5 Money Saving Tips You Should Know By Now

Life in South Africa has become ridiculously expensive. And just when we think it can’t get any worse, the petrol price goes up again (by a WHOLE RAND and then some). If you don’t want to get a second job to cover all these extra costs, then it’s time to start using all those money saving tips you’ve heard about throughout your life.

Need a little refresher? Here are five simple money saving tips you should know (and use) by now:

#1 USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT / CARPOOL

This one’s obvious, right? Even so, you probably haven’t made this change yet, so keep reading. We have great alternatives to driving, like The Gautrain if you’re in Johannesburg & Pretoria, or the MyCiTi buses in Cape Town. Use them. Otherwise find a colleague near you, and drive together. That’s one less car on the road (which means less pollution), and it cuts the cost in half – or more, if you do it as a group.

#2 SHOP THE SALES

You’re bound to find a steal of a deal at your go-to clothing store, or in one of those specials of the week newspapers at every supermarket. I recently picked one up and found out that my favourite can of tuna was 50% off at Woolworths. So I stocked up. Let’s just say I won’t be running out of tuna anytime soon, and I saved a ton of money.

#3 START A PIGGY BANK

If you don’t have an actual piggy bank then find a jar or tin, cut a hole big enough for a coin, and keep it in a safe place. Every time you have change, add it to the tin and move on with your life for a while. You’ll be surprised to see how quickly it fills up, and how much you actually end up saving.

#4 USE THE ENTERTAINER

Just because you have to find ways of saving where you can, it doesn’t mean that you have to ditch your lifestyle altogether. You can still go out for nice dinners and Starbucks coffee dates – just make sure you have the ENTERTAINER on hand so you can use those Buy One Get One Free offers. The App has everything from cocktails, to mains, and even manicures; and they’re all 2-for-1. So, you can still live your best life, but for a fraction of the price.

#5 SIGN UP FOR REWARDS CARDS

Woolworths have WRewards, Pick n Pay has Smart Shopper, and even Cotton On (& Co.) have Perks. If there’s a rewards program, sign up! You’ll end up getting cashback/points/vouchers that you can use towards your next purchase. Minimal effort required.

Are there any simple money saving tips that you use? Share them in the comments below!

Now go forth, and save ?

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