A few small lifestyle changes can make a stack of difference to both how you feel and how much you money you can save.
Let’s face it. We’re all looking for ways to save a dollar or two. Frequently it’s the purchases we make on a daily basis that wind up hitting our hip pocket hard. Face is, those purchases are probably also harming your health and possibly even the planet.
Wouldn’t it feel good to make some small lifestyle changes that benefit both?
Not only will these simple changes improve your wellbeing, they’ll also save you some big bucks along the way.
1. Ditch your daily coffee
Okay, I’m not suggesting you should go caffeine-free. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. But ditching your daily take-away coffee could save you around a $1000 a year, double that if you have a two cup a day habit… that’s a luxury break somewhere warm right there.
Instead of buying coffees, why not consider getting a coffee machine for the office (or home, if home’s your office). A decent machine will set you back a few hundred dollars, but will quickly pay for itself and then some. A cup of coffee you make yourself will cost less than $1 a cup, versus $4 or more for a cup from your fave café.
You’ll also get the feel-good satisfaction of knowing you are no longer contributing to the 1 billion takeaway coffee cups that end up in landfill in Australia every year.
2. Grow your own veggies
With more people realising the health and environmental benefits of eating locally grown, organic produce, having your own vegetable plot makes a ton of sense.
Not only will you have the satisfaction that comes with tending and growing your own fruit and veg, you’ll save money to boot. A packet of seeds that leads to many kilos of veggies costs around $2.
In addition, the food you eat won’t be contributing to greenhouse gas emissions as it won’t be getting trucked across the country to reach your table. It will also be free of nasty chemicals, so your health will benefit, too.
And don’t be put off growing your own just because you live in a tiny apartment. There are now vertical garden options and moveable growing trays that can fulfil your needs.
3. Switch off
In a world where we are attached to our gadgets twenty-four seven, we seem to be stuck in a never-ending cycle of charge and recharge. Taking time away from our devices is good for us on so many levels – saving money, improving our sleep, and even helping us live longer.
If you can’t quite bring yourself to switch off your phone, you can still save money by making some small lifestyle changes. Unplugging or switching off idle chargers will save you energy costs.
Do you really need your toaster plugged in and powered on all day every day? What about the TV? Blu-ray? Toothbrush and hairdryer? Your new coffee machine?
Get into the habit of switching your appliances and devices off at the power point. With ever-escalating electricity prices you’ll be pleasantly surprised how much you can save.
4. Go meat free
There’s no denying Australia is a nation of meat lovers. Australians consume around three times the world average in meat. No surprise then that going without meat is not only great for your health, but can save you money, too. A can of beans costs significantly less than a tray of mince.
If you and your family are big consumers of meat, consider opting for a couple of meat-free days each week. Experiment with vegetarian recipes that satisfy and you’ll soon get into the swing of things. Your health, the planet and your wallet will all be grateful you stuck it out.
Trending
Sorry. No data so far.