Give yourself a money makeover this month with something easy you can do each day to improve your finances.
Scroll down to find the day/tip you’re looking for and get all the tips.
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Kickstart the Month with $100 FREE
ING has their $100 Orange Everyday sign-up offer on. They share different rewards at different times and right now you can get $100.
If you are a new ING customer, you can get $100 when opening an everyday account with them. Here’s what you need to do:
- Open an everyday account and put the promo code CNW116 in the promo box (you must use the code to get the $100 bonus) and complete all the steps below in the first month.
- Deposit $1,000 into the account such as your income or Centrelink payments
- Make 5 settled transactions
- Open a Savings Maximiser (current interest rate is 5.5%)
- Make a deposit into the Savings Maximiser
Then you get your $100 the following month when the promotion is running. Promotion periods vary. The current promotion runs until October 31, 2023.
1. Get $8 from Up in 3 Minutes
I’ve used Up Bank both in Australia and while travelling overseas for almost 4 years now. You can get $8 within minutes.
Read my full review with extra tips on all the perks Up offers.
They are a fee-free bank, backed by Bendigo, easy to use, great customer service and you even have the chance to win the cost of your coffee back on weekdays.
2. Reduce the Cost of Groceries
Groceries are one of the biggest expenses most households face.
Check out over 20 tips to reduce the cost of groceries.
13 tips to reduce the cost of meat and it’s not all about going vegetarian, these are practical tips to be able to continue eating meat.
Then check out how to get groceries for free and super cheap.
3. Find New Ways to Use Leftovers
Considering most households throw away 1/5 of the groceries they buy (food goes off, didn’t eat the leftovers etc).
It makes sense to find ways to use leftovers.
Check out 20 meals from a leftover sausage, 25 meal ideas for leftover ham and 29 meal ideas for leftover chicken.
Along with this huge list of ways to use scraps such as vegetable peels, apple cores, cauliflower leaves etc. All edible things you probably throw away.
Christmas is a great example of waste. Learn how to use Christmas leftovers without getting bored to save money this festive season (or after any party).
4. Go on a Money Hunt
How exciting were treasure hunts as a kid?
Spend some time today going on a money hunt in your home, car and potentially workplace (if you have your own desk etc).
Look under all the furniture, lounge cushions and appliances.
Check your bags, purses, pockets of all clothing, drawers and anywhere else you have ever stored money.
Clean out your car and look in all the little storage compartments, under the seats, mats and even near the spare tyre.
That’s right, I have found loose coins there before.
In your emails, search the terms gift card, discount, gift certificate etc.
To see if you have any unused discounts and gift cards you could utilise.
5. Repair Something
Many repairs could take only a few minutes such as sewing on a button, fixing a seam or changing a lightbulb.
Too often we let these things pile up, forget about them or replace instead of repair.
Take a few minutes and pick something on your list that needs to be repaired and do it.
6. $20 from uBank
Another fee-free online only bank with a sign up offer is uBank.
I’ve used them for a little over 2 years now. If you use the code S7VL6WF when you join, you’ll get a $20 bonus.
The $20 will be deposited into your account once you have completed 3 transactions with your card in the first month. Read my full review of ubank here.
7. Enter a Competition
You have to be in it to win it. I have won a few thousand dollars worth of prices including travel and day spa gift cards, photography sessions and photos, food and other things this year alone.
Check out where the best giveaways are and my tips to win.
8. Set up Savings
If you haven’t already, set up some sort of savings plan and make it automatic.
For some people, having their savings with a different bank so they can’t see it when they do their usual banking helps.
Up Bank offers some savings challenges and the capacity to lock your saver so it requires approval from someone any time you want to transfer.
They won’t have access to anything but it can be a good way to reduce the impulse buys and save more.
9. Sign up for Freebies
There are so many freebies available if you know where to look.
Check out the list of birthday freebies here and this huge list of freebies for everything from food to travel to homewares.
Or have a look at 50 ways to live for free and see what you might be able to apply to your life.
10. Switch 1 Thing in Your Home to a Reusable Option
We have saved a small fortune over the years by switching products to reusable options such as containers instead of plastic wrap, period underwear instead of pads and tampons etc.
Here is a list of options that saved us money and a review on different period underwear and menstrual cups.
11. Deal With Debt
Debt sucks and while you might not want to face it, if you don’t it’s not going to get any better.
Check out 6 tips to deal with debt, including how to deal with debt collectors.
And take inspiration from this couple who cleared $90,000 worth of debt.
12. Rotate Meal Kits
Meal kits offer free boxes to new customers, sign up discounts and discounts for returning customers.
Learn how to rotate them to always get a discount.
Click here to get free and discounted meal kits.
Sign up to one then cancel it and use the next one.
Then the next and so on until you’ve used them all.
Generally, once you rotate through they are all sending new discount offers to get you back.
13. Learn About Investing
Investing is about making your money work for you.
How you choose to invest is a personal choice and depends on numerous factors including your risk tolerance level.
Some people like high risk for the chance of a high rewards.
Others prefer to invest slowly over time in more proven options.
Read books, listen to podcasts, get professional advice and learn about how you want to invest then get into it.
I have a list of resources at the end of this article but to get you started:
Quit Like A Millionaire
The Simple Path to Wealth
The Psychology of Money
14. Free Activities
Rather than spending money going to cafes or restaurants with friends or blowing the budget in school holidays, write a list of free activities in your area and use them instead.
Read 37 frugal family activities to give you some ideas.
15. Try a New Frugal Recipe
Dhal was a recipe we never considered making until we unexpectedly had all the ingredients one day. It is cheap and now a firm favourite.
Take inspiration from other countries, look up frugal recipes online e.g Pinterest and try some.
16. Find a Way to Make Money on The Side
There are so many ways to make money on the side now.
Read 23 ways to make money in 2023 or how I made $33,277.57 on the side in 12 months to give you some ideas.
43 ways for single mums to make money has a list of flexible money-making ideas too.
Think about what you are good at, what you enjoy doing and what you have the time for.
Some people love online surveys (the best Aussie ones are here and you can probably make around $2,000+ a year).
Market research pays $100hr, and freelance writing and blogging are two of my favourites.
Or check out the 5 easiest ways I’ve made money and the 9 ways I am making money on the side right now.
17. Sign up for Cash Back Apps and Use Them
I’ve been using cash back apps for years and gotten thousands back on products and services I regularly use. Groceries, travel, beauty, everything.
Plus when you join and use it within 14 days you get an extra bonus.
My favourites are Cashrewards, Shopback and Honey. You can only use one at a time though.
Read about all the cash back programs available and how to make the most of them.
18. Check Your Net Worth
Knowing your net worth is important. Your assets minus your liabilities equals your net worth.
Read about how to work it out and how to increase your net worth.
19. Tax Tips
Know what you can claim on tax, keep accurate records and get organised with a system now so you can make the most of this financial year.
Many people have no idea what they can claim and there are some interesting industry-specific things you can claim.
Speak with a professional to know more about your specific profession.
Use the ATO app to track everything or set up an email address or folder in your email to send all your receipts and tax details to.
How to make your tax return go further is a good read for tips on tax and maximising things with your return.
20. Frugal Beauty
Beauty doesn’t need to be expensive to be effective.
How you take care of your skin, hair, health and beauty is up to you.
Check out 7 tips for beauty on a budget as well as these tips for health and beauty.
21. Reduce Electricity
Electricity costs keep increasing but there are things you can do to reduce the cost.
Read 17 tips to reduce the cost of electricity. As well as 19 ways to keep cool.
22. Compare Insurance
Insurance renewals are often the most expensive offer you’ll get.
Instead of renewing, get a fresh quote, compare the cost as well as coverage to see if you can get a better deal.
Remember to cancel any insurance you no longer need e.g. if you sell your car.
Check your coverage for any insurance you do have to ensure it is adequate and will cover you for whatever you need.
This goes for car, house, contents, health, life, travel and other insurances.
We partnered with Freely to get you 10% off travel insurance. Use the code Thrifty10 at checkout to get it.*
23. Break a Bad Habit
Some of our habits can be incredibly expensive and bad for our well-being.
Pick one to eliminate from your life.
To help you, read these tips to quit energy drinks and these tips to reduce temptation.
24. Get Discounts
Discounts can be found everywhere so why pay full price?
Check out these 9 frugal habits to save you thousands along with these tips to get discounts on everything.
Also check out how you can combine discounts and coupons to save even more.
Using cash back apps is one, getting discounted gift cards, using loyalty programs, buying things on clearance, asking for a discount and knowing where to shop are a few of the ways you can get discounts.
25. Goals
Having clear goals makes being smart with your money so much easier.
Check out how to achieve big financial goals.
Take a look at my motivation wall and how to set and achieve goals.
If you want to get your family on board with saving money, goals will help.
You might also want to take a look at what to do if you partner is hopeless with money.
Since families have a profound impact on our goals, it’s worth knowing how to handle things.
Get a copy of Atomic Habits and apply those systems if you want to be really successful with your goals.
26. Retirement Planning
At some point you will need to retire and you won’t want to rely on the pension, if there is one.
Having a plan for your retirement including age, income sources and the lifestyle you want is crucial to ensure a good retirement.
Speak with a professional to get advice and look up the FIRE movement for ideas.
FIRE stands for Financial Independence Retire Early.
27. Create and Stick to a Budget
Budgeting doesn’t have to be difficult or boring.
Read how to create and stick to a budget, how to survive on one income, how to get rich being lazy with money and how Australia’s top 1% manage their money for ideas.
How to create and stick to a budget as a single mum/single income family and 22 tips for single parents are both useful too.
The books I recommend for budgeting are Money With Jess and The Barefoot Investor.
These 5 books will improve your finances too.
28. Reduce the Cost of Transport
The cost of buying a car, repairing one, filling it up with petrol every week, insurance and registration adds up.
Catching public transport can be expensive too and time-consuming.
Read how to reduce the cost of transport, how to live without a car and these top 10 tips from a female mechanic.
29. Cancel Subscriptions
How many subscriptions do you have? What have you signed up for with a free trial and forgotten to cancel?
Spend some time today reviewing your PayPal and bank accounts, apps on your phone and in your Google account or iCloud account to see any you need to cancel.
Check your email for subscriptions and reminders as well.
Get rid of any you don’t use or don’t need anymore.
30. Brainstorm
I have share loads of ideas to help you improve your finances this month.
Check out all the articles on the site for more ideas and brainstorm yourself.
What are the areas you spend too much in or want to learn to cut back?
Write them down and research what you can to help you save money on them.
Extra Resources
Here are a selection of books, podcasts and other resources I recommend.
23 books that will change your life lists my top books in a few life areas including finance.
Quit Like a Millionaire, The Simple Path to Wealth, We Should All Be Millionaires, The Psychology of Money and Money With Jess are 5 good finance books.
Aspiring Millionaire: A site sharing how to turn $2 into $1,000,000 but doubling it. As well as sharing tips on blended families, blended cultures and finances.
Kylie Travers: Sharing tips to turn obstacles into opportunities and create an abundant life. From homeless single mother because of domestic violence to multiple international award-winning CEO, author, speaker and ambassador.
For more ways to make and save money follow us on social media:
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*If you use the link on this page to purchase travel insurance, we will receive a fee from Freely, a brand of Cover-More Insurance Services Pty Limited ABN 95 003 114 145 (AFSL 241713) (Cover-More). We do not act for Cover-More or Freely. The information provided is only on the availability of Freely products. We do not give advice & the information provided is not intended to give an opinion or recommendation regarding the product. For information on how to contact Cover-More or Freely refer to the PDS, FSG & TMD which can be found here: freely.me/au.
