It’s no secret that the cost of living in New Zealand keeps creeping up, but there are small and simple ways to cut costs that can help you get more for your money.
Here are eight practical ways to save on everyday expenses that actually make a real difference in your budget.
1. Be smart with your grocery shopping
Groceries are definitely one of the biggest expenses in our household and it’s only gone up in recent years. A few small habits can help stretch your budget further:
- Compare supermarkets: Pak’nSave usually wins on price but sometimes it’s much closer than you think. I periodically compare the ones closest to me by making the same online order side-by-side to get an idea.
- Buy recurring items on sale in bulk: If your shower gel is on sale and you know you’ll be buying more in the future, buy 1 or 2 more instead of paying full price later.
- Prepare a shopping list and stick with it: Plan your meals for the week and stick to your list. This helps avoid any impulse purchases.
- Shop once a week: Every “quick stop” to the dairy turns into another $40 of extras and it quickly adds up.
Pro tip: Try the Grocer.nz app to compare prices between supermarkets before you go.
2. Cut food waste
Let’s stay on the topic of food. This might be an obvious one, but it’s well worth mentioning. Check the expiration dates often and use your freezer like a second pantry: freeze leftovers, bread and meat before they go off. Once a week, do a “fridge clean-out dinner” and use up whatever is left. You might come up with some creative recipes and it’ll definitely be cheaper than takeaway.
3. Review your power provider
I can’t be the only one who does a double-take whenever the power bill arrives. Grab a recent bill and jump on Powerswitch to see if you’re currently overpaying. Switching could save you hundreds per year and it only takes about 10 minutes.
Pro tip: Some providers offer off-peak rates or free power hours. Those are perfect if you can run some of your appliances at night or during those windows.
4. Review your internet plan
Internet deals change all the time. If you’ve been with the same provider for more than a couple of years, you’re probably paying too much. Check for any bundle deals (like fibre+mobile) and sign-up credits. Many internet service providers (ISPs) throw in account credits or a free modem for new customers. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.
Pro tip: These days even power providers offer internet packages and sometimes even throw in an appliance or TV for free. While these may seem appealing at first glance, make sure you know exactly what you’re going to end up paying. Often the freebie isn’t worth the higher ongoing costs.
5. Get a cheaper phone plan
Unless you really need a crazy amount of data, you could get one of the cheaper phone plans. Check out mobilecompare.co.nz to see if there’s better plan for you.
I’ve found the prepaid plans to be enough for my needs. In our household we don’t pay more than $13 per month for a plan.
6. Rethink how you get around
If you own a car:
- Use the Gaspy app to find the cheapest local fuel
- Keep your tyres inflated and service your car regularly to reduce the chance of expensive, unexpected repairs.
- Try carpooling with colleagues if you drive to work
Using public transport over a car can make a surprising difference. For example in Auckland, once you hit the weekly $50 cap, you can travel anywhere for free after that.
7. Review your insurance policies
Regularly review your insurance policies to make sure you’ve got appropriate cover that fits your life.
- Changing homes, cars or getting rid of a bunch of stuff can make old policies now unnecessarily expensive
- Around renewal time, shop around and don’t hesitate to ask for discounts or multi-policy deals.
8. Research products before you buy
If you need new appliances or anything really, consider checking out consumer.org.nz or other online reviews to make sure you get the best bang for your buck. If you find said item used on TradeMe or Facebook Marketplace for cheaper, even better.
I recently picked up a used lawn mower and line trimmer for $180. The same setup would’ve cost over $1,000 if I had bought them brand new.
Where to go from here
You don’t have to do all of these things at once. Start with the easiest changes first and keep things simple. Once you build a couple of small habits, the savings start adding up quickly.