Desperate Times Calls for Desperate Measures

Catch Public Transport

For those of you that understand the joys of traveling around Melbourne... sitting in your car for long periods of time, not moving and then upon arrival discovering that you have to pay for parking. You would understand the frustration that driving your own car can sometimes have.

So a great money saving option that i participate in on a weekly basis is catching public transport. I came to this decision when it took me almost the same amount of time to drive to university as it did to catch the bus, plus i had to pay $5 parking. With public transport i only have to pay $2.80 for the day and it also means i can get plenty of study done during my trip home :).

Buy in Bulk

So i recently made a visit to Costco to check out what everyone was raving about and what an amazing place.

You can get such an array of items there from American chocolate to kayaks :).

The only catch it that you have to be a member which is $60 a year and you need to be prepared to initially spend some money to save some money. But i definitely suggest a visit....

Well if its Free
While at Doncaster Shopping Centre, I spotted this cool kid having his own little movie night with his lap top and head phones. What an opportunist, making use of the available power point and wifi. I think we could all learn a few lessons from this guy :).

Get Creative

Its amazing what you can find at the op-shop, but sometimes it takes a little bit of imagination and some  handy man skills (or handy women skills) to make something old look beautiful again. I picked this Queen Anne dresser along with 2 bedside tables and a bed head, up from a local Vinnies store for $160. 

When i got it, it had deep red paint on it and stick on laminate in the draws. So with lots of paint stripper, sanding and some fresh white paint (along with the handy skills of my step dad) I ended up with a beautiful bedroom suit. And it only cost $270 :)

 Make Full Use of What You Pay For

In our everyday lives we pay fees for things. Whether it's our study at university, our weekly gym membership or Public transport. So why not get your money's worth?

Upon my stealing paper expedition I discovered that the university library now locks the paper draws on their printers, but I did manage to find one that wasn't locked. If your like me and paying $3000 a semester you want to get your moneys worth, so scabbing a bit of paper here and there is a great way to save money.

Another money saving idea is to make full use of your gym membership, by having your after workout shower at the gym, to save on water bills.

Take a Trip to Ikea

It was suggested to me by one of my followers, that i check out the deliciously affordable food at Ikea.

This meal here involved Swedish Meat Balls, Unlimited Soft Drink and Chocolate Mousse - all for under $10 :).

If you can get past the screaming children and the service that makes you feel a little like your at a high school camp, its worth the visit.