Simple Savings Newsletter - June 2017

Hello,

How are you going? Well, I hope. :-) Can you believe that Simple Savings is going to be 15 years old in October? Incredible! Where has the time gone? It has been a pleasure watching the site grow into the wonderful, warm and supportive community we all enjoy today.

We wanted to do something really special to mark this milestone and have been very busy behind the scenes in Simple Savings land. Over the past decade and a half technology has changed and so have the needs of our members. We want to explore and take on new challenges and today we are excited to announce our first step in that direction.

Long-time members may remember years ago that the Simple Savings team used to broadcast money saving podcasts via US-based World Talk Radio. It was a lot of fun, we had some really interesting guests and covered a wide range of money saving topics - but back then, very few people listened to podcasts. The number of people we could help that way was limited. Fast forward a few years and podcasts are now really easy to listen to. And so, we are excited to be able to bring you our very own series of Simple Savings podcasts which you can access any time and listen to at your convenience. I hope you will enjoy listening to them as much as we enjoy putting them together for you. See below for more information!

All the best,
Fiona


No Cash. Need Help? Simple Savings Podcasts Are Here!

At Simple Savings, we don't mince words. We know that having no money really sucks. So we have developed our very own series of podcasts to help people change this. Our aim is to teach anyone who is struggling to manage their money how they can transform their situation from being permanently broke to being able to create and grow a great big pile of readily available cash. It isn't hard and the best thing is you can listen to the podcasts whenever you like, just by going to our brand new Podcast area on the Simple Savings site.

Our first introductory podcast is ready to go and we would love to know what you think of it! In this segment, Fiona and Jackie begin delving in to some of the many reasons why some people just never seem to be able to get a grip on their finances. It's been a long while since we have done any broadcasting together so please bear with us as we work on polishing our performance!

Can you please listen to our first podcast and tell us what you think of it? To make it easier for you, we have made a podcast feedback page for you to fill in. Thank you - we really appreciate your input in helping us to steer Simple Savings towards another terrific 15 years!


Bonus Podcast Printable - Vault Members Only

Our podcast is free for everyone to listen to but we wanted to add a little something extra special for our loyal paid members. So we have created a printable worksheet to be used in conjunction with our first podcast, to help you identify any of the sinkholes we talk about in the segment and to encourage you to stay on track when it comes to protecting yourself from future hiccups. If you are a paid member, you can access your copy from the Downloads area, here. Enjoy!


Not a paid member? Become one today!

The Simple Savings website has two areas - one for free members and another for members who pay an annual subscription. Being a paid member entitles you to heaps of additional whistles and bells, including printable downloads and resources and thousands more money saving tips, all neatly categorised for ease of browsing, as well as 24/7 access to our Savings Forum, affectionately known as the Savings Super Highway! Membership costs just $27 to join, and $21 for each year thereafter. We also offer a 365 day 'no questions asked' money back guarantee, so you have absolutely nothing to lose by joining and seeing what we're all about! Becoming a paid member is easy, simply click on this link.


Best of the Forum

Where do you go for the most up to date money saving news and thought-provoking discussions? The Simple Savings Forum! Here you will find a warm, friendly and fun community of like-minded people all saving money together the easy way and supporting one another. Here are some favourite topics being talked about right now:

War on Waste

Have you seen Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's War on Waste? Forum member ss lady has, and she was appalled by what she saw. In this thread she, along with other horrified members all go the extra mile to reduce waste, sharing their tips, ideas and findings along the way.
read more...

Living a minimalist lifestyle - the dilemma

Sadie is working her way towards a more minimalist lifestyle - so she's none too chuffed to find herself on the receiving end of a whole shed full of stuff! Her dilemma is, what is the best way to get rid of it without resigning it to landfill? And will she still be a minimalist if she does, or is that cheating? An interesting and enjoyable discussion unfolds here!
read more...

Does inside your house look like the ones on TV?

Deliberate Creator hates the unrealistic expectation the media places on people to have perfect show homes, making the average person feel that they don't measure up and increasing the need to spend money to look like the houses on TV. She wants to know; how many people feel compelled to 'keep up' and splurge accordingly on 'improvements'?
read more...


Simple Savers Facebook Group - 80,000 Members and Growing!

Love Facebook or hate it, the Simple Savers Facebook group is a great way to learn even more tips and enjoy reading other members' successes. It's absolutely free to join and is a terrific source of friendship and knowledge, with over 80,000 members and growing by the day!

Joining our busy Facebook community is super easy. Either search up 'Simple Savers' on Facebook or click this link and request to join. Once you're in, let the fun begin!


Savings Tip: Start a Non-Perishable Emergency Pantry

This simple tip saves me a fortune when times are lean and I have extra people to feed! With extra family members coming to stay and only my pension to live on, I was worried how on earth I was going to feed five people. So, I created an emergency storage cupboard to help ease the financial burden. Every fortnight I put several items in the storage cupboard; tinned tomatoes, pasta, long-life milk, a spare packet of biscuits, lentils - anything that won't 'go off'. I don't notice these few little additions in my usual grocery bill but it's surprising how it all adds up in my cupboard. Lo and behold I soon find that I have enough to make it through the lean days! It's important to remember to rotate and use the old and replace with the new but my storage cupboard is now well stocked and used only in emergencies. I don't worry anymore!

Contributed by: Caroline P

Got a Great Savings Tip? Send It in To Us and You Could Win A 12-Month Membership For FREE!

At Simple Savings, we love to hear of all your favourite ways to save money. Don't be shy, send them in to us and your tip could win a spot in our newsletter! The winner receives a full 12-month membership to all areas of the site, valued at $27 and giving you access to thousands of fantastic money saving tips to help reduce your costs in all areas of life. To be in to win, send your tips to us here.


Saving Story: An Idea Shared is Money Saved

My hint to everyone is to be more open about your savings strategies. You'll be amazed how much money you can save through sharing information and ideas.

Last month a friend and I were talking about money, which is something you don't often discuss outside your family. Money is a little like religion and politics; off-limits in most everyday conversations. However, we started sharing ideas and comparing how much we spend on things like groceries and bills. For once I didn't feel alone in my efforts to save money and get on top of my debts.

My friend and I are in a similar situation: we are working mums with small children and loving, hardworking husbands who are generally disinterested when it comes to household finances. We realised we had a shared interest in saving money so we could pay off our unsecured debts, and then our home loans, sooner.

We have not shared exact figures of how much we owe, or how much we earn, and have maintained and respected each other's privacy on that front. However, we have started to share how much we spend which has been a revelation. We've been able to encourage each other in our efforts and do not feel embarrassed to refuse invitations to cafés or other outings if we are a bit stretched that week.

The best saving so far has come from my friend's suggestion to use a wholesale butcher in the local area that I had never heard of. This butcher does not advertise and so it is only through word-of-mouth that I found out about him. As my dad is a retired butcher, I took him along to check it out. He was very impressed at the quality of the meat and now my parents are shopping there, meaning they are saving money too.

I am saving huge amounts on the price of meat. Where I once paid $8.99 per kilo for premium mince, I now pay $5.99 per kilo. For steak, I now pay from $7.49 to $9.99 per kilo instead of up to $25.99 per kilo. I can buy 17 chicken drumsticks for $5.50! That's enough for two nights for our family, plus my husband's lunch the next day. I have also started buying in bulk for even cheaper deals plus cooking and freezing dinners, so no more takeaway after a long day at work. I have calculated that I am saving at least $30 per week on our meat bill, around $1500 per year.

My point is, I would not have known about this butcher and achieved these savings without the help of my friend. I've told all my friends at work about this butcher and they couldn't believe it either. People were genuinely grateful to hear about a new way to save money. I know how hard we all work, so was happy to pass on the tip. Local knowledge is powerful; where to shop, who has the best prices and when to go there. One way to find this information is to talk to all those domestic experts in your life; your friends, neighbours and family! You can't lose.

Contributed by: Ros Bye


Bye for Now

That's all for this newsletter. Should you have any further questions or need help with any other money saving matter, please drop us a line. We are here to help!

Until next time,
Fiona