No matter where you are in life, saving money is always a great idea! Whether you are saving for a special purchase, want to book a holiday or simply want to spend less, finding ways to save money are everywhere.

Let’s take a look at six easy ways to save:

1. Sell sell sell. How many things do you have in your home that you no longer use? Those items that have been shoved into the dark corners of a cupboard and forgotten about. Stop buying more items and start selling. Most items have a value, so get listing on Gumtree, eBay, Facebook Marketplace or have a garage sale. Selling unwanted or unused items can put cash in your pocket and could fund a number of savings goals or simply help you to pay off debt.

2. Have you heard of the 30-day rule? We all crave instant gratification and purchasing an item the second you see it is hard to avoid in a world of tap and pay. Waiting 30 days to decide on a purchase is an excellent way to save money! Quite often, after 30 days has passed, you will no longer have the urge to purchase what was once a ‘must have item’.

3. Write a list and stick to it! Only heading to the shops when you have a list can be an easy way to save money. Heading to the grocery store? Write a list and only buy the items on it. Without a list you will quite often double up on items you already have at home in the fridge or cupboard.

4. Be prepared. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that Australians are eating takeaway more than ever before, with the average Australian spending $80 a week dining out. Spend time planning your meals for the week. Rather than deciding what’s for dinner on the drive home from work, spend a couple of hours on the weekend planning your weeks meals, writing a list and going shopping. Not only will you save money, it saves you throwing out food unnecessarily and you won’t be tempted to head the nearest fast food outlet.

5. Cancel unused memberships. Have a membership with a gym that you’re not using? Cancel it! A large amount of gym membership holders either don’t go as much as they thought they would or don’t go at all. Many people rush to join the gym as part of a new year’s resolution and then after a few months never step foot back through the gym doors. Despite this, many continue to pay for their membership for a long time after that last workout. If you’re not using it, cancel it!
6. Create a budget. If you don’t know where your money is going, you will never be able to make changes and save money. Tracking your spending over a 3 month period will help you to identify changes you could make and also the average amount you spend on various items. You can then put aside money each week for various regular bills such as electricity, water, gas and insurances. Once your bills come in you will already have the money aside to pay them.

This article provides general information which is current as at the time of production. The information contained in this communication does not constitute advice and should not be relied upon as such as it does not take into account your personal circumstances or needs. Professional advice should be sought prior to any action being taken in reliance on any of the information.