FRESH TIPS FOR SAVING MONEY

Sometimes, we just need to pull our belts in immediately.

We might get a big unexpected bill or Christmas is coming up and there isn’t much surplus cash, a member of your family could have been ill – there are a number of reasons.

Save money now with these tips:

1. Don’t throw out your old egg cartons, milk containers or plastic cups. Save them for a rainy day and they can be used for craft activities for the kids.

Craft items can be really expensive to buy and often items at home are just as good.

2. If you put off a haircut for a week or two (if you can) every time, you can save the cost of up to two haircuts and colours a year. That’s a saving of up to $300.

3. If you put off your food shopping by a single day every week, after seven weeks you will have the equivalent of a week’s shop in surplus in your account.

This would be perfect to use for something special for Christmas or, even better, add it to your mortgage.

If you shop weekly and say you went on a Monday this week, stretch it out until Tuesday next week. Use whatever you have left in the fridge and pantry to make your meals, get the kids to use toilet paper if you’ve run out of tissues and bulk up the dog’s dinner with the last of the getting-stale bread.

4. Use a 2L bottle or invest in a cheap money box and start putting all your extra change in the money box.

Decide beforehand what the money is to be spent on and write it on the bottle or tin for inspiration. Coke 2L bottles make a great money box and if you only add $2 coins, it can hold a whopping $5000.