Saving money is an essential part of managing personal finances. By making small changes to your daily routine and adopting thrifty habits, you can save money without sacrificing your lifestyle. Here are some of the thrifty methods we’ve adopted over the years to save money around the home:
The most effective way to save money around the home is to reduce energy consumption. Insulate your home and make air tight. On a cool day, put on an extra layer of clothing and leave your heater off. On a mild day, open windows on opposite sides of your home to cool it and leave your cooler off. On more extreme days, adjust the thermostat setting so the heating or cooling systems won’t have to work as hard to keep your home comfortable. Lower the heat setting on cold days and increase the cool setting on hot days. Start the systems early in the day.
You can also save money by using natural light during the day rather than artificial lighting. Use the lights only when necessary, and switch them off when you’ve left the room. Switch to LED lighting. Switch off appliances at the wall when not in use. Replace old appliances with energy efficient models. Air-dry your laundry instead of using the clothes dryer. If you have to use the clothes dryer, set it to the ‘gentle’ cycle. Use the washing machine, clothes dryer and clothes iron during off-peak electricity times. Reduce the set temperature on your kettle and only use the required amount of water for the task: don’t fill the kettle every time you use it.
Conserving water will save you money on both water and energy bills. It’s eco-friendly too. Use low-flow showerheads and turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. Shorten your shower time and turn the water off while you’re lathering-up. Use the water to rinse-off. Fix any water leaks promptly and collect rainwater for watering plants. Don’t use the dishwasher. It’s more time, energy and water efficient to wash dishes by hand. Install a high efficiency water heater.
Planning meals in advance is an excellent way to save money on groceries. Reduce food waste by purchasing only what you need. Create a weekly menu. Make a shopping list and stick to it. Avoid impulse purchases. If you have the space, buy items with a longer shelf life in bulk when they’re on sale. Cooking at home saves money and allows you to eat in a healthier manner. Cook food in large batches and freeze it. Use leftovers creatively to reduce food waste. Limit eating out, and only order take-away for special occasions.
Growing your own fruit, vegetables, and herbs is another method which will save you money. Use pots if space is lacking. You can also preserve excess produce by bottling or freezing it. If you don’t have the space to store it, give it to friends and family. They’d appreciate it!
Significant savings can be made when it comes to purchasing big ticket household items. If you can delay your purchases to either the Black Friday or Boxing Day sales, you will benefit by the big savings to be made from the retail giants. If your purchase can’t wait, ask your your retail store if they have and scratch-and-dent, display or demonstrator items they need to clear. Discount stores, factory outlets, online platforms and secondhand shops can also offer you a wide range of quality items at substantially lower prices than many retail stores.
We offer a vast array of children’s preloved clothes for all seasons from sizes one to sixteen. A broad selection of fiction and non-fiction books is also in constant supply. These include activity books, board books, early learning books, levelled readers, picture story books, junior and senior novels; also educational and reference books on just about any topic you care to imagine. We’ve got special occasions covered too, with themed clothes and books for Book Week, Christmas, Easter and Halloween. We also stock recipe books and accessories for birthday parties.
Saving money doesn’t have to be daunting or restrictive. By embracing the above methods and coming up with a few of your own, you will trim your expenses. With some patience, practice and a keen eye, you’ll find unique and valuable items while keeping your budget intact. Don’t forget that small changes add-up over time. By continuing to make thrifty choices the more money you will save.
In our next article, we’re exploring the origins of Book Week in Australia. So remember to look after your stuff, and it will look after of you!
Cheers, David & Cath.
Celebrate Book Week and the joy of reading. Invest in young lives by ensuring that every child has the opportunity to explore the magic of storytelling and to develop a life-long desire to learn.
When shopping for preloved clothing it is important to know how to identify high quality garments. In this article, we’ll show you how to do it.
When it comes to buying preloved products online, we can offer you greater convenience, a broader selection, better prices and personalised service.
