Winter budgeting tips

The thing about a big night out? It’s not just the amount you spend on drinks. It’s the dinner out that ends in pricey nightcaps, the taxi ride home, maybe midnight munchies via the drive-through, and perhaps a babysitting bill. By embracing a quieter lifestyle in winter, you could potentially save hundreds of dollars. Our suggestion? Bank it. Both you and your bank balance could be healthier for it.

When it’s chilly outside, our thoughts turn to warming meals shared with loved ones. But that doesn’t have to mean restaurant meals. For winter, why not embrace the home cook-up instead. Slow-cooking cheaper cuts of meat or root vegetables isn’t only satisfying and delicious, it’s also a great way to maintain your social life while showering your nearest and dearest with home-cooked love. Better yet, you’ll save on takeaways or eating out, while upping your culinary skills. Compliments to the chef.

Swapping the dance floor for the couch mightn’t seem like an especially uplifting switch. But spend an evening turning your lounge into a bona fide sanctuary and watch the friend requests fly in. If you’re short on soft furnishings, stop by your local op shop – there’s a plethora of soft blankies and fun cushions you can pick up for a steal. Throw some tea lights in a few glass jars, dim the lights, slip into your PJs and luxuriate on your very own couch.

Rather get your boogie on? Then set up a lounge disco instead – a great way to party with friends minus entry fees or hefty bar tabs. Do this for the season and you could be a whole lot wealthier come spring.

Longing to get the blood and endorphins pumping? Then grab a buddy and hit up some scenic walking trails. The bracing fresh air will invigorate you from the inside out. Better yet, free physical activity is great for both mental and financial wellbeing – a tried-and-true double act that’ll make saving easy.

Try shopping your wardrobe with a friend – a great way to get creative with items you already own. Crank the tunes, brew some warming chai on the stove, and make an afternoon of it. Our tip, cull ruthlessly and sell those items online or at the market. Or you could donate those unwanted clothes to your local op shop to double that feel good factor. Then slip each remaining garment onto its own hanger.

The simple luxury of opening your beautifully arranged wardrobe each morning is reward enough, though your bank balance may be the greatest beneficiary. It really is a win-win.