A Tauranga man was so amazed to find he could save thousands of dollars a year that he’s making a video about his cost saving tips so that others can do the same.

With the cost of living rising, education consultant Logan Donnelly overhauled his family budget and was surprised to find he could cut almost $6000 on spending.

“I originally did all of these expense cutting exercises as my own venture after my wife Charlee had a baby,” said Donnelly. “We had to plan to survive on my income alone.

“I gathered all of my research and wrote the guide. It saves us thousands a year, so I passed it on to some friends who also managed to save several thousand dollars.”

Donnelly also shared some of his tips with local community groups and was overwhelmed with the positive response.

Having tracked the family budget strictly for several weeks, he itemised the biggest expenses – power, internet and insurance. By shopping around for better deals he was able to cut $5700 off his annual bills.

“I was astounded to see I could save 20 per cent on my power bill just by switching,” said Donnelly. “I stacked this with a power contract that offered three hours of free power. By being smart about timing your washing, dishwasher and dryer to the free power period means you can make great savings.”

He also cut his internet bill by shopping around and combining it with a 50 per cent discount for six months, while insurance was switched to Trade Me.

“We cut any subscriptions, and changed our cell phone plans to a pre-paid monthly option,” he said.

The family were able to save on food bills by only shopping via click and collect at Pak’nSave. This meant they did not buy extra things that weren’t needed, and it also helped them find special offers.

“Tracking the specials I saw that most of the time, meats like chicken breast go on sale roughly every three weeks,” said Donnelly. “We load up and buy more when this happens. Farmers' markets, butchers and Asian food stores also often have great deals that are cheaper than supermarkets.”

Ōtūmoetai mum of four Mig McMillan claimed there are several ways families can save on food bills.

“I shop in bulk,” she said. “We take our own containers and throw it straight in the freezer – enough for about three weeks at a time.

“It’s mainly sausages and mince and whatever is on special. I always try to cook enough for two meals at a time, because it saves power and means that there is food available to eat so there’s no need to collapse in a heap and then call Uber Eats.

“With bulk buying there isalways cereals and pasta and rice to quickly boil up. Miso soup is brilliant for a quick, hot pick me up. It lives in the fridge and lasts for ages.”

McMillan also grows spinach and silverbeet in her garden.

“They’re so easy to grow,” she said, “and you can use it in quiché, salads, pies and pasta. I even take pot plants of it camping.

“There’s no point in growing onions, potatoes or cabbage – just buy them when cheap.”

The family also have their own chickens which give them plenty of eggs, either to eat themselves or to ‘barter’ with friends.

Using seasonal produce allows you to eat cheaply or even for free, she said.

“At the moment, feijoas and cherry guavas are everywhere and rolling all over the footpaths of suburban Tauranga. They’re yum squashed onto toast and better than jam, as they’re tastier with less sugar. They also make a nice pie or crumble.”

McMillan said the family walks, bikes or takes the bus when they can.

“Carpooling has become more prevalent with people we know, which is brilliant as you are saving the planet and money too.”

She also said there is plenty a family can do together without spending much money.

“The beach, of course, is free. Go to gigs, the library, art galleries, exhibitions.”

Ian McLean used to teach environmental science and sustainable living at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, and said he routinely minimises his spending.

“Fuel costs are the most obvious to have gone up, but barely affect me,” said McLean. “I go everywhere by bicycle and I have a fairly cheap, very fuel-efficient hybrid car which is only used about once a week.”

“Using a bicycle or bus, investing in the cheapest and most fuel-efficient car appropriate to your needs, reducing the number of cars in the family, and only using the car when it is absolutely needed are excellent solutions to increasing fuel costs. They also decrease carbon production, which is beneficial for global warming.”

He encouraged people to get the whole family on bikes – not only to save costs but as a way of getting out and about to enjoy the environment.

“I have a bike trailer for large shopping trips, and the dog comes too in a specially-made carrier or in the trailer. My children are confident on bicycles despite the poor cycling infrastructure in this city.”

Growing his own vegetables and eating less meat also helps save money said McLean.

“I have a vegetable garden, and about fifty per cent of my meals are vegetarian. I preserve fruit in the fruit season. I have done 50 bottles this year including most of the tomatoes from the garden. I buy the cheapest fruit available – including over-ripe fruit at the greengrocer – for preserving.”

McLean said you can always find food if you learn to forage.

“I forage in my urban landscape, taking fruit that would otherwise rot on the ground from trees growing in public spaces. Examples collected this year include avocados, figs, feijoas and peaches.”

He has also shopped around for the best power deal, switching to a cheaper supplier which offers a free hour of energy each day. Solar power is also a big cost saver.

“An investment is required to set up solar and solar water heating, but that investment pays itself off very quickly if used carefully,” said McLean. “I have both, and pay no electricity bill between October and April. For larger families I would recommend a solar water heater as the investment that gives the best returns.”

Accordin to McLean, managing your hot water use and choosing electrical appliances wisely can cut a surprising amount from your bills.

“Turn electric water heating on and off manually or use timers. Also, have shorter showers.”

“Appliances in my house are purchased based primarily on their energy efficiency. The freezer is small and is separate from the fridge, as using a standalone fridge is cheaper to run than a fridge freezer.

“Large freezers are enormously expensive to run. Currently, LG fridges are the most energy efficient because of a particular technology used in them.”

He recommends turning appliances off at the wall when not in use, as many suck up power even when you think they are not in use.

“Many people like running a television almost continuously, so look closely at energy use before choosing which one to buy. All computers should be battery operated.”

McLean says careful water management also minimises his water bill.

“In my house, grey water from the kitchen and wasted shower water are collected and used to water the garden. The toilet may be flushed using water from the shower. Detergents are rarely used, which reduces that cost as well. Detergents are not needed for washing dishes if little meat is being eaten.”

The family shops exclusively at op shops.

“My children have always worn op shop clothes, and now choose to shop in op shops. They are fun places to shop because you never know what you will find.”

He also aims for zero waste for sustainable living, but this also saves money on waste disposal which McLean said can mount up.

“We aim to produce almost no waste on principle. Everything that can be recycled or reused is handled appropriately, and we minimise the purchase of things in packaging. For organic waste we use worms.”

Credit: Stuff.co.nz