GET ORGANISED
Make sure you know when all your bills are due. Forgetting or spending the money on something else is not an option. Store all your bills in a folder and mark on your calendar when they must be paid.
CONSERVING YOUR RESOURCES
Almost everything you use will cost you money. Now that you’re trying to save you should be mindful of everything you do that will save you money. Try to cut back on the amount you will have to pay in utility bills and for transport. Saving a dollar is better than earning a dollar – you don’t pay tax on money you save.
Electricity
Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
Install CF light bulbs.
Turn off the TV when no one is watching it.
Don’t leave electrical appliances on standby. This uses a lot of electricity.
Turn off appliances at the power point, not just at the appliance on/off button.
Fill the kettle with just enough water for your tea or coffee. Boiling water you won’t use, is an expensive waste.
Cooking
Cook larger portions of food and freeze leftovers for use on other days. This will enable you to cook meals for more than one day and use only the electricity to warm the food again.
If you’re using your oven, cook more than one thing.
If you’re baking bread, do more than one loaf and freeze a couple of loaves for later.
Phone
Ask people to call you, resist the temptation to phone friends for a chat. While you’re saving, use the phone only when absolutely necessary.
Water
While you’re waiting for the shower water to warm up, fill a bucket with the cold water and use it on your garden or in the washing machine.
Turn the tap off when brushing teeth.
When washing your hands, wet your hands, turn the tap off, apply soap and lather, turn the tap on again to rinse.
When it rains, collect water in buckets for your garden.
Have short showers.
Only flush the toilet when necessary.
Transport
Plan your trips – work out what you have to do and plan your trip to use the least amount of petrol.If you have to take the children to school – share that with other parents in your neighbourhood. Even if you share with your next door neighbour so that you take them and she picks them up, it will halve your school trips.
Start a walking bus. Parents take it in turns to take a group of children to school by walking with them.
Check http://www.motormouth.com.au for the cheapest petrol in your area.
These days I don't have to worry about the cost of making phone calls (as long as they're not 1300 or mobile phone numbers). We've got an iinet Bob2 which makes phone calls over the internet so they're free. It's only been since Christmas but it's made such a huge difference. I call my friends and relatives more often now which is especially important as they live so far away.
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