Budgeting tips please

We have a very limited budget each week and so far we're doing well on it. We paid a maximum of $80 for power for 2 adults over winter (was down at $40 suring summer, before we got our laptop lol) and that is with the entertainment system (tv, xbox360, stereo hooked up to car speakers) going pretty much all day every day and the laptop being run 12+ hours a day. We do have ecobulbs in all the frequently used light fixtures and we dont have a dryer. We didnt use the heater very often during winter as it sucked power like crazy so we just piled a few more blankets on the bed and more a couple more layers.
I cant say we really try to save power lol seeing as I currently have 3 bulbs lighting one room when with a flick of 2 switches I can change it to one

For power I auto payment $15 a week to the power company and so far this is covering it nicely. I pay the same to cover the phone bill. We have $60 to $70 a week for groceries and I can usually make that stretch to feed us quite easily. Meat is usually mince and sausages. I make quite a lot of meals that will last us more than one night like my lasagne which lasts 3 nights (or 2 nights and one lunch) and most other meals I make last us 2 nights.
Meat free meal is usually pasta with cheese sauce though I sometimes add cooked bacon to the sauce along with some mushrooms and chopped tomato and spring onion. Yum.

We have a couple of extras like DF signed up to get the paper delivered because there was a deal of 2 free movie tickets per month. Worked out that we were paying for the movie tickets and getting a months worth of papers (6 days a week) for about $5. We have reorganised the budget though so now need that money elsewhere and so are cancelling the subscription.

We currently do live week by week but I think we're doing the best we can with what we have.

xXELAx wrote: We turned our hot water cylinder down in temperature after our big bill last month so will be interesting to see what our next bill comes in as. We won't get any instant savings though as we are on even pay but will still be nice to see the number go down.

Will be interested to see how much it changes your bill, we have had some huge bills and I know its cos of heaters and dryers going but think also that the hot water is TOO HOT but DH refuses to turn it down

We don't use a dryer - its so windy at the moment that it doesn't seem to be much of a problem - maybe when baby comes and in winter we may need to do something about it.

We also turned down our hot water cylinder - didn't even notice the temperature difference - but are yet to receive the power bill too...so reserving judgement on it. However, DH and I set a timer in the bathroom to 3 min for him and 5 for me (since im not as agile). So think that helps too.

Our sodastream (thanks flybuys) is awesome.

It is such a balancing act - especially this time of year. I am a 'mature' student and DH works, we dont' get any sort of help from parents or WINZ like many of my friends do and it sucks when we catch up for coffee when they all talk about cool stuff they've bought, everything we have for baby is second hand. Nothing wrong with that, but just gets down a bit sometimes.

Yay for summer!

mirsty wrote: Re: the eco bulbs - do you guys reckon they actually work? ours keep popping in their fittings, the normal ones seem to last longer!

I don't like them. We did use one in the hallway but it took forever to warm up & it was used for the kids while they went to sleep. We would never use them in kids room.

I'm saving couple of $ a week now by just using an iPhone app called" buysmart"

Edited by Mina001