Going to the movies in Australia for 1 parent and two kids costs an outrageous amount. Extortionema I like to call it. I love going to the movies and like every breathing kid on the planet so do my kids. Even if I didn't buy the $12 popcorn or $5 ice cream, I'm still looking at $70 for me and the kids. So I started thinking outside the box. If you work, your kid may aready have the experience of after school care at their school. During the holidays, the same service provides full time care and on some of these days they offer outings, Maritime Museum, the movies etc. I learnt that I could get a whole day of daycare AND the kids got a trip to the movies a couple of times a year by putting them in holiday care even one day per week. As part of the Australian government family assistance package every parent gets 50% rebate on daycare and holiday care. That means I get a full day of daycare and my kids get an outing to the movies for half the price than if I were to take them to the movies myself for a whole 1.5 hours of entertainment.... a win!??! YOU BETCHA!
So. If your kid isn't a daycare kid.... then think about having a kid free day in the holidays, save yourself some coin and be a total rockstar to your kids by letting them go to the movies.
Later mamas.
Sunday, 1 September 2013
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
Christmas part 2:
The last blog outlined the certain strategies I employ for Christmas shopping for kids. This blog is a follow on- I'm all business when it comes to Christmas shopping. I budget, SERIOUSLY budget and do not stray outside $20. I don't believe spending the same on each child is necessary. One year I spent $65 on one kid and $200 on another. They didn't know and each got something incredibly special to them. Budget in total, not per child. That way your mind set is how many gifts each not value of gift- kids don't understand or care about that, they care about counting...and you can bet your bippy they'll count!
Books- I never buy new books in this country. EVER. Not for me and certainly not for the kids. I find Church fetes and Community Library book sales are the better quality in comparison to garage sales. DVD's from Blockbuster bins and BigW annual clearance sales.
Bikes- GARAGE SALES. Online on Gumtree or occasionally on Ebay. I have had the best luck with garage sales. Usually when I'm not garage sale hunting but driving past with $5 in my wallet and have to be somewhere else in 10minutes. But I find this is the most frugal and smartest way to shop. I know what I want and I don't deviate. If I see a bike, I look for rust and always keep in mind that I will have to buy new tires (between 20-60$ each). So in essence your buying the frame. I don't buy bikes with bad seats as a seat is an added $40 and I can buy a whole new bike with those add ons. Usually for any second hand bike you don't go higher than $40 cash. That's for a tricked out, super hot 2 wheeler. Otherwise, offer $20-$25 with cash in your hand and 8 times out of 10 you'll roll away with a new bike.
Next blog I'll go into family gifts and I'm not talking 'soap molds and lavender bags for undie drawers either'!
Later mamas x
The last blog outlined the certain strategies I employ for Christmas shopping for kids. This blog is a follow on- I'm all business when it comes to Christmas shopping. I budget, SERIOUSLY budget and do not stray outside $20. I don't believe spending the same on each child is necessary. One year I spent $65 on one kid and $200 on another. They didn't know and each got something incredibly special to them. Budget in total, not per child. That way your mind set is how many gifts each not value of gift- kids don't understand or care about that, they care about counting...and you can bet your bippy they'll count!
Books- I never buy new books in this country. EVER. Not for me and certainly not for the kids. I find Church fetes and Community Library book sales are the better quality in comparison to garage sales. DVD's from Blockbuster bins and BigW annual clearance sales.
Bikes- GARAGE SALES. Online on Gumtree or occasionally on Ebay. I have had the best luck with garage sales. Usually when I'm not garage sale hunting but driving past with $5 in my wallet and have to be somewhere else in 10minutes. But I find this is the most frugal and smartest way to shop. I know what I want and I don't deviate. If I see a bike, I look for rust and always keep in mind that I will have to buy new tires (between 20-60$ each). So in essence your buying the frame. I don't buy bikes with bad seats as a seat is an added $40 and I can buy a whole new bike with those add ons. Usually for any second hand bike you don't go higher than $40 cash. That's for a tricked out, super hot 2 wheeler. Otherwise, offer $20-$25 with cash in your hand and 8 times out of 10 you'll roll away with a new bike.
Next blog I'll go into family gifts and I'm not talking 'soap molds and lavender bags for undie drawers either'!
Later mamas x
Christmas,
A beautiful time of year (if your a Christian). It's family, it's fun, it's bloody expensive let's call a spade a spade. I'm not a spoiler but I'm not about to place an orange in my kids stocking and wish him all the best either. That said, I have perfected the art of Christmas shopping. I'm sharing this secret with you because if someone had of told me it would have saved me years of fine tuning.
Obviously your shopping during Sale season. If I don't have ALL my Christmas shopping done by August then I've lost my touch. I start in January and finish after the winter sales. So whatever month your reading this is- think 'im already behind, I need to get to steppin'!
First rule: Target sales for some toys not all!! Not sure what your motto is on toys but I like to give one big special NEW toy to each kid for Christmas (not including bikes- that's a whole different thing). Target and Big W have the best Australian retail toy sales, but Target is limited as to how much they can discount the bigger brands. For other toys stick to warehouse sales- you need to be open to travel, as wholesaler warehouse sales are all out West. But you will save yourself serious money if you do this. They have brand names and won't advertise in the mainstream so you need to google search year round. Subscribe to newsletters, set up an account as a small business owner - anyone who has argued with me that running a household is not a business has left that conversation with an emotional limp...... am I right!??!
Electronic toys I buy overseas. I never pay full price and have never been jooped. There often is an issue with shipping to Australia so if you've got a friend in the US who can ship it to you then golden. Otherwise all Asiatic online merchandiser will send to Aus. Refurbished Ipods and phones are alot cheaper but honestly don't last more than 18months (i've seriously road tested this). However, what I find is that due to constant upgrades in technology newer games etc are not compatible after 2 years so buying refurbished electronics every 2 years can be an inexpensive alternative and won't make you go so postal when they've left their brand new Ipod on Coogee beach!!!!!!
Next blog- Christmas part 2, books, bikes and family
Later mamas!
A beautiful time of year (if your a Christian). It's family, it's fun, it's bloody expensive let's call a spade a spade. I'm not a spoiler but I'm not about to place an orange in my kids stocking and wish him all the best either. That said, I have perfected the art of Christmas shopping. I'm sharing this secret with you because if someone had of told me it would have saved me years of fine tuning.
Obviously your shopping during Sale season. If I don't have ALL my Christmas shopping done by August then I've lost my touch. I start in January and finish after the winter sales. So whatever month your reading this is- think 'im already behind, I need to get to steppin'!
First rule: Target sales for some toys not all!! Not sure what your motto is on toys but I like to give one big special NEW toy to each kid for Christmas (not including bikes- that's a whole different thing). Target and Big W have the best Australian retail toy sales, but Target is limited as to how much they can discount the bigger brands. For other toys stick to warehouse sales- you need to be open to travel, as wholesaler warehouse sales are all out West. But you will save yourself serious money if you do this. They have brand names and won't advertise in the mainstream so you need to google search year round. Subscribe to newsletters, set up an account as a small business owner - anyone who has argued with me that running a household is not a business has left that conversation with an emotional limp...... am I right!??!
Electronic toys I buy overseas. I never pay full price and have never been jooped. There often is an issue with shipping to Australia so if you've got a friend in the US who can ship it to you then golden. Otherwise all Asiatic online merchandiser will send to Aus. Refurbished Ipods and phones are alot cheaper but honestly don't last more than 18months (i've seriously road tested this). However, what I find is that due to constant upgrades in technology newer games etc are not compatible after 2 years so buying refurbished electronics every 2 years can be an inexpensive alternative and won't make you go so postal when they've left their brand new Ipod on Coogee beach!!!!!!
Next blog- Christmas part 2, books, bikes and family
Later mamas!
Welcome to Thrifty Mama
If you are loaded, looking for a discount on designer goods- this ain't for you sister. If you've got your hands and feet full juggling work, play, 14 kids, on your own, with a partner, whatever your weather.... if your looking at the 14c in your bank account and want to stretch it to a dollar, mama this is for you!
I'm all of those things, and more of course. I'm a Naturopath researcher and writer living in Australia, I've got 3 kids under 10 and marital problems. I work 3 days a week and am currently saving for a new loungeroom rug and a one way ticket to Europe for me and my kids. Through hard ship and life's ass whoopin, I've found myself on the wrong side of the cash register wondering how the heck I'm going to put food on the table AND get my hair looking right. There are ways. I have read numerous blogs and articles on 'save yourself some money' and I'm here to tell you, saving $40 on a designer bag that was $1200 but is now am impressive $1160 speaks to all of 3 suburbs in this town, the most expensive city to live in the world!
What my family and friends have filled me in on is, that somehow, this little mama's skills rest in finding a bargain and thinking outside the box to get your shit done and your gorgeous babies fed. It's a hard world out there ladies, I'm not interested in spending half my pay on rent and nothing else. There are some ways to really save in this town and overseas...you just need a little bird to get you seeing what was right in front of your faces all along.
If you don't mind the odd curse word and need to know how to get your son the Star Wars lego he desperately wants for Christmas, stay tuned.
If you are loaded, looking for a discount on designer goods- this ain't for you sister. If you've got your hands and feet full juggling work, play, 14 kids, on your own, with a partner, whatever your weather.... if your looking at the 14c in your bank account and want to stretch it to a dollar, mama this is for you!
I'm all of those things, and more of course. I'm a Naturopath researcher and writer living in Australia, I've got 3 kids under 10 and marital problems. I work 3 days a week and am currently saving for a new loungeroom rug and a one way ticket to Europe for me and my kids. Through hard ship and life's ass whoopin, I've found myself on the wrong side of the cash register wondering how the heck I'm going to put food on the table AND get my hair looking right. There are ways. I have read numerous blogs and articles on 'save yourself some money' and I'm here to tell you, saving $40 on a designer bag that was $1200 but is now am impressive $1160 speaks to all of 3 suburbs in this town, the most expensive city to live in the world!
What my family and friends have filled me in on is, that somehow, this little mama's skills rest in finding a bargain and thinking outside the box to get your shit done and your gorgeous babies fed. It's a hard world out there ladies, I'm not interested in spending half my pay on rent and nothing else. There are some ways to really save in this town and overseas...you just need a little bird to get you seeing what was right in front of your faces all along.
If you don't mind the odd curse word and need to know how to get your son the Star Wars lego he desperately wants for Christmas, stay tuned.
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