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TGoG Podcast 064 – How We Budget and Tips to Save Money

May 16, 2014 @ 20:54 By Gavin Webber 21 Comments

Budget tips save moneyHas the recent Australian Federal Budget got you down?  Don’t know how you are going to stretch your income to pay all your bills and debts?

Well, we may have some help for you.  To strike while the iron is hot, this very special out-of-schedule podcast episode is about how we budget and tips to save money.  It is in response to the recent Australian Government budget which will affect many low and middle income earners over the next few years.

Listen to the Episode Below (00:37:29)
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Belts are definitely going to need to tighten, and to make ends meet we are all going to have to be a little more frugal.

So to that end, Kim and I decided to put together a special podcast episode all about how we put together our fortnightly budget, and share tips on how we save money on all things in life.

We start the episode by talking about where we started with basically living from pay to pay, then a flush of cash when I landed an IT job and how our behaviours changed with all this disposable income. Then we hit our greening stage and sorted ourselves out by living a more sustainable lifestyle and living within our means.

Note: Neither Kim nor I are financial planners.  Our advice is just plain common sense, which anyone can follow to save a buck and to stretch your dollar further.  Our budget tips save money.  Frugal is not a dirty word!

So please join us by listening to our budgeting special edition.

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Filed Under: Frugal, Podcast, recycle, reduce, repair, reuse, Simplicity, Sustainable Living, TGOG Podcast

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About Gavin Webber

Gavin Webber's daily goal is to live a more sustainable lifestyle, in an effort to reduce his family's environmental footprint so we can all make a difference for our children & future generations to come.

Learn more about him here and connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.

Comments

  1. Lynda says

    May 16, 2014 at 21:56

    Every Friday i bpay rates, water, gas, electricity, interest free loans etc. I was surprised you could pay rates weekly but i called and you can. I have furnished our entire home on interest free and GE must hate us. I know that im in credit for gas, but winter is coming and thats when its highest. This year ive draped all the couches with lap rugs for snuggling. Small payments each week are manageable and even though we are on one income im not afraid of those bills arriving. I actually look forward to them so i can say FIGJAM to myself.

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      May 17, 2014 at 19:25

      I reckon you are as well (FIGJAM that is). Great budgeting tips Lynda! x

      Reply
  2. Madeleine says

    May 17, 2014 at 09:29

    Hi Gav,
    I enjoyed hearing about your journey with Kim – wow those early phone bills were unbelievable! Appropriately, I listened to the podcast whilst darning my woollen socks so that I can get another Winter out of them. I was fortunate enough to be gifted a darning mushroom from my partner’s 86 year old mother, and it’s amazing how much easier and neater it makes the process.

    Have a great day, Madeleine

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      May 17, 2014 at 19:27

      Hi Madeleine. The phone bills of Kim’s were a killer, but she just couldn’t stop calling her man here in Oz.

      My nana had a darning mushroom. I remember that it was just a rounded piece of wood, so might see if I can make one myself, as I darn my woolen socks as well.

      Gav

      Reply
  3. theresa says

    May 17, 2014 at 09:30

    Loved listening to your budget tips, you both make a great team, always nice to hear what others are doing.
    I need to take advantage of interest free for white goods when something breaks down. Will need a fridge soon so will look into interest free (the cloths dryer went years ago would NEVER get another one ) I have been doing a weekly menu for many years and it does work, not only because it is cost effective but when I have to cook a meal at night and I am tired I don’t want to be looking through my recipes for ideas or inspiration because I don’t know what to cook, and I certainly don’t want to be running to the shops because I don’t have half the ingredients. That is when people buy take out, and as we know that is not always a cheap option.
    I like Lynda’s idea of lap rugs being handy, will give that a go this winter, they are not expensive, it will be in my NEEDS not want’s column 🙂
    Thank you again xx

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      May 17, 2014 at 19:29

      You’re most welcome Theresa. The menu planning really does save so much money when it comes to food. We make sure that we also plan a take away meal (usually a friday night), so that we have a night off.

      Gav x

      Reply
      • theresa says

        May 26, 2014 at 18:14

        Do you use worm castings if you have some, or just leave the soil as is, thank you.
        Hope you had a nice break last week, and ate lots of yummy Pizzas !!!!

      • Gavin Webber says

        May 26, 2014 at 20:42

        Hi Theresa. Yes, I so mix in some worm castings with the compost before I spread that over the surface. There are a fair few worms in the compost bins, so I don’t need to add much.

        Had a great break. Pictures soon.

      • theresa says

        May 26, 2014 at 20:48

        Thank you, I hope I can get some pictures of my beetroot to share, looking forward to seeing yours.

  4. Melindi Robertson says

    May 17, 2014 at 09:32

    Great podcast. You mentioned your glut of pumpkins, so I have emailed you two of my favourite pumpkin recipes. Have a good weekend

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      May 17, 2014 at 19:32

      Thanks so much for the recipes Melindi. I especially like the sound of the Maple glazed pumpkin. I have a question though. What is EVOO?

      Gav x

      Reply
      • Melindi Robertson says

        May 17, 2014 at 20:34

        sorry, Extra virgin Olive oil. Enjoy!

      • Gavin Webber says

        May 17, 2014 at 22:39

        Thanks for that!

  5. Carol Hardie says

    May 17, 2014 at 15:11

    Loved listening to you and Kim,thank you so much for sharing your Budget tips! Very interesting, I am allready living a very Frugal life, and in a couple of weeks time I am going on a Pension, so I have been preping myself to live within my means, and I have been managing really well, by living as you do! Growing lots, cooking from scratch, and having my Budget worked out for the year ahead! Thanks again !

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      May 17, 2014 at 19:33

      Thank you for listening Carol! Well done on attaining your frugal lifestyle. The food from your garden must save you so much money as well. I know that ours does.

      Gav x

      Reply
  6. theresa says

    May 19, 2014 at 19:33

    Hi Gavin, I have tried to grow parsnips from seed twice, to no avail, my beetroot grows lots of leaves, and never a bulb, I know that is too much nitrogen in the soil but can you please tell me what you do to grow root vegetables.
    I have tried to find something on your web site but all I found was a picture of your humungas BEETROOT,
    which made me more jealous……..

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      May 20, 2014 at 09:24

      Hi Theresa. I ensure that root vegetables are planted in a bed that is at the end of its 4 crop rotation, and I do not add compost or fertilizer to it. Otherwise it will just develop leaves, which is fine for a salad, but not so good for roots.

      Hope that helps,

      Gav

      Reply
  7. Kellie says

    May 20, 2014 at 09:39

    Love listening to the both of you!
    As a listener it is easy to tell that you both embrace your lifestyle and each others company which is a joy to hear.
    I created a basic excel spreadsheet that maps the paydays across the top and a running list of expenses down the left and then I can see where the money needs to be across the year. Also helps to see when savings goals are met, or debt reductions achieved because it brings the year a lot closer when you can see it all lined up. We managed to reduce my partners personal debt by 21K in 2 years before we got married using this simple idea.
    Great tips once again! I would add eating simply- and the same things a few nights in a row instead of always aiming for gourmet or complicated dishes. Some high profile Tv cooking shows have a lot to answer for!

    Reply
  8. rabidlittlehippy says

    May 22, 2014 at 14:48

    Simple food and straight from the garden – nothing can beat it for finances nor flavour. In fact, lunch today is omelettes with shop cheese and everything else home grown. 🙂

    Love your mash with pumpkin. I made up a veggie mash the other day – some carrots, parsnips, beetroot, sweet potato, broccol and parsley and some shop bought spuds (ran out here too sadly). Pink mash! Served with fried chicken (yum) and the leftovers were all diced up and mixed together with some buckwheat flour (normal flour or oats would work too I’d say) then fried lightly and served as patties.

    Thanks for the shout out too. 🙂 Just to clarify though, I was involved in the killing of our sheep but it was a friend who had worked in the abattoirs who did the actual deed. I was in there for the skinning, gutting and butchering though. 🙂

    Heaps of great advice here Gav and much that I will be thinking about and putting into action too. MUST get my meal plan back in order.

    Reply
    • Gavin Webber says

      May 23, 2014 at 08:31

      Cheers Jessie. Your version of mash sounds very interesting! Happy to shout out, coz you can do things on your block that I just don’t have the room for.

      I love having Kim on the show, we bounce off each other really well.

      Gav x

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Cash vs Card - The Greening of Gavin says:
    August 7, 2014 at 08:40

    […] listen to TGoG podcast episode 64, which we recorded a couple of months back.  It is titled “How We Budget and Tips to Save Money“.  It is one of the most popular episodes that we have […]

    Reply

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About Gavin Webber

About Gavin Webber

An Ordinary Australian Man Who Has A Green Epiphany Whilst Watching A Documentary, Gets a Hybrid Car, Plants A Large Organic Vegetable Garden, Goes Totally Solar, Lowers Consumption, Feeds Composts Bins and Worms, Harvests Rainwater, Raises Chickens, Makes Cheese and Soap, and Eats Locally. All In The Effort To Reduce Our Family's Carbon Footprint So We Can Start Making A Difference For Our Children & Future Generations To Come.

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  • Always inspiring and entertaining!
    August 4, 2016 by floriographer from Australia

    I've crowed about Gavin's podcast before but I just have to recommend it once again - I love that he shares his learning as well as his successes - it helps the rest of us try try try again! Thanks Gavin!

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    I can highly recommend Gavin’s podcast ! I have followed Gavin’s blog since the very beginning and have loved to see his journey unfold. Gavin has a lovely speaking voice so this podcast is always very easy to listen to. Gavin has a very authentic approach to his green living lifestyle. He shares the ups and downs but always provides motivation and practical steps that we can all implement.

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    Fantastic podcast, with a wide variety of well thought and researched topics. Gavin is a honest, forthright pod aster with a genuine interest in helping others get green. Like a day alongside is a day wasted, so too is a week without listening to Gavin. Highly recommended for people starting out, or those in the midst of their new lifestyle. Keep it up Gavin, wish there were more great reviews! Kimberley

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    This is a wonderful podcast. Not only does Gavin talk knowledgeably on a range of sustainability topics from gardening tips all the way to the issues facing humanity as a whole, but he does so in such a wonderful voice, it's like listening to my Dad, love it!!

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    Gav knows how to share his journey to a more sustainable life in a manner that shows just how easy it really is. Not to mention healthier, economically beneficial and generally rewarding. The podcasts are an easy way to absorb Gav's great lifestyle. I recommend to anyone.

  • Thanks Gavin!
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    Great practical advice for a greener lifestyle. This podcast is for anybody interested in growing their own food in suburbia, saving electricity, brewing beer, making cheese, all that wonderful business and most of all, saving money! Thanks Gavin, love the podcast mate!

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