I have been literally writing down each expense for the month, at the end of the month working out the total credits and debits.
From here I worked out an average of money I could save, and I also picked up on what I’m overspending on.
My hubby always calls each utility every quarter and our bank to ask for a deal or better rate
This month we are challenging ourself to only buy groceries with marketplace profits haha

If you are eligible for any family tax benefit opt to receive it at the end of the financial year. It’s a great way of saving and getting a lump sum in your account

Pay whatever you can afford as extra repayments off your mortgage each month, that will take years off your loan and save you 10’s of thousands.
Put some money aside each week to save for school fees, uniforms, holidays, gifts etc, so it’s not so hard when you need it.
Buy in bulk where you can, look for all items at supermarket that are on special each week, try other brands but save heaps over the year doing this too.
Meal plan and cook and freeze extra meals to save on takeaways.
If there is a deal to eat out like buy one main get one half price on wed’s etc try to do that for dinner out.

All little savings add up in the end. Something might not seem like much on its own but will add up to big savings over time. Try shopping at you local store when they have markdowns on food and freeze what you can. Reuse what you can instead of buying new ie wrapping paper, gift bags etc. Gradually buy presents throughout the year when big sales are on or get crafty and make your own. Save lots by cooking meals at home and not getting takeout. On weekends have fun going out doing free activities like the park, bike riding, hiking etc instead of costly play centres, cinemas etc.

If you’re looking for investment tips, I believe ASIC runs some basic courses to get people started.

make work and school lunches, cook in bulk and freeze, kids can make birthday cards and their drawings/paintings can be used as wrapping paper.

Buy recycled clothing, books and toys from op shops (I save all my gold coins for my thrift shopping) & shop the specials at different stores if possible. Don’t be afraid to look for bargains at stores like NQR & The Reject Shop

Buy in bulk
Do your research
See what is on special that you need etc
Have a budget and stick to it.

Reduce spending on unnecessary items. For example, pretty napkins that you pay extra for when plain white ones are cheaper and do the job. People might object to this but fabric softener is also an item that you don’t need. Also buy home brands.

When I do my weekly shopping I buy a gift card and put it in a safe place till Christmas time then I can buy up big.

The $5 challenge. The idea is every time you get $5 in change put it aside and save it. This was the best and easy way to save money band helped with buying Christmas gifts.

I think in order to budget you just need to know where your money is going and decide if that is the best use of it. I have read Barefoot investor and a couple of other similar things, and have used many tips from Simple Saving (www.simplesavings.com.au/)

shop offline, as stupid as that sounds i found it stopped me impulse buying. use catalogue and grocery shop the specials from as many different supermarkets as you can that are close to your home. Specials usually go on a 4 to 6 week cycle so when u can buy enough to last you that long. Sell anything you no longer need or want and when buying something ask yourself if its a need or a want and if you can get it cheaper elsewhere. Waste as little of everything as possible and dont be brand snobby. Make sure to call all your providers {ergon, telstra, optus, origin, banks ext} and get on the best plan to suit your needs and always ask for a better price. Finally break down your bills to a weekly average cost and bpay or direct debit that amount plus a few dollars every week to the company, this should get you well and truly ahead and give you a better perspective of your true weekly living costs

buying and cooking in bulk

I have always had a budget, I work out what money I need to run the house and I have that amount of money paid into my everyday account from my employer. The balance is [paid into a separate account that I don’t touch unless I really need to. I also ALWAYS take a shopping list when I go shopping.

Shopback app is great for purchasing online and get a.portion of your spending back:)

This might be digressing a bit, but I use sites like OzBargain and TopBargains. Occasionally you may find a deal that’s relevant to you and even freebies and free samples. They also other things like forums and a page of comparison sites. My favourite is PriceHipster.
This suggestion is more so spending rather than budgeting. But if you’re going to spend anyway, you might as well save as much money you can or utilise the best value for money.

We also buy in bulk (we do not hoard) and buy specials to save money. We bulk buy and use the freezer and pantry and money is saved on products. We also buy seasonal produce which also saves money and meal plan.

I use half price app which notifies me things that are on sale half price in Coles and Woolies

We use planners and organisers to assist with budgeting and saving money. Using a planner and organiser makes perfect sense when saving money. Using them; plans and tracks any spending and keeps the household budget and savings in order.