleaning products. Vinegar and eucalyptus a great household cleaners.16. Cook and freeze your own biscuits, slices and cakes. Not only is it cheaper – it tastes better.
18. Pack rather than buy lunch each day – you will save hundreds. Even better, freeze your lunches to eat during the week to ensure there is no wastage!
19. Plan your meals in advance and never go grocery shopping without a list and never shop hungry. This prevents impulse buying.
24. If possible, breastfeed. It’s good for baby, convenient and free.
25. Make homemade baby food. Buying two jars a day can cost in excess of $1000 per year.
26. Put all your $2 coins into a coin tin or a 2 litre empty coke bottle and use the money to pay for food or drinks during the school holidays.
27. Shop at clearance centres and factory outlets. Also don’t forget discount stores like The Reject Shop and Dimmies – they often have discount dishwasher tables and spaghetti sauces at cheaper prices than the supermarket.
28. Plan to shop during sale periods. Most supermarkets have a ‘8 Week Sale Cycle’ – so buy the more expensive products like bottled coffee during the sale period, and try and make it last until the next cycle – if you can!
29. Swap to energy efficient globes and water saving showerheads.
30. Consider purchasing second-hand white goods or display models which come with a discount if you need to purchase white goods. Also consider getting rid of old whitegoods, often they are energy in-efficient – so they cost you more in electricity than they would to replace (over the course of a year). Ditch the old chest freezer and grab a new upright instead!
31. Wash in cold water and dry clothes on the clothes line rather than in the dryer.
32. Wash your own car – let the kids help, it can be fun.
33. During the School Holidays – consider a ‘Staycation’ rather than a holiday. Sleep in your own bed every night, but still go out and do something fun during the day!
41. Join a local playgroup (or host your own!) – a fun and inexpensive way to entertain your toddler. Also check out what programs you local library has for the little ones – they often have a free baby and toddler activity group during the week.
42. Establish a babysitting circle and trade services with trusted friends.
By Jody Allen
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