Posts Tagged :

saving money

This could be the secret to better budgeting

If you’ve never had a budget, or if you’ve tried and given up on one before, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Visions of complicated spreadsheets and living on nothing but 2 minute noodles make the idea seem at best, snore-inducing and at worst, overly restrictive. But the truth is it takes very little effort to get a basic system – ‘money buckets’ – in place. This is great news, as it can mean the difference between major savings…

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7 tips to save money in 10 minutes
7 money saving tips you can complete in 10 minutes each

It can be all to easy to chuck anything money or finance related in the too-hard basket. But the truth is, spending a few minutes sorting out just one aspect of your finances can make a big difference. If you’ve got 10 minutes to spare, complete one of these money saving tips and you could see instant financial results. Empty your spare change into a jar Then pop on the lid. Now every time you’ve got a few bits of…

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How to enjoy a low-spend long weekend

As the long weekend kicks off, it can be all too easy to fill your time with fun and frivolous spending. But before you know it, Monday night rolls around and your bank balance is looking more than a little depleted. Luckily, it doesn’t take much to reset your default setting from ‘spend’ to ‘save’ for a few days, and the savings can be pretty significant. Read on for our tips to boost your savings in just a few days.…

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Top tips to avoid over spending at Christmas

As we approach the silly season and our bank accounts begin to bear the brunt of it, Kiwis should aim to be careful shoppers and only spend what they can afford. We commissioned research which reveals nearly one in three New Zealanders put their Christmas and holiday spending on their credit card and are potentially facing a New Year hangover, saying they won’t pay the full bill before the due date (29%). CreditSimple.co.nz spokesperson Hazel Phillips said the holiday season was…

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Want to save (even more) money? Take the zero waste challenge

Zero waste saves money. Since I vowed to reduce my waste last year I’ve saved a bucket load of cash. But let’s get this clear. ‘Zero waste’ is a philosophy/lifestyle goal of reducing the amount of rubbish you personally send to landfill. No-one will be 100 per cent perfect unless they’re a Buddhist monk or a hermit. The bonus is if you cut down on what you buy for environmental reasons you spend less overall. Yay! On a personal level…

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Budget Betty: How much could you save by being smarter with your shopping?

Are you throwing money away every week on your shopping? Maybe you’re committing the Seven Supermarket Shopping Sins? Think online shopping for clothes you absolutely don’t need, or popping into a nice store because you like the look of something in the window and then walking out having spent $300. It’s okay – we’ve all been there. But putting thought into saving money on your grocery shopping can help you to keep your bank account healthy, which means you’ll have…

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Forget smart appliances … why smartifying your old ones is the way to go

There’s a lot of buzz around smart homes, smart cars and smart appliances these days. And it can be pretty tempting to look at that big old TV in the corner and wonder if swapping it for a $5000 “smart” model might be a good idea. At Credit Simple, we’re all about living smarter, but ideally without the big price ticket. So what’s a person to do? We reckon buying a “smart appliance” is hardly ever the answer. You’re far…

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Avocado toast
Forget avocados, smash the big stuff first

Avocados have gotten a bad rap lately. The real reason millennials can’t afford to buy their own homes, commentators said, was not sky-high prices or the banks requiring 20 per cent deposits, it was young people’s insatiable hunger for the creamy green goodness of smashed avocado on toast. And even if you don’t like avocado, the finger-pointers would point out (with their fingers) that while our parents got by with a cup of Choysa made from a tea bag that…

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Worried lady looking at devil and angel
Let’s play Pantry Survivor – are you committing the seven supermarket shopping sins?

Because I’m both a procrastinator and a multitasker I recently found myself avoiding work by cleaning the pantry while listening to a recording of the Hobbit. Unfortunately, owing to my overactive imagination, as I cleaned and found packets of things I don’t remember purchasing, I could hear the small but persistent voice of Gollum quietly hissing: “What has it got in its cupboards, hmmm?” I don’t want to admit to Gollum that we have eight different kinds of flour. “Is…

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