Budgeting Hacks & Apps

If you’re like most Australians, there hasn’t been a whole lot of cash accumulating in your savings account recently.

At the peak of COVID, the average household was saving a whopping 24 per cent of earnings. That figure has fallen off a cliff, plummeting to a dire 1 per cent at the end of 2023, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The moral of the story? It’s easy to save money when you can’t go anywhere or do anything. Here’s some ideas to cut costs without living the life of a hermit.

Entertainment, health and eating out

Crack the codes: When you hit the checkout of any online site, quickly Google the business name and “discount code” or “coupon”. You’ll be surprised how often you turn up a small saving – from $20 off escape rooms to discounted entry to tourist attractions. Popular sites to find discounts, cashback and code offers include Groupon, cashrewards, Cudo and OzBargain.

Get fit for free: Ditch the gym membership and design your own fitness plan from a surprising array of free classes run by not-for-profits and councils. A few ideas to get you started:

• Live Life Get Active partners with local councils and businesses from Perth to Penrith to offer free weekly cross training, yoga and boxing sessions in local parks. Check out their website for times and locations.

• If you prefer to make a splash, many councils offer free or low-cost aquaaerobics and deep-water running classes at local pools. (Some councils also fund land-based fitness and wellbeing classes such as tai chi and Zumba.)

• Parkrun is another great free activity to keep you moving and motivated. It’s a volunteer-led 5km run held at 7am every Saturday at nearly 500 locations around Australia. There are also 2km runs for kids at 8am Sundays.

Dine out on their dime: Most chain cafes have loyalty apps that offer great freebies and discounts for sign-ups if you don’t mind handing over your details.

Go on a council-funded adventure: Your rates pay for more than rubbish and footpaths, so make the most of it. Free activities (including equipment) provided by councils around Australia during the summer break include stand-up paddleboarding, kayak tours, fishing lessons, skateboarding and scooter classes, indoor and outdoor rock climbing and art classes. It’s particularly helpful to keep kids entertained on school holidays.

Petrol

For many Australians still relying on petrol power, fuel-tracking apps are the easiest way to save hundreds and even lock in low prices for up to a week.

On any given day, prices can vary by more than 50c a litre across cities. If you fill up an average 50-litre tank once a week, snaring a lower price can save you upwards of $1000 a year.

And you don’t need to schlep across town burning more fuel to bag a bargain.

On New Year’s Day in Sydney’s Wetherill Park, one station had a bowser price of $217.9, while just 3km down the road it was $162.9, according to PetrolSpy.

The most popular fuel apps include PetrolSpy, Fuel Map Australia and My 7-Eleven (which allows you to lock in a fuel price at a nominated station for up to seven days).

Groceries

Bundle phone and groceries: The major supermarkets offer discount mobile phone plans which come with a monthly grocery discount of 10 per cent on a single shop. With many plans around the $20 mark, it essentially works out to a free phone if you use the discount on a shop of $200 or more each month. Admittedly, many of these cheaper plans come with limited data, but if you don’t use much outside the home or it’s for teens (who you may want to restrict), it’s perfect.

Become a multi-shopper: Supermarket competition is red hot with regular widespread discounting. Make the most of specials by shopping at precincts where the major players are co-located. Choice reports shoppers who multi-store shop say they save 20-40 per cent on their weekly bill.

Get the right apps: Staying across what’s on special where can be a headache, but there’s a raft of apps to simplify saving.

• Half-Price Grocery Deals: This very popular app lists – as the name suggests – all items that are half price at Coles and Woolworths, including when the offers expire. It has more than 13,000 reviews and a 4.7-star rating.

• Frugl: Instantly find the cheapest place to buy any produce with this price comparison site that scans Woolworths, Coles, IGA, Aldi and Drakes. You can search products by name, or by scanning the barcode of anything in your pantry. Added features allow users to filter for dietary requirements and share shopping lists.