When they first met, mother-of-two Kristin Jordan had to train her husband Ben to budget and save.
She explained to him why it was important to buy multiple staple items – like toothpaste and deodorant – while they are on sale.
‘There have been a few times in our marriage where we have had to really look at ways to save money,’ the Melbourne mum told FEMAIL.
When they first met, mother-of-two Kristin Jordan (pictured) had to train her husband Ben to budget and save
‘I went on maternity leave twice, so we went down to one income during that time and I was working at Aussie Farmers Direct up until March when they suddenly closed down and we weren’t paid redundancies.’
The family explained how they have three things they ‘really value’ pouring their hard earned cash into.
‘These are our house – we wanted to live in an area fairly close to the city – saving for our kids’ educations and family holidays,’ Kristin said.
The family explained how they have three things they ‘really value’ pouring their hard earned cash into.
First of all, they recommend stocking up on non perishables when they’re half price
‘It may seem strange that we put family holidays in there but to us they are very important. So we try and save money elsewhere.
‘We have adopted most our principles from what our parents would have done.’
First of all, they recommend stocking up on non perishables when they’re half price.
‘For the nine months leading up to maternity leave each shop we would buy extra laundry powder, toilet paper etc when it was half price,’ Kristin said.
‘It was easier to pay for these when we had two incomes rather than one. We managed to not have to buy any of those things whilst I was on leave.’
‘For the nine months leading up to maternity leave each shop we would buy extra laundry powder, toilet paper etc when it was half price,’ Kristin said
In order to keep up to date with when things go on sale it’s worth looking at the food catalogues released by supermarkets like Aldi each week
In order to keep up to date with when things go on sale it’s worth looking at the food catalogues released by supermarkets like Aldi each week.
‘Look for the deep discounts but make sure it’s items you need,’ she explained.
On top of that try and incorporate some vegetarian meals into your food plan. Not only do you up your vitamin intake, but the meals tend to be cheaper to make than meat-heavy ones.
‘We now have four vegetarian meals per week which leaves us with three nights of basic meat and vegetables,’ she said.
‘There are some great vegetarian recipes out there. Buy the marked down vegetables as it all tastes mostly the same once cooked.’
‘We now have four vegetarian meals per week which leaves us with three nights of basic meat and vegetables,’ she said
Always opt for a home cooked meal over takeaway varieties – they add up in expense and extra calories very quickly
Always opt for a home cooked meal over takeaway varieties – they add up in expense and extra calories very quickly.
‘We used to have takeaway once a week as a treat but can’t justify the cost any more. We now prefer to just make home made ones instead, she admitted.
‘Move away from processed food and you will save money and feel better. Also you can find ways to incorporate left over vegetables easily by meal planning.
‘Minimise any food you buy outside of the plan. If you have vegetables left over at the end of the week, I blend them and throw them in a bolognese.’
To conserve money in the clothing department, invest in joining a buy/swap/sell group on Facebook
‘For the last two years, I have only spent about $100 on the kids clothes as I have been able to sell the clothes for what I paid for them,’ she said
To conserve money in the clothing department, invest in joining a buy/swap/sell group on Facebook.
‘Don’t turn your nose up at buying secondhand,’ she said.
‘I love nice clothes brands on my kids but I can’t justify the price so I buy them secondhand. I then make sure I sell them again once the kids outgrow them.
‘For the last two years, I have only spent about $100 on the kids’ clothes as I have been able to sell the clothes for what I paid for them.
If you’re looking for a fun school holiday or weekend idea, invest in a zoo membership
‘I would rather have a good quality piece of furniture that I bought secondhand than a brand new cheap piece of furniture.
‘If you need a couch and you know someone getting rid of one, just take their old one. I promise your friends will still love you, even if you have them sitting on a secondhand couch.’
If you’re looking for a fun school holiday or weekend idea, invest in a zoo membership.
‘They are reasonably cheap and if you have nothing to do, just pack your own lunch and go to the zoo,’ she said.
‘No one will ever get bored of going to the zoo more than once.’
And finally, take a break at least once a year to recharge as a family.
‘Every year we like to take one big holiday. To do this we look for which credit card has bonus airline points,’ she explained.
‘They usually make you spend a certain number of dollars in the first month so we get the credit card. So we book the accommodation with it then use the points to buy airfares.’