Aussies share techniques to save $400 every month to combat cost of living crisis
- Replies 19
In a world where the cost of living seems to be on an upward trajectory, it's no surprise that many of us are feeling the pinch.
With utility bills, groceries, and everyday expenses creeping higher, finding ways to stretch our dollars further is becoming a necessity.
Thankfully, there are clever strategies to combat these financial pressures shared by three Australians who have successfully saved $400 a month.
Monique from Western Australia had an eye-opening moment when she realised her 'occasional' work lunches were accumulating into a substantial expense.
‘I walk through a food court to get to work,’ she said.
Monique and her husband began tracking their finances with Up Bank. But they soon discovered they were spending a whopping $400 a month on coffee, lunches, and snacks during the workday.
The solution? They didn't eliminate their spending entirely but instead halved it, setting a budget of $100 each per month for at-work indulgences.
Monique found that preparing a variety of snacks to take to work helped her resist the temptation of the food court and stay within budget.
The $200 they saved each month gave them ‘peace of mind that we can still have some spending freedom and cover our essentials as well’.
Next, Milli and her husband Dan stumbled upon a video online that prompted them to scrutinise their grocery shopping habits.
They believed they were only visiting the supermarket for their main weekly shop with the occasional top-up.
‘I knew this could be a problem area for me since the shops are literally on my daily commute home,’ Milli said.
‘I searched my banking app for Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, IGA, markets, anything I could think of, and added up not only the dollar value but the number of times I was using them per week.’
‘In my head, we went once a week, maybe with a top-up if we really needed something, but apparently, we were doing multiple midweek top-ups, as well as a weekend shop at a local market.’
By dedicating half an hour each Saturday to meal planning, including easy 'lazy meals' for the weekends, they've managed to save ‘at least $100 a week’.
They've also reduced food waste and cut down on takeaway by being more strategic with their ingredient purchases.
With a dream trip to Europe on the horizon, the savings from their grocery budget are ‘definitely helping’ their travel fund, and the thought of enjoying a $100 pizza and wine in Italy is a delightful incentive to keep their spending in check.
Here's the video Milli and Dan watched below:
Credit: @the.brokegeneration / TikTok
Lastly, Alexis from Central Victoria found a creative solution to the dilemma of 'what's for dinner?' and the complexities of splitting meal costs.
As the default head chef in her four-person household, Alexis was weary of the mental strain of meal planning and preparation.
The housemates decided to subscribe to a meal box delivery service, which not only streamlined their costs and planning but also automated payments and evenly distributed the cooking responsibilities.
‘We each agreed on the price and cost level,’ she said. ‘That night we each set up the direct [payment] to my card. It was easy as it was all automated.’
Each housemate got to pick a meal they wanted each week, and whoever arrived home first took on the chef's hat for the evening.
‘Mental load and meal sharing was much much easier,’ Alexis said.
Meal planning is an effective strategy to save money and reduce food waste.
In a previous story, it mentioned several ways how to start meal planning, and it doesn’t take much of your time. You can read more about meal planning here.
Have you discovered any simple tricks to save money that have improved your life? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!
With utility bills, groceries, and everyday expenses creeping higher, finding ways to stretch our dollars further is becoming a necessity.
Thankfully, there are clever strategies to combat these financial pressures shared by three Australians who have successfully saved $400 a month.
Monique from Western Australia had an eye-opening moment when she realised her 'occasional' work lunches were accumulating into a substantial expense.
‘I walk through a food court to get to work,’ she said.
Three Aussies shared their stories of how they saved almost $400 on their groceries. Credit: Shutterstock
Monique and her husband began tracking their finances with Up Bank. But they soon discovered they were spending a whopping $400 a month on coffee, lunches, and snacks during the workday.
The solution? They didn't eliminate their spending entirely but instead halved it, setting a budget of $100 each per month for at-work indulgences.
Monique found that preparing a variety of snacks to take to work helped her resist the temptation of the food court and stay within budget.
The $200 they saved each month gave them ‘peace of mind that we can still have some spending freedom and cover our essentials as well’.
Next, Milli and her husband Dan stumbled upon a video online that prompted them to scrutinise their grocery shopping habits.
They believed they were only visiting the supermarket for their main weekly shop with the occasional top-up.
‘I knew this could be a problem area for me since the shops are literally on my daily commute home,’ Milli said.
‘I searched my banking app for Woolworths, Coles, ALDI, IGA, markets, anything I could think of, and added up not only the dollar value but the number of times I was using them per week.’
‘In my head, we went once a week, maybe with a top-up if we really needed something, but apparently, we were doing multiple midweek top-ups, as well as a weekend shop at a local market.’
By dedicating half an hour each Saturday to meal planning, including easy 'lazy meals' for the weekends, they've managed to save ‘at least $100 a week’.
They've also reduced food waste and cut down on takeaway by being more strategic with their ingredient purchases.
With a dream trip to Europe on the horizon, the savings from their grocery budget are ‘definitely helping’ their travel fund, and the thought of enjoying a $100 pizza and wine in Italy is a delightful incentive to keep their spending in check.
Here's the video Milli and Dan watched below:
Credit: @the.brokegeneration / TikTok
Lastly, Alexis from Central Victoria found a creative solution to the dilemma of 'what's for dinner?' and the complexities of splitting meal costs.
As the default head chef in her four-person household, Alexis was weary of the mental strain of meal planning and preparation.
The housemates decided to subscribe to a meal box delivery service, which not only streamlined their costs and planning but also automated payments and evenly distributed the cooking responsibilities.
‘We each agreed on the price and cost level,’ she said. ‘That night we each set up the direct [payment] to my card. It was easy as it was all automated.’
Each housemate got to pick a meal they wanted each week, and whoever arrived home first took on the chef's hat for the evening.
‘Mental load and meal sharing was much much easier,’ Alexis said.
Meal planning is an effective strategy to save money and reduce food waste.
In a previous story, it mentioned several ways how to start meal planning, and it doesn’t take much of your time. You can read more about meal planning here.
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