Clever and creative saving hacks

We recently put the call out on Insta for any clever and creative saving hacks that save you $$’s. There were so many hilarious (and incredibly helpful) hacks that came in - for your convenience, here are the top recommendations:

• My hubby got his teeth done in Bali - it saved him $1,890!
•  Always use my work's milk for breakfast and coffee.
• Take old rags to get recycled at H&M and they will give you a 15% off voucher.
• Look at the price of food/consumables in cost per 100g/each.
• Learn how to do your own car maintenance and change spark plugs, air filters and your oil regularly.
• Not just for saving money, but also for the planet - buy second hand where possible (furniture, clothes etc).
• Get Southern Health Insurance essentials - it’s only $1 per day for 30 somethings who are non-smokers!
• Work from home - save money on transport, petrol and parking!
• Put feta in a jar of oil so you don’t waste the second half. Game changer.
• Tinned cherry tomatoes ¼ of the price of fresh ones.
• Not spending money on stuff you don’t need (clothing etc) and make sure you sell all the stuff you don’t use!
• Short term investment, long term saving (of your time and resources) get hair laser!
• Go to charity shops to get any vases, special glasses, platters etc.
• Borrow the super lux international magazine titles from the library, rather than buying them.
• Shop around for groceries depending on where stuff is cheaper! Saves so much!
• Be more conscious of reducing waste - food, cleaning products, everything really!
• When you’re out of skincare hit up Mecca for free samples!
• Buy cheap chemist mascara rather than the expensive Mecca stuff that does the exact same job.
• To make meat go further, halve your packet of mince and add lentils, they’re $1.20 for a can.
• Use your boyfriends beard trimmer for your
• Bought Leafshave razors and now I buy blades for $2, shaving has never been cheaper
• Move money from the bank to an investment fund, your money is losing around 5% a year in the bank.
• For overseas, ALL apple products can be recycled for $ credit - even broken and old tech!
• Have you got a spare room? Any money received from a border is non-taxable income in NZ
• Start a side hustle and run purchases through business to claim back GST and expenses
• Can’t travel? Switch utility providers to the providers that give airpoints with AirNZ
• Call up your phone and internet providers and check usage - drop down a plan if you can.
• Don’t waste food - I don’t tell my partner what's in something until after he eats it, banana peel, or orange skin in muffins, leftover rice in omelettes. Mostly edible.
• Puppy pee pads from Kmart instead of baby change pads!
• Super simple but always check your grocery receipt, I once got charged $55 for 11 cucumbers
• If you just get a basic cut, go to just cuts or similar - it’s $30 or $40 and they do a good job!
• Stick to filling up at BP and that’ll pay off your annual AA membership.
• Mens shaving cream is cheaper - buy that instead!
• Eat meals out of your freezer for a week - so many forgotten frozen meal preps!
• Coffee at home, more prepared lunches. Limiting dinners out with friends to a certain amount per month
• DIY beauty at home, nails brows.. Say goodbye to bikini waxes and hello to your razer.
• Eating vegetarian with whatever is in season! Bring your lunch to work everyday!
• Brekky and snacks at the office and use uber pool!
• Got my wisdom teeth out and saved on chewable food.
• My mates and I do a clothes swap every 3 months, I haven’t bought new clothes in 3 years!
• Edit your stuff regularly, even if it’s just $1-$5. Sell stuff that you don’t use, recycle that money into current life needs.
• Head to a local produce market for cheaper fruit and veggies!
• Meal planning so that you only have to shop once a week and can take lunch to work!
• Don’t go to the supermarket hungry!
• I shower at the gym in the morning to save on power (even if I don’t do a workout)
• Get canvases and paint from an arts and crafts shop and paint your own wall art with friends
• Take off cuts of your plants and grow new ones instead of spending money on new ones!
• NEVER buy bottled water. Bring your reusable into a coffee shop and 9/10 they fill it up!
• Buy your own scissors and hair dye - I saved 80 pounds doing it myself and honestly looks good!