Money

50 ways to save a fortune

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Take your own water or soft drink to work, bought in bulk at the supermarket instead of the vending machine. Better yet, refill.

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Stock up. The mid-week dash to the service station for milk and bread will almost always cost you extra.

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Most banks charge fees for transactions at other ATMs. Just one transaction a week can cost you $104 a year! Use your bank’s teller machines, or deal directly with the bank.

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Car pool for school pick-ups. You’ll save money over the month by slashing little trips around the neighbourhood.

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Buy olives, chicken and bacon from the deli counter rather than pre-packaged. Be wary of buying individually packaged portions of anything. They cost more.

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Turn off the lights in any rooms you are not using and choose low-wattage light bulbs to save energy and money.

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Have two entrees when you go out to dinner, rather than a main and entree.

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Use sites such as www.bigpondmovies.com or www.quickflix.com.au to have DVDs delivered to your door. Most charge about $10 a month for four movies.

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Buy a VoIP handset or use Skype for calls via the internet. VoIP is about 75 per cent cheaper than a normal phone, and Skype is free.

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At OzRecycle, www.ozrecycle.com.au, you can pick up stuff for free!

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Pack your own snacks when you fly. Airport food is ridiculously expensive.

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Clean the air filter in your dryer. It works more efficiently and saves energy. If you have dimmers, turn your lgihts down.

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Make your own pet food. Mix rice, some cheap meat and leftover vegetables and cook them into tasty meals. Freeze and save.

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Buy food for work lunches at the beginning of the week and take your lunch to work with you every day, snacks included.

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Buy your Christmas gifts now and at the mid-year sales. Remember, there are no bargains in the two weeks leading up to Christmas.

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Check out student deals. These can range from cheap prices on movie and show tickets to lower prices on software such as Windows.

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Download free out-of-copyright classic books at www.gutenberg.org

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Pay in cash. Many retail stores are willing to slash the price by 10 per cent. Just ask.

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Outsource less. Wash your car and your pets youself, mow your own lawn, iron your own shirts and do your own cleaning. Good workout and big savings!

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Get your theatre tickets in the hour before a show begins and you’ll get a massive discount. Have alternative plans in case you miss out.

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Grow your own vegies and herbs.

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Buy your wine online and in bulk. This works out to be cheaper than buying single bottles at the local bottle shop.

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Almost everything is cheaper on a Tuesday. Take flights, buy petrol, go to the theatre, eat out, have a hair cut… it’s even cheaper to buy a car on a Tuesday.

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Don’t drive your car almost empty, as you’ll lose fuel through evaporation. And don’t forget to use those supermarket discounts.

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Get printer cartridges refilled rather than shelling out for brand new ones every time.

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Earn rewards points through companies such as www.rewardscentral.com.au by buying online, and for filling in surveys.

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Join a gym in winter, when gyms have a slump in membership. Two-for-one deals or reduced membership costs can save you hundreds. Or buy an exercise DVD and do it youself at home. Check out eBay for cheap gym memberships, too.

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Pay your mortgage fortnightly, and pay a little extra. Even if it’s only $10 extra a week, you can save tens of thousands over the life of a loan.

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Turn your heater down to 18 or 19 and put on a jumper. Invest in some door snakes, and curtains for windows and doors.

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Use a payment portal such as www.postbillpay.com.au to pay your bills. It cuts down on stress and late fees.

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Pay off your credit card in full each month. The interest you save could buy you a new pair of jeans.

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Use travel sites to research holidays, but always check with the airline to see if you can get a better deal – minus the extra booking fee.

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Skip dessert and coffee when eating at restaurants.

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Shop for hot weather items when on holiday somewhere cool. There will always be discounts.

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Get clothes repaired and shoes resoled instead of throwing them away and buying new ones.

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Decrease your car insurance as your car gets older and loses its market value.

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Get an insurance broker. For a small fee, they can get you the best price on a range of insurances.

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Use the internet. From free party invitations to discounts on hotels, you can get a deal on almost anything if you look hard enough.

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Don’t shell out for extended warranties. You rarely need to use them, so they’re not worth the extra money.

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Have a games party and exchange your old games for theirs. Or have a clothes swap night.

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Do you really need all that bandwidth? If you just use it to surf the Net and check emails you can probably do with a cheaper plan.

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Cinemas have “cheap Tuesdays”. Take in your own food and drink.

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Use email instead of SMS on your mobile phone.

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Meet your friends earlier on a night out and take advantage of Happy Hour.

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Borrow from the library instead of buying new books.

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Make sure you claim all your deductibles at tax time.

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Don’t shampoo twice, it’s a waste of money. Use half as much laundry powder, too.

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Get a better phone plan. Even if you save $10 a month, that’s $120 at the end of the year. Why not have it in your pocket instead of theirs?

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Stop drinking boutique beer. You will halve the cost of a night out.

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Buy pharmacy products at a discount chemist, and generic brands of prescription drugs.

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Watch hundreds of hours of free TV on your computer – FIXPlay has a catalogue featuring full-length top TV shows for your viewing pleasure.

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