What do we want? For everything to be a lot cheaper! When do we want it? Ideally years ago when inflation started rocketing but we’ll also take it now!
So let’s be the change - the dollars, even - we want to see in the world.
Let’s find some extra room in our bank accounts and money boxes with these easy swaps and dupes.
❌ Out: Not knowing what’s for dinner
✅ In: Weekly meal planning
It’s hard to feel like a winner when you’re tucking into a lukewarm meal delivery dinner because you got too hangry to cook.
Consider consulting your calendar, seeing which meals you’ll be home (or in the office) for, and working out a plan of attack for making them in advance. It’ll likely save you money and a little bit of frustration.
We like No Money No Time, a meal plan website created by the University of Newcastle, for help. (We’re not affiliated, we’re just fans.)
❌ Out: Not knowing the supermarket specials
✅ In: Checking out the specials in advance
The idea when shopping the specials is to only buy the things you need, and buy in bulk if it’s useful for you. It can save you serious dollars.
Apps such as Half Price (which shows you the 50% discounts at Woolies and Coles each week) and Frugl (which tells you the cheapest place in your area for particular grocery items) can help.
❌ Out: Buying the expensive fruit and veggies
✅ In: Buying what’s in season
You can buy a bag of grapes at the supermarket right now and it’ll cost you $15. Or you can wait a few weeks for the price to come down which it should when it’s in season.
Sustainable Table has a produce guide that shows you which fresh fruit is in season, when. It should align with when these products are most cost-effective to purchase at the supermarket.
You can use them as a base for your meal planning, too.
❌ Out: not carrying bottled water
✅ In: BYO beverage vessel
It’s better for the environment, and your back pocket, when you skip the single serving bottled drinks when you’re out and about and bring one you prepared earlier.
Choice Magazine says switching to your own water bottle could save you $155 in just the first year of use, if you’re a moderate beverage drinker. Plus it’ll likely make your conscience lighter, too.
❌ Out: Feeding your pets yourself
✅ In: Using an autofeeder
One Spaceship colleague found more benefits than expected when he bought an autofeeder for his cats. “It stops them smashing cat biscuits and helps with their weight,” he said. Less consumption has led to more savings, too.
“It doesn’t seem like much but 10-15% a week adds up.”
❌ Out: Being good cop
✅ In: Being bad cop
Another Spaceship colleague was growing frustrated at the annual price rises for pet insurance, without a corresponding increase in value.
“We would always ring the insurance company to complain about the big increase and high cost, and we’d inevitably be given some sort of a reduction or discount (even if just for a period of time.)”
The moral of the story? “Don’t ask, don’t get!”
❌ Out: Thinking short-term
✅ In: Thinking long-term
This works for both pets and humans - but it centers around the fact that we can do things now that reduce costs in the long-run.
For one Spaceship colleague, it means keeping her dog physically and mentally active to reduce trips to the vet in the long-term. For another, it meant starting a rainy day fund for their pet to be prepared for adverse events.
Pets are pricey, even when they’re young and healthy, and getting on the front foot can make a huge difference down the track.
❌ Out: Taxis, rideshares, commuting by car
✅ In: Public transport
Public transport can be up to four times cheaper than travelling by car, according to Transport NSW. And there are some truly stunning journeys you can take, and a certain charm that can come with staring out the window of a bus.
So consider leaving home a little earlier and arriving at the care of your local transit authority. One Spaceship colleague saved money on rideshares by taking public transport most of the way, and taking a car the rest of it. Every dollar helps.
❌ Out: Using your car as a second wardrobe
✅ In: Keeping your car fuel efficient
Keeping your car clean and tidy may actually make it more fuel efficient. For a while, it was thought to be the opposite, until the MythBusters - remember them? - busted the myth.
Plus, a clean car can make you less likely to crash, because you can see more clearly from a freshly wiped windscreen in low or glaring light. Those are two huge wins to us.
❌ Out: Thinking your choices don’t matter
✅ In: Remembering there are better days ahead
Financially, politically, environmentally, at least - It’s been a tough few years interspersed with some joyful moments. You’re not alone if you feel like you’re struggling and that it’s been relentless. But it’s important to keep the faith. In fact, Goldman Sachs and Syntoniq research found that believing in a better tomorrow is important to retirement success.
They found that it’s one of four personality traits that help predict how much retirement success someone will have – and only 10% of their survey respondents actually had all four:
☀️ High optimism
Get delulu! Believing you can have the future you want, and taking steps toward it, means you’re more likely to get there, the research reveals.
🔮 Future orientation
Acting with your future self in mind means spending, saving, investing, and managing your money in a way your future self will be proud of. It also sets you up for success.
📚 Financial literacy
Upskilling your money knowledge when you don’t have to, including doing things such as reading the Spaceship blog, can keep you on track to making smart decisions that pay off.
🎯 Reward focus
People who stay focused on reward while managing their own personal risk appetite have found themselves to benefit from this mindset in the long-run, according to this research.
Of course, you still have to do what works for your personal circumstances. As always, seek professional advice if you’re uncertain of what steps to take.
❓So, what are you swapping?
Once you make a swap or two, it might inspire you to look out for more. You might even find you’ve swapped your way to a simpler, cheaper, life. If you’ve already made a money swap that’s made a difference - be sure to click through and share it with us.
