Rising cost of living and ways to save on essentials
The cost of living is rising in Australia and around the world. Although some expenses are beyond our control, we can save money on essentials like groceries and travel. Here are some ways to cut costs and find abundance.
Food
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Some online stores offer discounts for new customers. If you were already needing to buy something and it is available from a store that offers incentives, take up the opportunity! Yes, I’m flogging the affiliate deal pretty early. But why not?
Delicious basic staple ingredients
I have written about pantry essentials a bunch of times. I wrote an article that was basically about non-perishable basic pantry foods to stock up on.
Oats
Oats are seriously versatile, healthy and cheap. They can bulk out WFPB burger patties as the dry grain component. You can make oat PB banana cookies or baked porridge. Or good old fashioned regular porridge. Set up overnight oats in the fridge. Blend them to get oat flour. I used homemade oat flour with steamed sweet potato to make flat breads a while ago. The possibilities are endless.
Porridge can be fun. Oats are a cheap ingredient. Image: Unsplash.
Dry legumes
The process is generally the same for beans. Rinse, soak for 8 hours or overnight (or longer), rinse, boil until soft enough. I don’t go through the soaking process for lentils. You can either boil legumes in a stovetop pot or in a pressure cooker if you have one. I wrote a guide on how to boil your own green lentils. See other food articles for similar hints.
Bean and lentil based meals are a bit obvious - curry, stir fry, lentil bolognese, soup, Mexican chilli, WFPB burgers and so on. Here is a quick brainstorm to think outside the box. Find a recipe for black bean brownies. Don’t judge it until you have tried it. Make crepes with chickpea flour. Roast chickpeas in taco seasoning for a delicious high-protein snack. There are more ways to use legumes than you would expect.
Rice
Rice is great for meal-prep. Even in monetary sticky situations, try to get whole brown rice if possible. The fibre is meant to improve health. I don’t have to explain rice too much. But really, there should be cheap packs of this basic ingredient at the supermarkets.
Brown rice. Everyone should have it. Image: Unsplash.
Bulk spices
Buy larger bags of your favourite dry spices (and maybe herbs too). I generally find these at Indian stores and Amazon. You could look at Asian grocers and other supermarkets too. It should be a much better deal than the little glass shaker bottles.
Meal Prep
You might be less likely to buy take away food if you have meal-prepped food ready to go. Cook a big batch of meals and freeze them. Chop extra salad and refrigerate it for a few days. Make extras of individual ingredients so you can quickly assemble meals.
Yesterday, I wanted tofu for a wrap. I fried as many slices as I could fit on the pan. After making my wrap, I put the extra tofu slices into the fridge for next time. Then if I need to rush out of the door, I can just chuck together a wrap before storing it in a reusable zip lock bag that could fit in my ‘handbag.’
Make your treats most of the time
I’m referring to coffees and sweet treats (healthy or otherwise). This method is for most of the time because we need to be realistic. Even in challenging times, we still have social and emotional needs. I personally believe in balance.
Here is the approach I would take. For the first coffee of the day, that desperate cuppa to caffeinate and survive, it can be DIY. Bring the beverage in a reusable coffee cup or a Thermos if you’re in a rush. Then when the morning slows down a bit, or at lunch time or whenever, sit down with the best local barista coffee. Mindfully appreciate the top quality refreshment. Or you could wait to have your next treat coffee when meeting up with someone. Here is my point. Make most of your coffees to then appreciate the occasional expensive drinks or venues even more.
Make your own coffee. The process could be stylish and delicious. Image: Unsplash.
The same thinking could be applied to other treats. In my household, ‘bliss balls’ (I call them ‘smoosh’ like the “Smooshed” brand) are essential. They are healthy, sweet and nourishing. The store-bought versions are delicious but will cost a bit more. I keep a big tub of ‘slice’ (same stuff, different shape) in the fridge. Then if I need extra smoosh when going out, or if I want a special fun food, I might buy pre-made ones from the supermarket or a cafe. This balanced habit probably saves plenty of money each week.
Fresh produce - seasonal, flawed, clearance and bulk
I wrote about clearance food a while ago. The other categories got a mention at some point. But here we go. Eat seasonal fresh foods. Google it if needed. Look for ‘imperfect’ and ‘odd bunch’ fruits and vegetables. They should be edible but just not aesthetically conforming. Shop the clearance sections of the supermarkets, farmer’s markets and fruit shops. Get bulk quantities of fresh foods if you need that much. If you’re buying extra of a food you need a bit of, freeze or dehydrate the leftovers as soon as possible.
Find clearance produce. If it’s good enough to be sold, it’s edible enough to consume. Image: MSW
Cheap or free fruits and veggies from the neighbourhood
These options depend on your area. When I lived in the Blue Mountains, there was a house up the street where entire buckets of lemons were left out and labelled as free for anyone. When I walk through Newcastle, I notice an abundance of rosemary plants along particular streets. Wherever you live, the local community garden may provide some free food if you take pieces carefully. I truly believe there is more cheap or free food available than people realise.
Get an ethical amount of whole plant foods, like this kale, from community gardens. Image: MSW
Grow your own food and other practical plants
I would recommend starting with aloe vera and rosemary. Aloe can soothe skin. I generally was able to keep rosemary alive more than other fresh herbs. There are ways to grow seeds from the foods you buy too. You can also re-grow veggies. Cut the base of celery. Put it in a bowl with some water. New bits of celery will start to grow, nice and leafy. If you don’t want to start from scratch, see if anyone is selling or giving away edible plants on second hand sites or community notice groups.
Frozen fruits and vegetables
Let’s be clear. I’m not referring to the frozen fries and other processed flavoured veggies that are marketed to us. I’m focusing on the bags of 100% whole single-ingredient frozen fruits and vegetables. Find berries, mango, peas, corn, tiny mixed veg bits (useful for a fried rice or lentil pie), winter or stir-fry veg and maybe chunks like broccoli.
Household and personal supplies
Get reusables now if you can afford them. It will save you money weeks, months or a year from now. Some zero-waste alternatives could be cheaper too. You could find some of these supplies (the less personal ones) second hand.
Bathroom and personal
The sustainable personal products are much cheaper than disposables. I haven’t paid for period products or nappies in a long time. Switch to reusable handkerchiefs, menstrual products and safety razors. Use a bar of soap instead of liquid hand wash. Try shampoo and conditioner soap bars and see if they last longer than bottles.
If you are a parent of a baby or toddler who is not yet toilet trained, use cloth nappies and wipes. There are lots of ways for parents to live sustainably and affordably.
Kitchen
Wash reusable silicone mats instead of baking paper. Get a coffee plunger because it won’t require electricity like other machines. Find the many ways to reduce food waste.
Cleaning
If you haven’t already, fill a reusable spray bottle with vinegar and water. This solution should clean most surfaces. Use rags instead of paper towels. I cut up a sheet into rag-sized pieces after the sheet was accidentally ripped in transit.
Transport
Car pool
Travel in the car with family members, friends or trusted co-workers. Car-pooling may be convenient if you are all going in the same direction or to the same destination. Offer to split the cost. Express gratitude for any saved costs.
Public transport (of course)
Naturally, public transport is worth considering if you have the time and access. Availability depends on where you live. It could involve waking up earlier to take the long way to work. But if you need to save money, it could be an option.
Walk or ride a bicycle
Do you really need to drive blocks away? Could you walk instead? Along with saving a few dollars, this could be a needed opportunity for exercise and fresh air (and sunshine).
It sounds obvious but worth saying - reconsider the car and try public transport if possible. Find a solution instead of just worrying about fuel prices. Image: Unsplash.
Health
Medical and health topics are sensitive and not my area of expertise at all. I just have a few ideas based on personal experience and based on the experts I follow. This is included in the piece about affordability because medical costs are apparently rising. If we can feel ok more of the time, it could reduce the financial pain along with avoiding other forms of pain. Please don’t take this (or anything else on this site) as medical advice. Seek a professional. That being said, I hope these hints could help.
Prevention over cure when possible
We may be able to reduce the necessary treatments if we can prevent and reverse lifestyle-related conditions. I strongly recommend following the resources from Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, MD MSCI, (a.k.a. Dr. B), Dr. Gemma Newman, Dr. Kristy Funk and Team Sherzai (doctors Dean and Ayesha Sherzai). I personally feel empowered by the whole food plant based diet, yoga and nature. We all should also get more community connection and mindful meditation in our lives. It’s all connected. We should do what we can to stay happy and healthy. We’re mortal humans in flawed physical form but we can nurture ourselves as much as possible.
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