Money Saving Hints.

[Senexx]

I don't know what I've said before but I know I've contributed.  If you're not saving 10% of what you earn you're not saving enough.

[Chris]

I don't know what I've said before but I know I've contributed.  If you're not saving 10% of what you earn you're not saving enough.

Or not earning enough??

[Crankenstein]

My dad taught me saving good and proper.

I've actually been saving quite considerably off of my student allowance payment... lol. I'm not even "earning" and I'm saving.

[mutation]

Saving?
Pull the other one !



Mutation

[piersdad]

mid winter i plant some seeds for  silver beet and continuous picking lettuce in a seed pack and keep inside
 and by the time the weather is getting better i replant outside
this give me greens till mid summer and then replant  and they last all winter before they bolt. 2 of us and just 4 meters of garden plot  and we seem to have emergency greens all the
 year.
cabbage and potatoes are a waste of time as by the time  you spend with fighting th bugs they mature just when the supermarkets are flooded with the same thing and cheaper than
using available garden if you dont have much room

[Chris]

Some of you may have seen this site being spruiked on tv on in the media.

http://www.10000sparks.com.au

Basically it's intention is to try to get a better deal organised for energy users in NSW (currently) by getting us to band together and use group power to negotiate lower costs.

The more people who join up, the better the chance of getting substantial rebates... and keeping them! So if you are in NSW and want to reduce your power bills you might want to sign up. There's no cost and no obligation... but there *might* be a benefit!

[MaggieMoo]

Hi all,
I have a great saving idea for parents. Teach your children, from birth that you have put a quarter of whatever cash they have received, into their litte savings accounts and spent the rest.  This way everytime they receive cash presents from family and/or friends, they continue the saving idea.
I did this with my kids and now as teenagers they have a small savings going.  Plus they do the very same thing even at this age.  My 13yr old boy wants to be a Microbioligist and is saving for a fancy microscope.  My 15yr old is going for her learners permit this year and is already talking about being able to buy her car outright, in 2yrs.
So teach your children young people.  It works. 
Mags.

[Chris]

Hi all,
I have a great saving idea for parents. Teach your children, from birth that you have put a quarter of whatever cash they have received, into their litte savings accounts and spent the rest.  This way everytime they receive cash presents from family and/or friends, they continue the saving idea.
I did this with my kids and now as teenagers they have a small savings going.  Plus they do the very same thing even at this age.  My 13yr old boy wants to be a Microbioligist and is saving for a fancy microscope.  My 15yr old is going for her learners permit this year and is already talking about being able to buy her car outright, in 2yrs.
So teach your children young people.  It works. 
Mags.

I really should have done that with my kids. My 15 year old *also* wants a car and we told her we'd pay dollar for dollar... so far she's saved nothing and is *still* expecting a car!

She *could* 'earn' by busking. She used to do it on weekends around Xmas but said she didn't want to any more so this year didn't bother... then said could we give her money to buy her friends presents. When we said no she sulked for weeks! Thing is when she *has* gone out with her flute she's come back with $100 a day... a 'day' being 4 hours... twice what her friends earn when they work for 8 hours. Yet she doesn't see why she should have to work for anything she needs. I think you're approach would have been better. Especially if they can have a target to work towards.

[MaggieMoo]

Hi Chris,
I understand this only too well.  Even though my kids have their savings.  We still fork out for everything they need, from trumpets, to singing lessons (My son does both) and French horn lessons ( My daughter does...  But we rent the French Horn, we can't afford to buy that one)
However I tell them if they want something personal they have to save for it.  I give them a small allowance, $2 a day to take to school for drinks or snacks.  But they don't always spend it.  I make their lunch, it's cheaper. 
I do admit they are humble and they work hard.  Backchatting is next to nothing and they are not party goers either.  So I guess I am lucky.  I put in a lot of hard work and am told by other parents that I can be too pushy with them.  And so I should be, I am the parent after all.
See it all boils down to how we were taught as children. 
We were raised in quite poor conditions.  I remember wearing my cousin's school uniform and school shoes to school...  What's wrong with that I hear you ask?  Nothing, except he was a boy.  I also remember shopping at secondhand books and clothes stores.  Every item of clothing I ever wore until I was 15 was secondhand...  Yes, even underclothing.  My shoes always had holes in them and I never - ever asked for anything as a child.  In all honesty I thought everyone lived that way. 
Because I know what it was like to live that way, I didn't want that for my children or even theirs.  I felt if I taught them how to save they would have a head start in life as adults.  It was a long shot.  But I do believe it's working.  (Well for now anyway.  )
Mags

[lance01]

I don't have a children's yet but soon i will tech my son/daughter on how to save money =) . thanks for the stories i have learn a lot.

[MaggieMoo]

Hey there Lance01...  Firstly welcome and secondly, I feel for the new generation coming up.  Well done for considering the saving tips you've learnt here. 
MM

[jay]

Swap meets are great for kids clothes and even adults, books, toys ect people get rid of some relatively new and lightly used good at a low pice and a quick wipe down or wash and they can be like new.

[MaggieMoo]

Absolutely Jay.  Plus my kids are quite happy to wear the elder cousins clothes as they can afford all the fancy gear that their poor ol' mummy can't afford.   

[Chris]

Absolutely Jay.  Plus my kids are quite happy to wear the elder cousins clothes as they can afford all the fancy gear that their poor ol' mummy can't afford. 

The wife has a good job so my two kids can go to a private school... just. I was chatting to the woman who runs the uniform shop and she told me the cost of the boys jackets. Even for boys in Kindy the cost is *$425*... which is absolutely ridiculous for something the kids will only be in for a few hours over the time they are small enough to wear it... and of course they'd need a new one every year as they grow!!

After hearing that I was *so* pleased we have girls. Their tunics and dresses are bad enough but that price for a jacket blew me away.

[MaggieMoo]

My kids are at a Catholic School... But only because I wasn't keen on the public schools in our area.  I dare say I cannot buy a too many uniforms for the kids.  I only have a few and wash them every night....  One hanging up, one in the wash and one the are wearing.  It can get monotonous washing every night, but I don't have a choice.  The uniforms are too expensive. 
Bonus is, I got a job today.  So may be able to afford a little more luxuries and put some cash away for saving.  (Most like for uni fees in a couple of years...  Ha ha)
I start Monday.  So really happy today.