How to start saving over $13,000 per year

There’s no point to living frugally if you’re not going to see some benefit instantly especially when it comes to money. Living a frugal life means so much more than that but it’s one of the biggest reasons I have for this kind of lifestyle. I tell myself I can buy it new and spend as little or as much as I want. But what I prefer to do is buy it secondhand, get it for free, make it myself with things I already have and save money for the more important things in life like experiences. I want to share how to start saving over $13,000 per year.

Magazines

Before kids I used to buy the latest fashion magazines, food, lifestyle, decorating and other magazines without even thinking about it. For the last few years I don’t buy them anymore. I borrow them from the library or buy them secondhand from the thrift store for about 50 cents each. If I was to buy a food magazine and a lifestyle magazine every week, I’d be spending close to $15. Years ago Mum used to buy a woman’s magazine but back in those days they were actually full of recipes, tips, patterns and other useful information. Now they’re only full of celebrity news. Over the course of a year, you could potentially save $780. That’s a week’s accommodation at the beach for us. Money much better spent in my opinion.

Total saved: $15 per week | $780 per year

 

Takeaway coffee

I’m a big coffee drinker and I love nothing more than going out with the girls for morning tea. I still do that on the odd occasion but as far as buying a takeaway coffee when I’m doing the shopping or when I’m out and about, I just don’t do that anymore. When I used to work, before kids, I bought at least 2 takeaway coffees per day. At an average of $5 per coffee (especially in the city) that’s money that could be better spent on making coffee at home or work, whether that’s instant or brewing your own from beans. Coffee makers are really cheap to buy from thrift stores. If you were to buy 2 coffees a day every day of the week, you could spend that money on an overseas trip or put towards a major renovation in the home.

Total saved: $70 per week | $3,640 per year

Trip to the Cinema

One thing that makes my blood boil is the price that the cinemas charge for snacks. I just can’t believe people are so willing to pay those prices, like it’s okay. There should be some major enquiry into it. I can’t justify it no matter how hard I think about it. Unless it’s school holidays or date night, we don’t go to the cinema. We watch a movie on TV or DVD at home and make our own snacks or allow for a few special treats in my fortnightly shopping budget. Your average spend of $50 for a family of four (2A @ $9.50 ea + 2C @ $5.50 ea = $30 + snacks @ $20 = $50) and you go once a month, you could save quite a bit of money. Even when we do go to the cinema, we always take snacks from home.

Total saved: $50 per month | $600 per year

Takeaway Meals

One of the quickest ways to save money each week is to not buy takeaway meals. If you want to allow for it in your budget, then sure. What I do is have a few stand by ingredients or ready made meals partly prepared (like pizza dough or frozen chicken tenderloins) so I can put together a meal really quickly when we’re late home or I’m sick or the kids are sick. I refuse to set foot in McDonalds anymore. I can’t justify the price, at all, for the quality of the food that is sold. To me, it’s atrocious. I really feel for those ‘kids’ making that rubbish and hope they learn to cook once they’ve grown up. (Sorry, ranty pants on!)

I always have hamburger buns in the freezer and even if I don’t have hamburger patties made or frozen, we can make bacon and egg burgers, chicken or fish burgers. You can get family meal deals sometimes for $20 from say McDonalds but my daughter won’t eat it so it would cost us at least $40. I cringe when I think of what I could buy at the supermarket for $40. If you buy takeaway at least once a week, this is another way you could quite easily save that money.

Total saved: $40 per week | $2,080

Amusement Parks etc

I have never bought amusement park tickets for my family. Except for maybe Seaworld, I hate them. I hate the rides and could think of better ways to spend my time than standing in a queue for 2 hours waiting to go on a ride that scares the living daylights out of me. I know that probably sounds a bit old fashioned but that’s just me. My kids are lucky in a way that they haven’t missed out on going to these places because their Dad buys these annual passes but at $99 each (x 4 for our family), I could think of plenty of other ‘free’ ways to enjoy time with my family like picnics, days at the beach, a trip to the park, catching a train to the city. All of these amusement parks, fun centres (like trampolining places etc) are all so expensive and don’t even talk about if they sell food there.

I have had coupons in the past that I’ve taken the kids to some of these so called ‘fun centres’ so it hasn’t cost that much but they are special treats for during the school holidays. I might sound like a mean Mum but my kids don’t seem to mind. It makes them appreciate it more I think when they do go on the odd occasion than expecting to go somewhere every weekend. I did buy the children a ticket ($20 each) to the Ekka (our annual show/fair) which I gave to them for a Christmas present. That was the first time they’ve been and the last. They’ve realised just how much of a waste of money it is now and it’s nothing like how it was when I was a child.

Total saved:  $396 per year

Buying clothes & shoes

Buying clothes is one of those things that I think we all can buy too much of. I admit, I’m a little guilty of this even though all the clothes I buy are secondhand from the thrift store. If I’m going there to buy something in particular, I haven’t been able to walk past the clothes racks just to see what’s available. I have picked up some wonderful bargains but in all honesty, I haven’t needed them. The total spend might only be $10 but if you’re doing that with full priced clothes at either a discount store or a major chain fashion boutique, your weekly spend might be more like $100. That could be for clothes for any member of the family. It’s easy to do.

If you’re not budgeting for this, you think it’s a bargain and if you don’t need it, you could quite possibly be saving $100 on unnecessary clothing purchases. Allow for some money in your budget to update underwear as required. If children are having growth spurts but consider buying secondhand or asking friends with children older than yours for hand-me-downs.

Total saved: $5,200 per year

Buying Books

I am guilty of this when it comes to recipe books. Over the years I’ve purchased quite a few and don’t even hardly refer to them. I think of them more as ‘coffee table’ books or nice books to look at. My every day, frugal cookbooks are what I refer to mostly or my online recipes I’ve saved in Pinterest. I don’t buy them anymore. I might borrow them from the library and if its one that I simply couldn’t live without, I’ll drop a few hints to the husband to purchase it for me for Christmas. My cookbook shelves are bursting at the seams so I don’t think I really need anymore.

The same could apply to novels and other books. Unless it’s going to be read, over and over again, I think borrowing it from the library or buying secondhand from thrift stores or book fairs is the better way to go. If you bought a new book every week at say $20, that’s yet another way you could save.

Total saved: $1,040 per year

Total saved on these things alone: $13,736 per year

There are plenty more ways to cut back and save. It could be walking more and using the car less. It could be downsizing your home or car and saving the money you make. Make more from scratch like food or cleaning supplies. They are all small steps you can take to having that little bit leftover. Everyone has different things they’re saving for. It could be for a deposit on a home, a new car, an overseas trip, investing, donating, a good night out, a family vacation, whatever. I’d rather make a small sacrifice with these few things than miss out on doing the things I’d prefer to be doing in the long run.

 

Disclaimer: The prices in this post are in Australian dollars and should be used as a guide only. Family sizes differ also this post could be applied to single people. This post is my opinion on possible ways to save money over the course of 12 months should you be wishing to save for something in particular.

Geek Girl "Model Misfit" DIY Costume

One thing I love is that, from a young age, my daughter has loved to read but I can’t keep up with all the different books she likes so when she asked me if I could create a Geek Girl “Model Misfit” costume for Book Week, I replied “what?”. 

It’s that time of the year again, Book Week, when Mums all over Australia are faced with the most unusual requests for a costume to wear on the school parade for Book Week and usually at the last minute. I’m into my seventh year of Book Week costumes and feel a bit of an old hand at it but never have made it a big deal in as far as effort goes. I usually try to use what I have or buy pieces from the op shop.

Geek Girl is a series of books written by British writer Holly Smale.  The humorous fiction follows the life of Harriet Manners, a nerdy 15-year-old girl who tries out modelling to “reinvent herself”.

“Model Misfit” tells the story of Harriet knowing that modelling won’t transform you. She knows that being as uniquely odd as a polar bear isn’t necessarily a bad thing (even in a rainforest). And that the average person eats a ton of food a year, though her pregnant stepmother is doing her best to beat this.

What Harriet doesn’t know is where she’s going to fit in once the new baby arrives.

With summer plans ruined, modelling in Japan seems the perfect chance to get as far away from home as possible. But nothing can prepare Harriet for the craziness of Tokyo, her competitive model flatmates and her errant grandmother’s ‘chaperoning’. Or seeing gorgeous Nick everywhere she goes.

Because, this time, Harriet knows what a broken heart feels like.

Can geek girl find her place on the other side of the world or is Harriet lost for good?

Some years ago now, my daughter did try a little bit of modelling in a local shopping centre competition. She was so nervous but did very well I thought for her first time. I didn’t pursue it and she was okay with that.

When I read what these books were about, I thought they summed up my daughter pretty much. Although she’s not 15 nor is she a model but she might be considered a ‘geek’ to some. She is very quirky and likes unusual things, not the norm for most tweenagers but I love that about her. I set about finding what we could do for a costume.

There are many ideas for ‘costumes’ from this book but the one my daughter went with was on the first page. It reads:

It’s a Monday morning and I’m wearing a gold tutu, a gold jacket, gold ballet pumps and gold earrings. My face is painted gold and a long piece of gold wire has been wrapped around my head. This is not how I normally dress on Mondays.

 

I wondered where I’d get a gold tutu for a nearly 12 year old from without spending a fortune but as luck would have it, my favourite op shop just happened to have this skirt for $4 and although a size smaller than what my daughter wears, I grabbed it. She was extremely happy. The gold-ish jacket was $4, also from the op shop. The gold ballet pumps were a recent purchase anyway and although a little big, they worked out okay. The ‘geek’ glasses she got from a recent show bag purchase and the geek-ish ‘skull’ t-shirt was also an op shop purchase for 50 cents. The knee length leggings were also in her collection. The “long piece of gold wire” wrapped around her head is a gold ribbon. Costume complete for the cool price of $8.50.

 

 

My daughter had a terrible cold when this photo was taken so wasn’t all that enthusiastic but come time for the parade, I’m sure she’ll be feeling very much like the “geek girl” she is. She has a wonderful love of reading and I’m so glad she’s found another series that she can sink her teeth into. We’re actually reading together “The Little House on the Prairie” series I read at her age and she’s loving them. 

 

 

Her 9 year old brother? Well, that’s another story (pun intended) although he’s starting to show an interest in reading, finally. He’s a very clever little boy but lazy and I hope that the recent find of the “Rowan of Rin” series instills in him a love of reading. I just hope he doesn’t come home with any crazy requests for costumes from it.

Previous Book Week Costumes

Darth Vader (in a Ninja suit, printed & laminated chest plate, Dracula cape and gumboots)

 

Enderman – Minecraft (same black Ninja suit above plus a box spray painted black with white tape)

 

Dorothy – Wizard of Oz (gingham pinafore sewed the day before and shoes, basket & “Toto” from collection)

 

“Winter Fairy welcoming Spring” – Shirley Barber Fairy books

(op shop dress, sewn on white fur trim and everything else in collection)

 

 I can’t find photos of all the previous year’s costumes and I can’t even remember what they were but really, you don’t have to go to a lot of effort and it’s just one of those things that, I’m afraid, has become part of the norm for primary aged school children here in Australia. I’m happy to oblige if it means they get to celebrate reading.

 

 

Bookworld Pop-Ups

You may have heard of a new craze in dining out called “pop-up restaurants”?  Well, one of Australia’s favourite online book stores, Bookworld, are popping up all over town with Pop-Up book shelves stocked full of thousands of books. Check it out.

Bookworld are now giving you the opportunity to have a pop-up bookshelf in your nominated area.  Is there a school, community, sporting group, town or suburb that you know that deserves some free “book cheer” and a reminder of the joy of reading? Who doesn’t love thumbing the pages of a book? As much as I love to use the internet, I don’t think you can beat holding a book, smelling the pages and losing yourself in the story.

Those books on my book shelf that I read often are English literature classics like “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bronte or “Jane Eyre” by Emily’s sister Charlotte. They have become firm favourites of mine ever since I first read them at high school. I’m quite the romantic at heart and love http://www.gaywomenforum.com/user__profile~logins_key__33423.html nothing better than losing myself in a love story. I’ve always found that reading allows me to escape for a while from the ‘rat race’ and dream a little.

I also love reading self help books too, including my latest favourite “The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself” by Michael A. Singer. It really helped on my recent journey of self discovery. 

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The winning entry will take home a $1,000 Bookworld voucher, as well as a visit from the Bookworld Pop-Ups and a chance for your whole community to browse the shelves and take home free books. Plus there are daily prizes of $50 Bookworld vouchers to be won for the best entry.

Simply enter using the online nomination form found here by 11:59pm (AEST) 25 February 2014 and good luck! Hopefully a few good reads will be popping up at a bus stop near you!

Disclaimer:  The team at Bookworld provided Domesblissity content for this post.

Top 5 back to school savings

 

January is always back to school for Australian children and there’s a huge expense involved. About 98% of Australian school children wear a uniform to school. If you send your children to a private school, the expenses are even higher. Most kids will probably be up for a pair of new shoes at least once a year, if not more.

I’m certainly still a novice at the whole school thing, with my daughter starting her third year and my son his first but I’ve implemented a couple of money saving ideas that I thought I’d share. Although we’ve only got a couple more weeks before they go back, you can keep some of these things in mind for next year.

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1.  Wait until after the “Back to School” sales to buy your supplies

I started getting catalogues the week before Christmas for all of the “back to school” sales. There’ll be a huge influx of people going mad, rushing to the stores to make sure they don’t miss out on the essentials. Just after school has started, you’ll find things like lunch boxes, drink bottles, school shoes, stationery, school bags and clothing reduced even further. See if you can make do until then or ask yourself if you really need it after all.

2.  Buy second hand uniforms 

I was so keen to buy new uniforms for my daughter when she started school. She had sparkling, shiny shoes, crisply ironed uniforms. After the first art lesson, they were covered in splotches of paint (that is supposedly water based) even though they wear an art smock and the stains just don’t come out. Even though I hung my daughter’s uniforms in the shade, the fabric goes ‘pilly’ and my daughter chews ties and the collar on her school dress. After a good soaking in a pre-wash solution and a good iron, the second hand clothes will come up just as nice. Consider approaching school Mums who have older children and who might be passing down their uniforms. Hit the uniform shop up half way through the year to see if second hand supplies have been replenished. Families come and go throughout different times of the year.

 

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3.  Use birthdays and Christmas to give school supplies

Prior to the year your child starts school, think about purchasing drink bottles, lunch boxes, pencil case or school bags and gifting them to your child.

 

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4.  Repurpose whenever possible

Before I purchase anything, I look around the house to see if I’ve got something that can be used instead.  I’ll go to the thrift store to purchase it before I buy it new from a department store. I’m repurposing an old backpack for my son for school and covering existing logos with a cloth patch of his favourite, Lightning McQueen. He did get a ‘car’ shaped lunchbox for Christmas from Santa but I found an ordinary plastic container to work as a lunch box. Our climate is very humid and during the warmer months, the insulated lunch bags go mouldy. this makes it very hard to keep clean and dry.

5.  Reuse stationery from the previous year

My daughter didn’t have a ‘book list’ for her first year in school but the second year she did. She came home last year with plenty of stationery that will be perfectly good for her this year. Trying to work out whether to go through the school to purchase your book list or buy it yourself can be a tricky dilemma. In one way, you’re helping the school with fundraising. On the other hand, you could be doing yourself out of a few dollars and spending unnecessarily.

I’m going to hold off purchasing her book list for next year until after she has finished school. Don’t feel pressured into doing anything you don’t want to do. I know schools have deadlines but as a family, we have expenses. If I can re-use a few of her exercise books instead of having them here, lying around cluttering up the house, I’ll use them.

These ideas are common sense and you probably already know them. Back to school can be quite daunting for us parents and it’s going to be a new experience for new school students as well as their parents. We need to make this transition as smooth as possible and stress free in every way, especially the back pocket.