Tips on saving money

demiser · 3 May 2012

One of the major savings for us was energy use, and what we use when.

We had solar installed, already had a gas kitchen, and use separate solar for garden / driveway lights etc. We also had a micro hydro system for a while, at least until DERM informed us that it wasn't quite legal . . .

Unfortunately as others have said previously, you need to spend money to make money, especially due to the long payback period for these sorts of projects.

VSntchr · 3 May 2012

skc said:
As to my penny saving tip - drive with accelerator control and minimise braking. Keep an eye on the fuel consumption gauge, and try to beat the rated figure. I managed to achieve 7.1L/100km over the weekend (my car that is rated 8.6L/100km)

Agree here! My favourite gear is neutral!!!

McLovin · 3 May 2012

skc said:
As to my penny saving tip - drive with accelerator control and minimise braking. Keep an eye on the fuel consumption gauge, and try to beat the rated figure. I managed to achieve 7.1L/100km over the weekend (my car that is rated 8.6L/100km)

Maybe I'm a leadfoot but I never get under what my car is rated at. I average about 12-13L/100km when I should be doing it in about 9.

I ride my bike most of the time, saves time and keeps me fit!

VSntchr · 3 May 2012

Smurf1976 said:
The other big, obvious energy waste is windows. There's a lot of effort put into limiting the amount of air movement in modern buildings although most are still excessive. Then someone comes along and opens the windows during the afternoon, necessitating use of heating in the evening. That's just silly but it's not uncommon.

Stale air is very unhealthy....

skc · 3 May 2012

VSntchr said:
Agree here! My favourite gear is neutral!!!

Here's another tip... don't tell your wife how to drive. She will get annoyed and go shopping

McLovin said:
Maybe I'm a leadfoot but I never get under what my car is rated at. I average about 12-13L/100km when I should be doing it in about 9.

I ride my bike most of the time, saves time and keeps me fit!

The key to me is look further ahead. So often I see people braking at the bottom of the valley instead of building up speed to roll up the hill because they simply didn't look/plan ahead. Or that they accelerate right up to the red light than hit the brakes upon realising the car in front is braking.

awg · 3 May 2012

skc said:
Here's another tip... don't tell your wife how to drive. She will get annoyed and go shopping

The key to me is look further ahead. So often I see people braking at the bottom of the valley instead of building up speed to roll up the hill because they simply didn't look/plan ahead. Or that they accelerate right up to the red light than hit the brakes upon realising the car in front is braking.

Brake riders will pay!...just spent $450 get my wifes front brakes new pads, discs machined...never have i had to have this done on any car I drive...I use the gearbox to slow my car on downhill...my brake pads last insane times.

Drafting a semi-trailer (or other vehicle) on long trips at highway speed will save you a lot of fuel, + you wont be smashed by an oncoming driver, or booked for speeding

McLovin · 3 May 2012

skc said:
The key to me is look further ahead. So often I see people braking at the bottom of the valley instead of building up speed to roll up the hill because they simply didn't look/plan ahead. Or that they accelerate right up to the red light than hit the brakes upon realising the car in front is braking.

I do look ahead (cycling with your feet clipped to the pedals tends to make you try and anticipate what's coming up ), and I use 98 RON. I guess it just must be inner-city driving. There's so many idiots on the roads, I'd love just one day at the RTA to conduct the license tests.

awg said:
Brake riders will pay!...just spent $450 get my wifes front brakes new pads, discs machined...never have i had to have this done on any car I drive...I use the gearbox to slow my car on downhill...my brake pads last insane times.

Last time I checked, a gearbox cost a lot more to replace than brake pads or discs. It's also illegal to use your gearbox without brakes these days. I still do it on certain roads.

awg · 3 May 2012

McLovin said:
Last time I checked, a gearbox cost a lot more to replace than brake pads or discs. It's also illegal to use your gearbox without brakes these days. I still do it on certain roads.

Dude, I never said I didnt USE brakes

I merely retard the speed of the vehicle by matching the RPM to safe speed.
(like a truck driver MUST)

Been thru this before, you will NOT wear out your gearbox doing this properly, as most natural wear occurs in high or low gear, not intermediates, and the stress on bearings and thrust washers is the opposite of usual.

Admitedly there is some additional clutch wear, either manual or auto

Eager · 3 May 2012

demiser said:
One of the major savings for us was energy use, and what we use when.

We had solar installed, already had a gas kitchen, and use separate solar for garden / driveway lights etc. We also had a micro hydro system for a while, at least until DERM informed us that it wasn't quite legal . . .

Unfortunately as others have said previously, you need to spend money to make money, especially due to the long payback period for these sorts of projects.

Once the money is spent, everything that a passive energy generating system, errrr, generates, is FREE! It make sense to look at ROI, but to me, installing a solar PV system in conjunction with the solar hot water system that was built with the house, is a no-brainer.

Even putting a spare sum of money in Ubank at 6.01% will not come anywhere near the return gained from spending (investing) money in a solar PV system.

To think that there are some people around that still don't have insulation in their ceilings!!!

Smurf1976 · 3 May 2012

VSntchr said:
Stale air is very unhealthy....

Indeed it is and you need to avoid that.

But the vast majority of Australian residential buildings have excessive ventilation (ie heat loss) rates even with all the doors and windows shut. All the small gaps, cracks etc are sufficient that, in total, a huge volume of air moves through them.

In a typical house, the total size of all these gaps is literally big enough for an average person to climb through. So you don't need the windows open and the heater running.

Smurf1976 · 3 May 2012

demiser said:
We also had a micro hydro system for a while

Now THAT is my kind of way to save (or make) money...

The control panel in my avatar is for a somewhat larger system however...

Eager · 5 May 2012

Smurf1976 said:
The control panel in my avatar is for a somewhat larger system however...

No DCS?

Tyler Durden · 3 June 2012

For those in Sydney:

Avocados today
Woolies - 2 for $3.50
Coles - 2 for $2.50
Paddy's market - 4 for $1

McLovin · 3 June 2012

awg said:
Dude, I never said I didnt USE brakes

I merely retard the speed of the vehicle by matching the RPM to safe speed.
(like a truck driver MUST)

Oh, I getcha. I thought you were meaning you use the gearbox solely to hold a speed on descents. I also use that somewhat lost art (outside of racing) of heel and toeing. Nothing nicer than perfectly matching your downchange to the engine speed.

ROE · 3 June 2012

Most people I meet pay their bill at the last minutes this is a counter saving measure.

what you should do is as soon as you get your bill pay it even it's 2-3 weeks away, that way you have less money to spend and so you don't spend and your bill is paid...

leaving to the last minute, you spend all your money then still have the bill to pay at the last minute
My water and electric city came Friday $900 all up got till 19 June to pay ..paid ..have $900 less to spend so dont spend much this month

VeryGreen · 3 June 2012

My girlfriend and I have put on a bit of weight over the last few years (living the good life).

We decided to try that company that makes 'light' meals which are 'easy' to prepare... I am sure you know the one. You place your order online and they deliver your food for you. It was not done as a money saver but you know, Its saving me a bit of money and more importantly time... which equals money anyway.

I didn't realize how much food I was WASTING!

I use to freeze meals. Any left overs would go into containers and into the fridge or the freezer. I've realized now that I was only fooling myself. All you're doing is prolonging the inevitable. Throw it out now, or freeze it and throw it out in 6 months.

Being a week on/ week off worker, in my week off I would spend my days thinking about what to prep for dinner.. Quite often I would watch master chef or surf the net finding recipie ideas. I would then make a trip to the local shops and spend about $50 on ingredients and incidentals before using my electricity and half of my day preparing something to eat.

So how much does it cost me to have a balanced 1800Cal diet? $23.58 a day Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner.

And omg I have so much more time to myself now!

bellenuit · 3 June 2012

ROE said:
Most people I meet pay their bill at the last minutes this is a counter saving measure.

what you should do is as soon as you get your bill pay it even it's 2-3 weeks away, that way you have less money to spend and so you don't spend and your bill is paid...

leaving to the last minute, you spend all your money then still have the bill to pay at the last minute
My water and electric city came Friday $900 all up got till 19 June to pay ..paid ..have $900 less to spend so dont spend much this month

A better thing to do would be to have a high interest account from which you can pay bills using BPAY. Then when you get a bill, deposit the amount in this account and create a BPAY transaction to pay the bill from that account on the due date. That way you have the money set aside so you don't spend it on other things, but are earning interest up until the bill is due and the payment made.

Judd · 3 June 2012

Tips on saving money. Simple. Just don't spend it - unless you have to. Or want to. Or you just bloody well feel like it.

sptrawler · 3 June 2012

Write two lists,
Must have: essential
Would like to have:If I had money to waste

The Barbarian Investor · 23 September 2012

Where do you purchase your clothes from Bill?

Tips on saving money

demiser

Trading_Trainee

VSntchr

McLovin

VSntchr

skc

Goldmember

awg

McLovin

awg

Eager

Smurf1976

Smurf1976

Eager

Tyler Durden

McLovin

ROE

VeryGreen

bellenuit

Judd

sptrawler

The Barbarian Investor

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