Best ways to save money this winter

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• 12 tips to save money this winter

It’s no secret that every cent counts. And while your social life may go into hibernation in winter, your budget and savings don’t have to!

Read on for some tips on how to save money during the cooler months.

1. Save the difference between your summer and winter spend

It’s not uncommon for our social diaries to be a little quieter during winter – which can be a big win for your bank account. If you’re looking for some tips on how to save money while snuggled up on the couch, why not start by putting away any leftover cash at the end of each week? Whether you spent less on groceries than anticipated or remembered to pack your lunch - deposit your remaining dollars into your savings account.

2. Make savvy takeaway choices

We all love a good takeaway dish – especially when the weather makes you want to hide under your doona cover. But not all takeaway is created equal!

An average takeaway order for two – say a gourmet burger each and shared chips – will set you back around $40. Meaning? A couple ordering takeaway three times a week will spend around $120 just on dinner. That’s over $1440 in winter…

Some tricks for getting the best deal on your meal include:

• Placing your order directly to the store (food apps often have a surcharge)
• Collecting your order in person
• Cutting down on the added extras
• Seeking out local, family-run businesses (who often charge less for better quality).

Alternatively, try these cheap and easy recipes to get you through the week!

3. Make $5 notes illegal

Did you just get a fiver in change? Best pretend that isn’t legal tender and put it away. If notes are too rich for your blood, try this one with $2 coins. Of course, this only works if you actually pay in cash.

4. Take the weekend off

This one is for all the homebodies out there. Pick a weekend to put all of your lockdown skills into practice for two days of self-care. Have a bath, read a book, binge a season (or two?), and stay away from all the commercial temptations of the outside world.

5. Just $1 more, every week

This one only gets harder when you get better at it. At the end of this week, put away $1. The week after, $2, $3 the next week and so on. The most you’ll have to put away in a week is $52 and after a year you’ll have an extra $1378.

6. Meat-free day

Cull the $15 porterhouse and $20 Sunday roast for one day a week (i.e. Meat-free Monday) and try vegetarian options. Along with a tastier grocery bill, you could learn a few new recipes.

7. Turn off the lights

This is one straight from Dad’s book, because ‘we’re not made of money you know!’ If you’re not in the room, get into the habit of turning the light off. Hey, it works even if you are in the room. Lights off, cash on!

8. Become a book buddy

Buying books can be costly, so why don’t you start a book swap with someone you know. Meet regularly to swap and discuss books you’ve both read or start a swap through the post. Can’t get anyone on board? Rekindle the days of your youth and support your local library.

9. Watch your garden grow

Growing your own fruit or vegetables can be great way to save money in Australia, with our (mostly) sunny climate and decent rainfall. Ask friends, family members or neighbours with green thumbs to help grow you some plants from seeds or cuttings to help kick start your patch.

10. Save your savings

When you get your groceries receipt and it says you saved $1.37, transfer that much into your savings account. You’ll be surprised how quickly it adds up.

11. Fresh, frozen or canned

Say it after me: put down the fresh raspberries. The frozen variety are just as healthy and can be used in smoothies or porridge for that hit of sweetness you crave. Plus, they’ll go further than the out of season punnet you’re contemplating (which, at times, can be up to $10 a pop!).

12. Challenge a mate to a race

If you’ve got a mate who has just as much trouble saving as you do, challenge them to a savings race. See who can save a couple hundred bucks the fastest - and hold them to it for a set amount of time. When one of you reaches the goal, spend a portion of your trove on celebrating. 

And while it’s not technically a tip, we think it’s worth mentioning that creating a budget is one of the best ways to keep your money accounted for! An easy way to create a budget is by dividing your expenses into wants and needs – then try entering your list into an Excel spreadsheet or simple online budget calculator. All you need to do is input your income, expenses and other key monthly costs and you’ll have created your very own budget to follow and refer back to!