Australian mums spill their biggest money saving secrets as inflation continues to rise – and why you should get kids involved in budgeting

Thrifty mums have spilled their best money-saving tips as the rising cost of living continues to strain Aussie households.

Many said they stopped ordering takeout and started making their own versions of their favorite fast food, while others recommended using cash to see how much money you have left to spend.

Someone even suggested packing up and moving to a rural town outside of the expensive cities and one mom said she should unsubscribe from all marketing emails to get rid of the temptation to shop online.

A mom asked for the best money-saving tips from everyone in the Mums Who Budget and Save Facebook group in a post and received over 200 responses.

One member offered a huge list of her best money-saving tricks, including shopping at discount supermarkets, using only credit cards that offer points and rewards, and sticking strictly to a list when at the grocery store.

“Subscribe to every birthday offer under the sun and use the birthday credits you get to buy Christmas gifts and birthday gifts all year round. You have to be diligent about not looking at other times of the year, though,” she said.

“Do a quick scan for unit price when shopping, half price isn’t always best.”

She recommended buying children’s school shoes midway through the year rather than at the beginning, when they might be on sale.

“Involve kids in saving… We had our 10-year gas and electric plans examined to see if he could find a cheaper deal. so he could see which device was using power,’ the economic woman added.

‘Buy meat from wholesalers such as Steggles and Tip Top. Find out when their sales are on and freeze meat. However, supermarkets usually give a discount on a weekday after 10 am or around 9-10 pm.’

“Make fake aways instead of ordering takeout. Loved in advance is good enough. Entertainment should be free, said one mother (stock image)

Many joked about leaving the kids and husband at home while shopping to avoid spending unnecessary items they pick out, and one woman said she found free outdoor activities to save on entertainment.

“At every store I visit, I look at the savings section on the receipt and put that money into savings on the spot. This actually saved me a little over $1300 a year,” explained one mom.

“Make fake aways instead of ordering takeout. Loved in advance is good enough. Entertainment should be free. Determine what your goals are and say no to things that don’t go in that direction,” said another.

Other tips included taking a water bottle with you everywhere so you don’t get thirsty and buying drinks, buying as much second hand as possible and planning meals on a weekly basis.

‘Moving to a rural town, there’s no takeaway and most nights it’s not even an option. When you go to the city, you have to organize well what you spend money on,’ said one mother.

Someone said using cash makes you think twice before spending money and another said you should turn off all powerpoints that are not in use to save energy

‘Impulse purchases wait 48 hours and you often find yourself changing your mind. I’ll do this with anything over $50,” a second replied.

“Whatever your grocery store budget, allocate it weekly cash, create a menu plan, and see what you have in your cupboards before you go grocery shopping.” Don’t use your card to pay only for the money you have withdrawn,” a third advised.

“Once it’s gone, it’s gone. It’s too easy to put groceries on a card and not worry about how much you spend. I’ve saved thousands of dollars doing this.”

Someone said using cash makes you think twice before spending money and another said you should turn off all powerpoints that are not in use to save energy.

“I take cash out and put it in a piggy bank and then I tend to forget about it. Out of sight, out of mind,’ someone added.

“Don’t pay someone to do something you can do yourself; hair, nails, painting toes, mowing the lawn, cleaning bins, washing the car, etc.’ replied another.