As yourself if you really need it. Most of the time the answer is no, and you don’t end up buying it.

i recently went through my entire wardrobe and found clothes that i had forgotten about. This means that i don’t need to buy clothes for a while. Taking your lunch everyday to work is a big one too.

I tend to use items of clothing, handbags etc for a long time – they practically have to fall apart for me to throw them out and replace them.

I go shopping with a limited amount of money (no cards) and that limits how much I buy.

We budget our bills, a certain amount per week to cover each bill.
We also buy as much as we can in bulk, it is cheaper in the long run & lasts longer.
Also shop online, no more impulse shopping on something you don’t really need.

I remembered even school days we used to talk about a budget in Maths and I think that is always the go. The essentials always come first before luxury and if you watch the ex A current affair show called ” Australia’s Tightest Family ” , you will get at least one good tip for sure. Well worth watching !

As a single mum i want to make sure we never go with out. We grow all our own vegies and gave chooks for eggs. I trade our spare produce for wheat, manure and the old garden job i cant do. We have alittle barter system going and i love it. When it comes to shopping i buy in bulk…like our toilet paper and washing liquid. For example i buy 4 litres of washing liquid for 20 rather than 2 litres for 12 or more. Now i am at that point that i buy it when on special and.i never run out. It seems to last longer too.

I have a strict budget, some weeks it’s stricter then others. I stick to the budget no matter how much it is. If it’s tight, I buy the absolute essentials. When it’s a bit more financial, I grab a few more luxuries. Sometimes it’s tough, but we generally get through

Write a list before you go if only the things that you have run out of and the things that you really need. Stick to that list.

Cut out take-away and coffee,it adds up weekly!

Cut out the coffees out and have people over for tea and coffee

For general spending, think twice before you open your wallet. This avoids impulse buys. Think do you really need / want it. For food, to avoid waste, try think ahead. Buying fresh produce in bulk because its on sale doesn’t save you money if it goes off before you can use it.

Menu planning and then create a shopping list based on that. Try to include meals that use the same ingredients – e.g .if you need to buy celery try to use it all up. Check what’s in your fridge/freezer and base your menu around what you already have.

Also; a good way to save; is to catch up on jobs around the home; stay at home and get those ‘to do’ jobs done.

For one month I write down everything I spend and I mean everything. That way I find out where my weaknesses are and then try and budget better.

Entertainment can be a big drain on finances; the local library is great for borrowing dvd’s, cd’s, books and other items and they have free workshops and activities for the kids. Saves lots of money and also; there are lots of links to other free activities/happenings.

thank you so much ladies for commenting on this! these tips and ideas are so useful and i love reading them. these ideas will be good to use and other mums reading them will appreciate it as well

I don’t drive. I walk or take public transport if there is no other choice. I always cook from scratch.That’s a great way to save money!

We find buying up on staples at Aldi saves a lot, compared to Coles and Woolworths, and also having a few super cheap basic meals that everyone in the family likes that can be cooked regularly. We buy fruit and veg in season and meat that is on special. Instead of eating out we do something special like a gourmet barbeque at home, which is a treat but not nearly as expensive as going out for a meal.

great tips! i love reading them all and getting fantastic ideas and they are all practical and do able. thanks so much for giving me these great ideas