(^94) | marieclaire.com.au
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CAREER
If you’re struggling to save, chances
are there are a handful of regular
bills wolfing down your pay packet.
This is where you need to take a
good look at whether you can get a
better deal, or maybe give a particular
service the flick altogether. There are
so many simple steps you can take
to reduce your expenses – and, yes,
taking your lunch to work might
be one of them but it won’t be your
only option. Here are some of my
easiest cost-cutting tips...
DELETE AT LEAST ONE APP
FROM YOUR PHONE
Uber, Uber Eats, Deliveroo or Tipple,
they’re all very handy, but this sort of
convenience makes it easy to spend –
and overspend. I don’t know about you
but for some reason I justified my Uber
trips by saying they were cheaper than
a taxi. Trouble is, I was taking so many
Uber rides that I was on the verge of
having a personal driver. Whatever
your app of choice, grab a copy of your
purchase history (it’s all online) and
if you’re shocked about how much
you’re spending, then delete that
app from your smartphone.
SET-UP YOUR OWN “BUY NOW,
PAY LATER” ACCOUNT
Digital disruptors are changing the
way we pay, and while some like
Afterpay and Zip Pay don’t charge
any interest (only late fees), they do
make shopping far more tempting.
Technically, you could take home a
$200 pair of jeans with as little as
Money expert Effie Zahos
shares her hot saving hacks
How to
$50 upfront. Instead, set up your
own account. Put, say, $1000 in it
and only use this account to shop.
Pay yourself back in four equal
instalments rather than signing
up with an outside party. Chances
are, once you’ve saved up the cash
and you’re staring at it, you may
be more reluctant to part with it.
Either way, you are in control.
FOLLOW A 5:2 MONEY DIET
You’ve heard of the 5:2 intermittent
fasting diet: you eat normally on five
days of the week and restrict your
intake to 500-600 calories on each
of the other two days. Well, the 5:2
money diet is similar but it works
the other way around: you fast for
five days and only spend on two.
I like to use it loosely as I do with
most of my other diets. Try not to
make any discretionary spending
Monday to Friday – no coffees, no
bottled water, no takeaways and so
on – and on the weekend resume
spending as normal.
DON’T HIDE BEHIND CPW
The “cost-per-wear” formula is an
easy answer to, “Should I buy it?”
But let’s not kid ourselves here.
Yes, most fashionistas would agree
that Louboutins at just $2.64 per
day are a bargain, but what true
fashionista wears the same pair of
shoes for 365 days? Nobody.
There’s the trap. CPW is a false
economy. Open your wardrobe and
look at how many pairs of shoes
or skirts or tops you have. Do you
really need all this stuff? Stick
to high-quality pieces and work
the wardrobe you already own.
ASK FOR A DISCOUNT
If you’re spending a bit on
dry-cleaning or grooming, for
example, put a case together
and present it to your provider
as to why they should give you a
discount. Put your business out
for tender. Believe me, if you’re a
regular customer, they don’t want
to lose you. By showing them how
much business you give them, a
discount of five to 10 per cent is
a no-brainer for them to keep you.
A Real Girl’s Guide to Money by
Effie Zahos ($24.99) is out now.
HOT TIP:
DOWNLOAD THE
TRACKMYSPEND
APP TO MANAGE
YOUR EXPENSES
CUT
YOUR
COSTS
marty
(Marty)
#1