Onesies, Facebook and no booze: How Finder crew are saving money in July
With the cost of living going up, here's what we're doing to spend less, save more and get our money working harder for us in July.
It's no secret that the cost of living is rising. With the cash rate expected to keep climbing throughout the year and inflation tipped to increase further, it's time to get creative and look for ways to cut back and save.
For a bit of inspiration, here are some things the Finder crew are doing to save money this month.
"I did a big clear out of my cupboards over the weekend and found a bunch of things that I no longer need or use, but are in perfect condition. I've sold most of it online on Facebook Marketplace and have made $150 so far. Not only is doing a big clean out really therapeutic, but you'd be surprised how much cash you can get for some things you might think are worthless." – Alison Banney, banking and super editor
"With electricity prices soaring, I haven't switched my heater on yet this winter. When the nights get cold, I throw on a hooded fleece pyjama top and stay as warm as toast. The hood is important – don't want heat escaping from my bald bonce!" – Angus Kidman, editor-at-large
"I'm giving Dry July a go this month and will be interested to see how much cash I can save. One small round of beers at a pub at The Rocks in Sydney set me back more than 50 bucks a couple of weeks ago. Cutting out these costs should quickly add up to a decent saving." – James Martin, insurance senior writer
"I'm paying more attention than ever to the price per unit tags at the supermarket. Brand appeal means nothing to me. Why pay $3 for a 500g packet of pasta if I can pay $2.50? 🍝 This way every dollar goes further." – Dylan Crismale, utilities writer
"A trip to the dentist only costs me $13. When I reckon I'm due for a check-up, I take out an ahm lifestyle extras policy. There's no waiting period for general dental and you don't have to pay a gap fee for check-ups at select dentists. They might try to get you with X-rays but if you've had them done fairly recently, tell them you don't need them." – Gary Ross Hunter, insurance and innovations editor
"I've always been big on minimising food waste. Not only is it doing a small part for Mother nature (all praise Gaia), but it saves money. My tasty tip – I keep as many vegetable scraps as I can and use them to make stock. I also find local butchers are happy to give you bones to throw in for free. This leaves me with a ton of liquid gold (not legal tender) that I use as a base for curries, soups, marinades, etc. And the meals taste better! Not only because they're made from scratch and I enjoy being smug, but because I've saved a little extra dollarydoos." – Tegan Jones, global reviews editor
Not-so-fun fact: Food waste is costing Australian households $1,038 a year. Eating your leftovers is an easy way to save money.
"Growing up I hated hand-me-downs. Now that I have a kid myself I love them. I'm on my first child so I don't have acquired clothes BUT I do have friends who are in-between kids. They let me borrow what they're not using, which has saved me hundreds (possibly thousands) of dollars for clothes that my kid will only use for a few months. It also frees up storage space at my friends' homes. It's win-win, really." – Stephanie Yip, travel editor
"I treat every insurance renewal as a starting offer. My recent home insurance premium renewal just came in $1,000 higher than last year, so I shopped around on Finder and found a home insurance policy for $1,400 less!" – Sarah Megginson, head of editorial
"I save 4% on my groceries every time I shop by using discounted gift cards to pay. These are offered as a benefit with some memberships and services including Red Energy, NRMA, RACQ, RACV and Employment Hero. Most of the Coles and Woolworths gift card discounts are around 2% to 4% but you can get other gift cards offering savings of up to 10%, so it's worth checking before you buy something new." – Amy Bradney-George, Finder Green and credit cards senior writer
"A top movie tip for when you want to be indulgent: Most cinema rewards programs will offer half price Gold Class tickets (it's true!) on a Tuesday for just one session of one movie. Keep an eye out for these for your own inexpensive stay-cation." - Nicole Pederson-McKinnon, personal finance expert
Want to get your money working harder for you? You could invest in an ETF, or open a high interest savings account. Or if you're looking for more ways to save, here are 50 money-saving tips to get you started.
