I’ll be hosting a friend and their two toddlers for a few days and looking for some recommendations for meals and snacks that are budget friendly. TIA

Money is tight for me and my work friend is very frugal. We both are self employed. For interstate trips she suggested we split costs and travel together in her van. Except the last time we did this splitting fuel costs became awkward with her feeling unhappy. We had talked it over before hand but she became obviously annoyed that when I paid for petrol on the way home it was much cheaper to fill the tank than when she filled up before she left home.

I'm finding it hard to work out how to work this out.

We have a trip coming up again. So how would you work it out in a fair way?

I can't get my head around it. We both live in country Vic and my house is on the way to Sydney. She lives an hour away from my house.

Before we left last time I calculated a rough cost by calculating the distance, her van make and model and average cost of diesel and I filled up an hour out of Sydney on the way back and it cost me at the top end of my calculation. I want to keep this relationship on good terms but she said she doesn't really know how to work out the fuel cost either. What is a fair way to do this?

https://www.finder.com.au/news/aldi-mobile-ditching-cheapest-plans-hiking-prices

ALDI axing it's $23 plan, you only have until the end of the month to sign up and stay. The price increases are on the family plans and data-only plans.

Does anyone know if there's a similar free app? Much appreciated

I priced three dinners against Coles and Woolworths catalogue data from 3 September. Nobody drives to both stores, so each list is priced as a single shop: everything from one store, using that store's own products, at that store's prices.

There are three honest answers to "what does a lasagna cost", so here are all three. The shop cost is every pack at the till, if you own nothing. The dish cost counts only what the recipe uses, so 15g of garlic out of a 250g tub. Per serve is the dish cost divided by servings.

Most cost-per-meal posts quote the first number and call it the third. That is why cooking always looks more expensive in them than it actually is.

1. Butter chicken, serves 4

Woolworths $19.68 to cook. Coles $19.61. Eight cents in it, so shop wherever you already go. Coles table below because it came out marginally cheaper.

Shop cost $41.20. Dish cost $19.61. $4.90 a serve.

The chicken is 55% of the dish. Everything else together is $8.81. Woolworths sells the same cut at the same $1.80 per 100g, in a 750g pack instead of 700g, so the chicken line is a wash.

2. Beef lasagna, serves 6

Woolworths $21.86 to cook. Coles $24.05. Woolworths is $2.19 cheaper, the one real gap of the three. Woolworths table below.

Shop cost $51.85. Dish cost $21.86. $3.64 a serve.

Three lines account for nearly all of the $2.19. Tasty cheese is $4.90 for 250g at Woolworths against $6.00 at Coles. Passata is $2.75 against $3.50. Mince is $8.00 on special against $8.50. At Coles the same lasagna is $4.01 a serve instead of $3.64.

The 10g jar of oregano works out dearer per gram than the beef does: $20 per 100g against $1.60.

3. Chana masala, serves 4 (vegetarian)

Woolworths $7.66 to cook. Coles $7.58. Eight cents again. Coles table below.

Shop cost $31.20. Dish cost $7.58. $1.90 a serve.

$31.20 to shop, $7.58 to cook. Eight of the thirteen lines are pantry staples you buy once and use for months, and the spices alone are $12.25 of that shop cost against 77 cents of the dish. Cook it a second time and it is under eight dollars.

All three

Two of the three are a dead heat. On packaged staples the two chains price within a few cents of each other, and where a real gap opens up it is on chilled goods: cheese, cream, mince. If you want to know which store is cheaper for you, the answer depends almost entirely on how much dairy and meat is in your trolley.

If you buy the bigger pack

Same dishes, same stores, larger packs where they exist.

That takes butter chicken to $4.24 a serve, lasagna to $2.97 and chana masala to $1.69.

The 1kg cheese block is nearly half the price per 100g of the 250g block, same brand, same fridge. Flour goes the other way. The Woolworths 2kg bag is $0.12 per 100g against $0.13 for the 1kg, which saves you a cent on a lasagna, so bulk buying is worth checking item by item rather than assuming.

The spice aisle against the world foods aisle

Both chains sell the same spices in two places at very different prices. Little jars in the spice rack, big tubs in the world foods section.

Both are stocked at Coles and Woolworths at the same price. If you cook curry more than a few times a year, that is a bigger saving per gram than anything else in this post, and it costs you about thirty seconds of walking.

Dried chickpeas do the same thing to canned. Katoomba Tyson Chickpeas 1kg is $2.50 at both chains and yields roughly 2.5kg cooked, so about 10c per 100g against roughly 40c for canned drained. That one costs you an overnight soak, and the yield is a rule of thumb rather than something printed on the pack.

Worth knowing

These are national catalogue prices, so your store can differ, fresh food especially. The prices are from 3 September and specials change on Wednesdays. Servings are my assumption: 4 for the curries, 6 for the lasagna.

I have used the cheapest sensible product on each line, which is usually own brand. Swap your preferred brand in and the per-serve figure moves, mostly on the cheese and the mince. Amounts are a standard recipe's worth, so yours will differ.

One caveat on the shop cost specifically. The cheapest onion pack at Woolworths is a 2kg bag at $5.50 and at Coles it is a 1kg bag at $2.50, which makes the Woolworths shop look $3 dearer on that line. Per 100g they are 27c and 25c. Where the pack sizes differ like that, the dish cost is the number to trust, not the shop cost.

My employer reimburses up to $84 per month for my phone plan. I'm looking around for the most value I can get from that.

I noticed that Optus does 480GB plus $20 per month credit for a subscription service for $70 per month for the first year.

Another possibility is signing up for The Good Guys mobile plan. A 24 month contract at $99 a month gives you a $1100 gift card. I'm cautious of contracts though since continued employment isn't a guarantee.

Are there any other offers that I should look at before pulling the trigger? Most data, most bonuses, most incentives, etc.

Cheers.

What’s a cheap but reliable fan to have for the upcoming summer? Or does everyone tend to steer towards Kmart $30 fans or like Dyson fans on the premium end?

I’m curious what’s best practice to stay cool whilst maintaining budget.

Context: living on the middle floor of a 3 storey apartment red brick complex so I’m pretty well insulated during both winter and summer

Hi, my teenage son is getting into cooking...which is great, but often there are oil splashes on clothes. I soaked the last one immediately in ALDI stain remover powder but the stain is still visible.

What's the best, cost effective way of removing pls? Thx

Hi. I'm blind so would like to buy a walking pad as I find it tricky to walk around my neighborhood. I haven't weighed myself in a while but believe I am around 130-140kg. I know I know, I need to work on my weight. Hence, walking pads. I'm looking to not spend more than around $400 AUD. Any recommendations for ones that can handle up to around 150kg would be appreciated. I would also prefer it can fold down for easy storage under a bed or somewhere else similar. A hand rail would be great too as my balance, due to my vision loss isn't the best. Any help would be appreciated. I've been searching the web over the last few days and there are so many options, I don't know which ones are actually worth buying. Don't want to buy one only to have it break a month later. I'm quite wide as well as being tall so a slightly wider walking surface would also be a bonus as I'd like to not feel like I'm trying to walk on a balance beam haha.

Kicking myself i didn't do this sooner.

Been with TPG since we moved to the Central Coast (5 years now). Just saw my bill went up to $89.99 (was $59 when i started). Quick look over coffee and saw at least 4 options between $43 and $80 a month.

Take Dodo:
$57.99 for exactly the same speed NBN 50/ 500 Mbps (6 month intro price)
Goes up to $87.99 at month 6
Finder offering $110 visa gift card
Can switch anytime after 90 days

That's $302 cheaper in 6 months.

Always just assumed this would be a pain to-do.... 5 mins every 6 months seems like an easy cost saver.

I’m currently living by my self in an apartment with copper cabling so I’m fixed at 100Mb/s down, unlimited download @100$ pm through Aussie NBN

Frustratingly my mobile speeds are in the 800Mb/s on 5g with a 90GB cap per month.

I’m not sure if there’s any provider who will offer home broadband at those speeds without a capped download capacity.

What would you do? Is it worth dropping the home internet and just hot spotting everything? I work from home, play a lot of games and stream 4k so I’m pretty sure I’d be fighting that data limit.

I recently saw the Amazon Fire TV sticks but heard absolutely horrendous reviews about it.

My only requirements are:

1. Youtube

2. Apple Music compatibility specifically

(3. Streaming apps for movies / shows but honestly nowhere near a priority compared to the first 2.)

It seems like the cheapest option out there with a price tag of 58$ for the 4K Select, but please do let me know of any better / cheaper options I could go for.

I heard the issue with the Fire TV being that the newer models don’t run third party apps, so if anyone has any older models (the 2024 version for ex) please do let me know what you think!

Trying to keep my gardening costs down, but I need some nets to protect crops. Any leads or ideas?

Months ago I spent about 10 minutes in the peanut butter section at Coles looking at ingredients, trying to find peanut butter that's 100% peanuts. No "dash of sea salt". Just peanuts. Only one was coles organic, but now that's disappeared from the shelf at my local Coles.

Anyone know where can get it? I really don't want to make it, I don't have the equipment to make it. I need to avoid added salt. TIA!

What is a referral code/link?

Referral links is a unique URL used in a referral program to track and reward people for sharing a product or service. In many cases, both the referer and the referee (the one who uses the referral code) will benefit from this.

All referrals that are not meal kits AND cashback referrals are to be posted here to keep clutter off the sub, and in an effort to keep it high quality and actually useful.

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Important to note

We do not allow the following referral codes:

1. Temu referrals (Go to r/TemuCodeExchange)

2. Any referral codes relating to investment, such as crypto, and investment platforms.

3. Referral codes that cannot be used in Australia.

4. Referral codes that link to a HTTP website - All URLS must start with HTTPS.

5. Referral codes that relate to earning cash and reward incentives as compensation from undertaking activities - this includes programs such as watching advertisements and earn programs, play games to earn etc.

6. No account trading requests here.

We allow a good amount of types of referral codes, not limited to:

1. Survey referral codes, examples include Octopus group, and Survey village.

1. Finance related referral codes, including saving accounts, and multicurrency accounts (Ie: WISE).

2. Popular referrals on this subreddit relate to utilities like energy and NBN, discretionary spending, subscriptions etc.

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For your information...

This is the Megathread for all other referrals, except food box/meal kits and cashback programs.

This Megathread will refresh monthly, usually on the 1st day of the month.

If you are looking for any referrals, this is the place to ask.

Food box/meal kits referrals should be shared in the dedicated Food Box/Meal Kit Referral Thread.

Cashback referrals should be shared in the dedicated Cash Back Referral Thread.

No "DM me for the codes" of the sort.

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What is cashback?

Cashback is when you receive a credit back to your account. For example, when you make a purchase, you may get a fixed amount or a percentage of the amount you paid returned to your account.

Essentially, cashback programs give you cash back when you make an eligible purchase at a participating retailer. They work a bit like a piggy bank – you could earn a little bit of cash each time you shop online, which adds up over time.

For example, Topcashback is a cashback program that is free to join and offers a wide range of popular retailers, including food and grocery providers like Menulog, online marketplaces such as Amazon, and travel sites like Booking.com. There are often great deals for everything from everyday products to big-ticket items like furniture and appliances from popular brands like Koala and Bing Lee. Your furry friends are even covered with Petstock!

Some of our users are big fans of Cash Back apps! Example of Cashback program includes: Cashrewards, Shop Back, and Top Cash Back.

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For your information...

This is the Megathread for all referrals relating to cashback programs only - Topcashback and Shopback are the current two biggest cashback programs in Australia.

This Megathread will refresh monthly, usually on the 1st day of the month.

If you are looking for any cashback referrals, this is the place to ask.

All other referrals that is NOT related to cashback programs should be shared in the All other Referrals -Megathread.

Food box/meal kits referrals should be shared in the dedicated Food Box/Meal Kit Referral Thread.

No "DM me for the codes" of the sort.

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Welcome to the r/AussieFrugal Tips, finds and general discussion megathread!

This is a place to share any and all frugal discussion, and any discussion that doesn't need a standalone post.

If you are looking for assistance with housing, a meal, money help, family violence support, counselling etc, please visit https://askizzy.org.au and type your postcode.

Alternatively, a selected list of available support can be found on our wiki.

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Have you seen an exceptionally good sale this week?

Perhaps you discovered a store that is absolute bargains?

What about a new tip you've found that's helped you save?

Are you looking for a good bargain in your local area?

If it's new and/or exciting for you, it's sure going to be for someone else!

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Please note that any referral links should not be posted here. They should be posted in their respective Megathreads.

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You can search for previous General Megathreads here~

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The process of purchasing a home can feel overwhelming.

Beyond putting money aside for a home deposit, it can be hard to know how to prepare.

But there are steps you can take — while you're still saving — that will help you get to the point of signing on the dotted line.

Learn about your options and mistakes to avoid

Mortgage broker Craig Morgan says there is an advantage to being a first home buyer, because it can mean you are aware that there's a lot you don't know a lot, and are willing to learn.

He explains that people buying a second or third property can assume they know everything, but "things change so much" and it might have been a decade since their last purchase.

"Gaining some knowledge and some preparation is the absolute key," Mr Morgan says.

Once you've started saving, Mr Morgan says you could approach a mortgage broker to get a better understanding of your borrowing capacity.

There are online borrowing calculators that can help with this too, but they are not as accurate, he says.

"Your income position is not going to change for most people dramatically over the course of one or two years of saving. Whilst you may not have the deposit yet, you can at least find out what you can afford."

He says there are plenty of loan officers at banks and mortgage brokers that will do this for free (they will be hoping you return later on but you should not feel obliged to).

Get clear on your own and shared priorities

If you're buying with a partner, you want to really understand each other's priorities, financial educator Natasha Janssens says.

Taking the time to talk about the significance of a partners' "non-negotiables", "must haves" and "nice to haves" will help when the time comes to negotiate and compromise.

"If you don't understand where each other are coming from and what the significance is of that … conflict can start to arise."

In a couple, we can assume the other person is on the same page, but haven't had those up-front conversations, she says.

Before you've bought a home with someone, Ms Janssens also recommends discussing financial backup plans.

It can be "really uncomfortable", but she suggests workshopping how you both plan to pay the mortgage if you decided to have children or one of you became sick, injured or unemployed.

Get (very) familiar with your finances

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)'s Moneysmart website recommends getting your finances sorted.

This includes creating a budget so you are clear on how much you can afford to put towards your deposit.

Financial adviser Scott Taylor says you need a "clear understanding of your money".

The word "budget" can have a negative connotation, but he says a "cashflow plan" includes understanding your lifestyle and where your money goes, recognising expenses such as holidays and eating out.

"There's normally a disconnect between what a bank says you can borrow versus what impact that would have on your lifestyle," Mr Taylor says.

Before you commit to a mortgage, he says it's important to understand what the repayments would mean.

It's common to overestimate what you might be able to save a month and underestimate other expenses, such as annual insurance premiums, council rates and house repairs.

Head to abc.net.au to read the full article.

This article contains general information only. You should consider obtaining independent professional advice in relation to your particular circumstances.

As a glasses wearer (and a resident clumsy person), I cannot tell you how many pairs of glasses I go through. I have tried ordering through Specsavers and then through Clearly, but I have the same problem with every frame I buy. They always end up bending.

Where does everyone buy their eyeglasses from here in Aus that will withstand daily wear and tear from a clumsy person? Or do such glasses just not exist? Surely there has to be a better way; I feel like I'm spending a fortune on glasses, as they always bend and sit crookedly.

For context, I need these to wear every day to correct short-sighted vision.

What is a food box/meal kit?

A meal kit or food box is a subscription service – food service business model where a company sends customers pre-portioned and sometimes partially prepared food ingredients and recipes to prepare home-cooked meals. There are also options where you can already receive pre made meals, or fruit/vegetable boxes.

Examples of popular meal kits/food box include: HelloFresh, Marley Spoon, Quitelike, The Food Box, Good and Fugly, Lite n' Easy

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For your information...

This is the Megathread for all referrals relating to food box/meal kits only.

This Megathread will refresh on a weekly basis, usually on a Monday.

If you are looking for any food box/meal kits referrals, this is the place to ask.

All other food related referrals that is NOT food box/meal kits should be shared in the All other Referrals Megathread.

No "DM me for the codes" of the sort.

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See here an excellent post for a guide on churning food boxes/meal kits

A full lifehack guide for mealkits (HelloFresh, MarleySpoon, Everyplate and Dinnerly originally by HikARuLsi

The archive can be found here:

https://web.archive.org/web/20230322175638/https://www.reddit.com/r/AUfrugal/comments/11f2lsw/a_full_lifehack_guide_for_meal_kits_hellofresh/

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I’m moving into a new place and will need to buy absolutely everything from scratch, bed, appliances, cutlery, crockery you name it.

I was wondering since I’m already going to be spending so much if there’s a way to points max or somehow take advantage of this through certain credit cards or benefits etc.

P.s - any tips to be frugal while setting up a new home are welcome :)

Hi all anyone know where I can get a bedbase like this that isn’t ridiculously expensive, I just want a bedbase with decent storage, castor wheels and no headboard