Tips to make and save money, especially for Aussies. As featured on ABC, Nine and Channel 7. Sign up for weekly tips plus freebies and discounts.
Top Ways to Make & Save Money Right NOW!
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Being in the second half of 2024 feels a bit surreal. Everything is still getting more expensive and so much has changed. How can you know what's worth spending time on when it comes to making and saving money? While some of the frugal tips from the past are fantastic, it's important to note that many frugal recipes are now expensive (lamb shanks anyone?) Knowing what works now based on life and expenses today can help you save thousands and spend time doing things you enjoy. Ways to Save Money NowTechnology is your friend when it comes to frugal living. There are so many ways to get discounts, freebies and gift cards if you know what you are doing. However, these things are all designed to get you to spend more money so you need to make sure you only buy what you need and not get sucked into the marketing ploys. Reduce Temptation: Dealing with the temptation to spend, eat junk or anything else you struggle with can be hard and throw your budget right out when you succumb to it. Here are 5 tips to deal with temptation, whatever that may be for you. Shopaholic aka Overspending: An issue I see pop up a lot is overspending. There are many reasons why it happens, so here are 10 tips to help you reduce it. Cultivate Frugal Habits: Knowing what saves you money and is worth your time is important. Try these 9 frugal habits to save you thousands to get started. Freebies list: If you want to get freebies including cash bonuses, check out our freebies section. What I am Doing to Save MoneyNowWith 4 kids here and others in Vanuatu we support, plus the extras my kids do (national wrestling champion, robotics champion etc = expensive with travel and competitions) and medical needs due to autism and ADHD, our life could easily become extremely expensive. Here are some of the ways I am saving money, even with these extra expenses.
Ways to Make Money NowThe world has changed a lot over the past few years with AI replacing some jobs and new jobs being created because of technology now. Increase your income: Look for ways to increase your income such as upskilling, switching companies or changing jobs. Read how to double your income for tips on how to do this. Side hustles: Think about your skills and interests then look at side hustles to suit them. Do thorough research though because sometimes might seem great but there are so many people doing it, you won't make much. Have a look at these 24 way to make money in 2024 and these 43 ways for single mums to make money. Invest: There's income from a job, income from side hustles and income from investments. You don't need to be investing thousands or buying real estate but I would recommend doing your own research, getting professional advice and having a plan. Here are some ways you might want to invest financially and in yourself (it uses your tax return as an example). What I am Doing to Make Money NowI have tried almost every side hustle there is over the years. Now, I focus on my favourites and the ones that are easy for me to make more in a short amount of time due to my other commitments. Writing: This includes websites such as The Thrifty Issue, articles for magazines, book royalties (you can find some of my books on ways to make and save money here) and ghostwriting (articles or books for others where my name is not attached). My writing pays for most of our travel (e.g. media trips, articles from our travels for different publications etc). Read how to become a freelance writer if you want to know more about that and this article on blogging. Real estate: We own real estate in Vanuatu as that is where he is from and my in-laws are based. We leave all the money there to help the family pay for education, medical and dental, car repairs etc. Reselling: I used to do this quite actively and made over $10,000 a month doing it but during times we travel a lot, it's not practical. You can find my tips for reselling including what to sell, where to sell, how to photograph your items, postage etc. here. Our Meal PlanMeal times can be tricky and since I have 4 active kids who eat a lot, if I don't plan my meals, the budget can get blown. I have 20+ tips to reduce the cost of groceries plus how to reduce waste/what to do with scraps and leftovers. To save time and headspace, we use discounted meal kits and rotate through the discounts. Meaning, we use one discount, when that has finished we cancel it and use the next meal kit service and so on until we've used them all. During this time, the first meal kits will send discounts again so you never have to pay full price for them. Here are the discounts we use (note they are for new customers only): 1 Free box from HelloFresh: Up to 6 main meals for the family you cook yourself plus they have readymade options you can add on Our breakfasts are usually eggs, toast, cereal or smoothies. Lunches are leftovers, sandwiches, rice dishes etc and snacks are mainly fruit and veg, sometimes crackers. What I Am ReadingFurther to my recent reading on health and watching documentaries, I picked up My Year of Living Mindfully which was published in September 2020. It is is filled with compelling stories, groundbreaking science, and unexpected insights that go to the heart of what it means to be human living now. I feel the world has changed a lot in recent years but this book helps put things in perspective a little and will hopefully help you get back on track with life too. For 2024, I have a list of books I am reading, some of which I have read before but know I can learn more from as I read them during times of stress. The list is split into finance and business, health, self-help, new age/spiritual, parenting and relationships since these are the areas of my life I am always striving to improve. I share what I am reading on my Instagram account and would love to hear what you are reading, what you recommend and why. Discounts For You!There is a list of freebies and discounts on The Thrifty Issue site plus some favourites below: Money Bonuses $125 from ING with a few steps, it is paid the following month (full details here) Food Discounts $15 off Celebrity Slim weight loss shakes Other Discounts $25 gift card with Red Energy The Thrifty Issue CommunityFor more and to connect with others check out The Thrifty Issue Facebook group, Facebook page, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. |
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Tips to make and save money, especially for Aussies. As featured on ABC, Nine and Channel 7. Sign up for weekly tips plus freebies and discounts.
How to Handle Unexpected Expenses Life loves to throw curveballs and at times you can be hit with large, unexpected expenses. Whether they are emergencies or a surprise event you want to go to but didn't budget for, it can be expensive. How can you handle it? Firstly, it depends on the expense. If it's a large, unexpected bill, check that it is correct and that it is an actual reading, not an estimate. If it is accurate, turn everything off and check if the meter is still running. If it is,...
How to Afford Life's Little Luxuries Everywhere I look, online and off, I hear numerous mums haven't done their hair, nails or similar for months or longer because of the cost of living. They are struggling to feed the family and feeling self-conscious compared to the women on social media. Too many families are doing everything they can and yet due to increasing costs, they are barely surviving. Holidays, date nights, and celebrations all seem too expensive. So how can you afford those...
How to Easily Make $2,000 in Time for Christmas You might not want to think about Christmas/the holiday season/school holidays etc but it will arrive in a few months whether you are ready or not. In our house, everything shuts down for a few weeks including daycare, school and work plus there is so much on it tends to be one of the most expensive times of the year. Quickly followed by birthday season and back to school for us (4 of the 5 kids are between mid-Jan and mid-Feb!) If you start...