Over 100 ways for Families to save money

Making ends meet is getting tougher. Many people have not had their wages rise to meet the increasing cost of living, and we know families are looking for every way possible to save money. These money saving tips will help you save on the cost of groceries, fuel and general expenses.

GROCERY SAVINGS

Supermarkets are certainly convenient for getting everything at one location, but you can usually bag a better deal at local specialist stores.Local greengrocers often have fruit and vegetables cheaper than the supermarkets. They also frequently have bulk offers with whole trays of a particular variety at a bargain price. The bulk bargains might be close maximum ripeness, but they can be portioned and frozen.Your local butcher will also often be cheaper than the supermarket. You can get top quality cuts of meat and smallgoods at a much lower price per kilo.Butchers, bakers and greengrocers are often within walking distance of a supermarket. Check out the current prices on the supermarket’s website before beginning your shopping trip at the small specialist store. Anything that you can’t get cheaper at the specialist, you can then pick up from the supermarket with your other supplies.One of the greatest benefits of shopping at your local produce specialist is that you are helping a small family business survive the current crisis too. It’s a win-win, and they will appreciate your support far more than the big conglomerates will.

FORM A FAMILY CO-OP

We all know that it’s cheaper per item to buy in bulk amounts, but that doesn’t really help if you can’t afford the initial bulk outlay or don’t have the storage space for a carton of 60 toilet rolls.Form a family and friends co-op to split the costs and share the savings! That 60-pack of toilet rolls is a lot more manageable when you are only paying a tenth of the price and taking 6 rolls.A family and friends co-op opens up the opportunity for huge savings if someone has a Costco membership card, or an ABN that makes them eligible for bulk purchase discounts at wholesalers. Even without the wholesale discount advantage, having someone to share supermarket “buy two for the price of…” or “buy one get one free” offers with can help.If you’ve got a large family or a good group of friends and neighbours, get together and share the saving on a bulk meat purchase that will last months. Banding together to buy “half a beast” can see everyone fill their freezers with a variety of cuts at a massively discounted price.Buying half a cow or half a lamb isn’t as scary and labour intensive as it sounds. It comes to you ready butchered in joints, steaks, fillets and mince to your requirements. You pay a price per kilo for the full weight of the half-beast, which averages out over the varieties of cuts to be significantly cheaper than buying in portions. Price varies depending on the animal and the wholesaler, but can be as low as $8 per kilo. Ask at your local butcher or Google “half a beast bulk meat Brisbane” to find a deal that suits you.

FOODBANKS

There are a number of Foodbank locations in Brisbane offering free food parcels or heavily discounted groceries. You don’t necessarily have to have a concession card or be in receipt of government benefits to benefit (we can all find it tough to make ends meet at times), but eligibility criteria varies with each organisation. You might not get to choose the brands or variety of products, but you will be assured of several good quality meals to support your family. www.familiesmagazine.com.au/foodbank-brisbane

FUEL SAVINGS

Savings on fuel are a lot easier when you apply the power of phone apps!

Download the free 7-11 app and lock in the lowest price in your neighbourhood for 7 days! Wherever you are, the app will scan for the cheapest fuel at your nearest seven 7-11 servos, which you can then lock in to use at ANY 7-11 service station within seven days. This is great if you know prices are about to go up, but payday is several days away. If you have driven to a location where prices are generally cheaper than closer to home, open up your app and lock in the low price ready for when you need to refuel.

Petrol Spy and Fuel Map Australia are great apps for keeping an eye on local fuel prices. Both offer a map with service station locations pinned and prices per fuel type displayed. In some cases, the prices are crowd-sourced so accuracy is not guaranteed, but

it’s a great way to take note if prices are starting to go up, or come down, and where you are likely to make the biggest savings. Find the apps on Google Play or Apple App Store.Don’t forget to take advantage of supermarket fuel discounts when you spend $30 in Woolworths or Coles - you can save 4c per litre at co-branded Woolworths and Coles service stations. At Woolworths service stations you can save an additional 4c off per litre when spending $5 in store. This is a great way to effectively get free milk (I always pick up 4 litres of milk when buying fuel, and the combined 8c discount is often more than the cost of one carton!). Similarly, Coles Express offers additional money off per litre when you meet varied minimum spend criteria in store.

GET A BRISBANE SCHOLARSHIP

There are lots of different scholarships available at certain Brisbane secondary schools, and they’re not just for academics. If you would like to explore specialist secondary education for your child, take a look at our tips for scoring a scholarship. Places may be available to children who meet academic, sporting, cultural, indigenous, or financial hardship criteria. www.familiesmagazine.com.au/types-of-scholarships-brisbaneschools

FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES AND REBATES

Did you know that there are over 40 Family Support Services and rebates on offer from various government departments. These government benefits could help you save money on kids sports, electricity, dental care, school transport, and education.

Find them all at www. familiesmagazine.com.au/familysupport-services

This list is just a snapshot of over 100 money saving tips we have on our website. To discover how to save on public transport, clothes and toys, and activities and entertainment, scan the QR code or head to www.familiesmagazine. com.au/save-money-on-cost-of-livingbrisbane to read the full article on our website.