50 ways to save a fortune

Take your own water or soft drink to work, bought in bulk at the supermarket instead of the vending machine. Better yet, refill.

Stock up. The mid-week dash to the service station for milk and bread will almost always cost you extra.

Most banks charge fees for transactions at other ATMs. Just one transaction a week can cost you $104 a year! Use your bank’s teller machines, or deal directly with the bank.

Car pool for school pick-ups. You’ll save money over the month by slashing little trips around the neighbourhood.

Buy olives, chicken and bacon from the deli counter rather than pre-packaged. Be wary of buying individually packaged portions of anything. They cost more.

Turn off the lights in any rooms you are not using and choose low-wattage light bulbs to save energy and money.

Have two entrees when you go out to dinner, rather than a main and entree.

Use sites such as www.bigpondmovies.com or www.quickflix.com.au to have DVDs delivered to your door. Most charge about $10 a month for four movies.

Buy a VoIP handset or use Skype for calls via the internet. VoIP is about 75 per cent cheaper than a normal phone, and Skype is free.

At OzRecycle, www.ozrecycle.com.au, you can pick up stuff for free!

Pack your own snacks when you fly. Airport food is ridiculously expensive.

Clean the air filter in your dryer. It works more efficiently and saves energy. If you have dimmers, turn your lgihts down.

Make your own pet food. Mix rice, some cheap meat and leftover vegetables and cook them into tasty meals. Freeze and save.

Buy food for work lunches at the beginning of the week and take your lunch to work with you every day, snacks included.

Buy your Christmas gifts now and at the mid-year sales. Remember, there are no bargains in the two weeks leading up to Christmas.

Check out student deals. These can range from cheap prices on movie and show tickets to lower prices on software such as Windows.

Download free out-of-copyright classic books at www.gutenberg.org

Pay in cash. Many retail stores are willing to slash the price by 10 per cent. Just ask.

Outsource less. Wash your car and your pets youself, mow your own lawn, iron your own shirts and do your own cleaning. Good workout and big savings!

Get your theatre tickets in the hour before a show begins and you’ll get a massive discount. Have alternative plans in case you miss out.

Grow your own vegies and herbs.

Buy your wine online and in bulk. This works out to be cheaper than buying single bottles at the local bottle shop.

Almost everything is cheaper on a Tuesday. Take flights, buy petrol, go to the theatre, eat out, have a hair cut… it’s even cheaper to buy a car on a Tuesday.

Don’t drive your car almost empty, as you’ll lose fuel through evaporation. And don’t forget to use those supermarket discounts.

Get printer cartridges refilled rather than shelling out for brand new ones every time.

Earn rewards points through companies such as www.rewardscentral.com.au by buying online, and for filling in surveys.

Join a gym in winter, when gyms have a slump in membership. Two-for-one deals or reduced membership costs can save you hundreds. Or buy an exercise DVD and do it youself at home. Check out eBay for cheap gym memberships, too.

Pay your mortgage fortnightly, and pay a little extra. Even if it’s only $10 extra a week, you can save tens of thousands over the life of a loan.

Turn your heater down to 18 or 19 and put on a jumper. Invest in some door snakes, and curtains for windows and doors.

Use a payment portal such as www.postbillpay.com.au to pay your bills. It cuts down on stress and late fees.

Pay off your credit card in full each month. The interest you save could buy you a new pair of jeans.

Use travel sites to research holidays, but always check with the airline to see if you can get a better deal – minus the extra booking fee.

Skip dessert and coffee when eating at restaurants.

Shop for hot weather items when on holiday somewhere cool. There will always be discounts.

Get clothes repaired and shoes resoled instead of throwing them away and buying new ones.

Decrease your car insurance as your car gets older and loses its market value.

Get an insurance broker. For a small fee, they can get you the best price on a range of insurances.

Use the internet. From free party invitations to discounts on hotels, you can get a deal on almost anything if you look hard enough.

Don’t shell out for extended warranties. You rarely need to use them, so they’re not worth the extra money.

Have a games party and exchange your old games for theirs. Or have a clothes swap night.

Do you really need all that bandwidth? If you just use it to surf the Net and check emails you can probably do with a cheaper plan.

Cinemas have “cheap Tuesdays”. Take in your own food and drink.

Use email instead of SMS on your mobile phone.

Meet your friends earlier on a night out and take advantage of Happy Hour.

Borrow from the library instead of buying new books.

Make sure you claim all your deductibles at tax time.

Don’t shampoo twice, it’s a waste of money. Use half as much laundry powder, too.

Get a better phone plan. Even if you save $10 a month, that’s $120 at the end of the year. Why not have it in your pocket instead of theirs?

Stop drinking boutique beer. You will halve the cost of a night out.

Buy pharmacy products at a discount chemist, and generic brands of prescription drugs.

Watch hundreds of hours of free TV on your computer – FIXPlay has a catalogue featuring full-length top TV shows for your viewing pleasure.