Our Finances Suck Part 10 - Coping With The Stress

So it's been a few weeks since I did a blog post in the Our Finances Suck Series, mainly because we have been busy, busy with an exchange student here for three weeks.

She has gone home now and I can breathe a small sigh of relief because we can return to toasted sandwiches for dinner!!

Financial stress can really take a toll on you so as part of this series I have the amazing Sasha, psychologist extraordinaire, who blogs over at From The Left Field sharing her words of wisdom on how to deal with all of stress that comes with financial worries....

"Money, money, money…. It can bring the best of times and the worst of times.  It’s awesome when you have money, but when you don’t? It makes you want to reach for the wine. Oh hang on, you don’t have any money for wine. Crap. Well, this sucks, doesn’t it?

It’s no wonder that money problems rate as one of the main causes for arguments in the household. It covers so many things, and impacts on us all in a big way. When you’re trying to juggle a family and make your dollars stretch, it can bring a ton of stress. Stress on you, stress on your partner, stress on your kids.

When we get into that money spiral, it can really impact on our wellbeing. And when we’re strung out, we’re not taking good care of ourselves. Which of course makes managing home and money even harder, and before we know it we’re going around in circles.

While sometimes there’s not much we can do about the money, there are things we can do for ourselves to help cope with any financial stress that might arise:

• Do a little bit of relaxation every day. Calm breathing, muscular relaxation, even some quick mindfulness exercises- to get you focused on the here and now. There are some neat ideas here:  http://www.spring.org.uk/2014/04/mindfulness-meditation-8-quick-exercises-that-easily-fit-into-your-day.php  or here https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-practice/201302/6-mindfulness-exercises-each-take-less-1-minute

• Self-talk is the key. If you’re constantly saying to yourself “this is too much!” “how are we going to survive?” “We’ve got no money!” “We won’t cope!”, then  of course you’re going to feel stressed! It’s one of the biggest things we need to keep in our minds- it’s not the situation that makes us feel a certain way, it’s how we think about the situation. If we can think about things in a more balanced way (not positive, because having no money really sucks!), then we’re going to feel calmer and more able to deal with the challenges that lie ahead.  Try reminding yourself of thoughts like “we will get through this”, “there’s ways we can cope”, “it’s not always going to be like this” and “we just need to take one step at a time” to help keep you on track.

•  And while we’re looking at talking, outside of self-talk, talk to others too. We like talking! As the saying goes ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’. Sometimes just getting it off your chest, and bouncing some money issues off another person can help you feel better, and help you to gain some perspective also. Our brains have this wonderful way of screwing with us and making us fear things are much worse than they are. Support from those around us is very important when it comes to dealing with stress!

• If you’re not a big talker- then write it down. It’s all about getting that stress out of your system. A handy little idea is a ‘good stuff’ book. A little pocket notebook you can keep with you, to record any little ‘wins’ you might have, or times where you overcame that stress. So that in moments of utter hair-tearing out panic, you can flip through and physically see and read all the evidence that shows you things are going to pan out

.

• Shake it off! Get out and get moving. Or listen to Taylor Swift if that’s your thang. But that recommendation didn’t come from me. If you’re feeling the stress, exercise is your friend. It doesn’t have to mean a huge chunk of time out of your day, but just a quick walk, or jog, or even star jumps. Grab a short workout from YouTube and follow along. Jump on the kid’s trampoline- that is some therapeutic stuff right there.

•   Look at your options. Problem solve it- what alternatives do you have at the moment? What can you control and what is out of your control? Mapping this out goes a long way to reducing stress.

You may have a few great tricks up your sleeve that you like to use also when it comes to stress- use whatever you need to. But remember that the money problems aren’t going to get any easier if you stay stressed. Best to get that stuff in check and then you’ll feel more able to manage financial issues.

If you’re really struggling, you might want to check out some free e-sites (e-couch, moodgym), there’s financial counsellors around who could help (could even be some free ones), and if the stress is just getting way too much, then it might be time to go and see your GP for a chat to see if there’s some options available. There are psychs around who bulk bill so it doesn’t cost you a cent.

After reading all the stress money can bring, I’m thinking that living a life of an eccentric hobo in a cave is sounding pretty good right now. If eating questionable berries ain’t your thing though, make sure you get that stress out!"

Financial stress really does do your head in!!  It is the first thing you think about when you wake up in the morning and the last thing on your mind at night.  

Sasha has some great tips here.....getting out of the house and going for a walk is something I do when I get the chance, as is trying to have positive thoughts, I know that this is just a particularly bad patch that we are going through and hubby is busy at work now so money should start coming in again soon so think positive, but also learn from what has caused your financial problems and try to find a solution....looking for some free financial advice is a great idea!

Thank you so much for sharing with us today Sasha, it has been a privelege to have you here.  Be sure to check out Sasha's blog over at From The Left Field....this gal is a wealth of information....and she's due to have a baby any day now....and who doesn't love stalking newborns...please tell me I'm not the only one!!!!


Linking up with Essentially Jess fir #IBOT

Our Finances Suck Part 9 - Health Insurance

Well life got a bit busy last week with the school holidays so there was no post on my financial series......but this week I am back with a sponsored post from Health Insurance Comparison.

If you are watching your finances then you will probably want to check that you are getting the best value Health Cover for your money....but it can all sound a bit too hard can't it....well then read on, this post is for you.....

Reviewing and Switching Family Cover

If you have had your health insurance policy for at least a year, it may no longer be the best option for your needs or the best value for money. Many families will find that their health insurance needs will change as children get older and start to benefit from a greater range of services, and this is why it is so important to review your cover on a regular basis. This can make sure that you are not paying for services that you are not using and to ensure that you are covered for things that you definitely do need.

Knowing exactly what you will need from your health insurance in the next year puts you in the perfect position to compare your options and see if you can save money by switching to another health fund.

Here is our guide for how to review your policy and some tips for switching if a comparison reveals that you could get a better deal with a different health fund.

How to Review Your Family’s Cover

When you are reviewing your family’s cover, you’ll need to think about the services that are going to become important in the next year - as well as those that are needed currently. This is because waiting periods could otherwise catch you out if you don’t have cover in place in time. Key waiting periods to be aware of include 12 months for major dental and orthodontics and anything between 2 to 6 months for many other Extras services. If you suspect that your family are going to be making better use of Extras services in the not-too-distant future, you’ll need to make sure that they are covered on your policy anything up to a year before you anticipate needing to make a claim.

As well as pinning down what you will need going forwards, have a think about any services on your policy that are not going to be needed anymore. Have you decided not to have any more children? Downgrading to a policy that does not include pregnancy/birth related services will be more cost effective if you don’t see yourself getting any further use out of them.

Once you are confident of the kind of services that your family are likely to need in the coming year, you can compare your options to see if you can get a better deal elsewhere. You can choose to do this yourself and trawl through various health funds to look at their policies, or you can use a comparison service to do the legwork for you.

Switching Your Cover

As a consumer, you have the right to switch your custom to a different health fund whenever you choose to do so. As well as switching to get better value for money, you may also choose to make the jump for superior customer service or because a different health fund may have benefits that aren’t available to you currently.

If you have never previously switched to a different health fund, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s definitely not as complicated as you might think. Portability rules mean that any waiting periods served under your existing health fund should not need to be reserved if you move to a different insurer. This is usually the case if you’re moving health funds but keeping a similar or lower level of cover to before. If you have only partially served a waiting period when you switch, you’ll need to finish serving this with your new health fund before you would be eligible to make a claim for that service. 

If you’re upgrading your cover when you switch, you will need to serve new waiting periods, just as you would do if you upgraded with your current health fund.

Lifetime Health Cover (LHC) loading will not be affected if you switch health funds. Any loading that you have already incurred with go with you, regardless of which health fund you are with. Likewise, if you don’t have any loading when you switch, you won’t incur any by moving to another health fund.

Don’t overpay for your health insurance policy! Whether you’re completely new to insurance or you’re looking to see if your current policy is still competitive, start saving today by comparing private health insurance funds today at HealthInsuranceComparison.com.au 

Well I have to admit that I am way overdue for a check on our health insurance policy to see if we are getting the best value for money as well as the best cover for the stage we are at....which seems to be involving a lot of orthodontics and glasses!!!

Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT

Do you have private health insurance?  Have you checked that you have the best value cover for your family's current stage?

Our Finances Suck Part 8 - 7 Ways Teens Can Make Money

                                                                                                                                                                   

View image | gettyimages.com

If your teenagers are anything like mine they start to become a bit expensive with outings, cars, further education etc.. yet there isn't always the time or means for them to get a part time job outside of the home to fund these things themselves.  This post is aimed at Miss 16 who has been chosen as part of a student exchange program to go to Japan later this year!

So today I have asked Kylie Travers for some help in putting together a list of ways that teens can make some money.

Kylie is the author or 365 Ways To Make Money, an award winning blogger, international speaker and CEO of Occasio Enterprises a social media marketing, strategy and training company.

Here is Kylie's list of 7 ways teenagers can make money....

As a teen, I was very keen to make money. In fact, when I was 13 I worked out a list of ways I could make money because I wanted to buy a house. My dad wouldn’t let me, but it didn’t stop me from looking for ways to make money then and now I have the sort of mind that can see ways to make money everywhere.

As a teen, there are many ways you can make money from the usual ones you have probably heard of through to things that only this generation have been able to do.

1.) The usual suspects

Things like baby sitting, lawn mowing, cleaning, cleaning ovens or wheelie bins, gardening, garage sales, dog walking, pet sitting, tutoring, ironing, a catalogue or newspaper run or even washing cars for friends and family.

These are all the sort of things your parents probably did to make extra money and they can all still be done today.

2.) Social media

Teens can make money by reviewing things on social media, creating a blog to monetise or creating a significant following on Instagram, twitter, Facebook, Snapchat or whichever platform you relate to the most. Once you have established a following there are many ways you can advertise on it such as paid reviews, sponsored mentions, attending events and sponsorship packages.

3.) Work part time

That’s right, get a regular job. You might think fast food or retail is beneath you, but in reality, they teach you a variety of skills, there is the opportunity for extra training and the experience of working in a hard and fast environment is great for life in general.

4.) Make stuff to sell

A good example of this is my 6 year old nephew. He creates key chains he sells on Etsy and it hasn’t taken him long to save for an iPad. You can make digital things people can print such as invitations or motivational sayings, create jewellery or anything that you have an interest in creating can be sold either online or at markets.

5.) fiverr.com

Fiverr is a website you can offer to do anything for $5. Create a graphic, do a shout out on social media, write an article. Whatever it is you are happy to exchange your time for to earn $5, can be done on fiverr.

6.) Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping sounds easy, but there is a little involved. You sign up to a company then apply for jobs as they come out. If you get accepted you go do the shop, come home and do a survey then get reimbursed. It can take a couple of hours and sometimes it might only be a free pizza you get, other times it can be a few hundred or even free flights.

7.) Market research

Market research usually involves trying a product and giving your opinion or doing an interview via Skype about your opinion on something or going in with a group of people to discuss a topic or new product or an experience you have had so they can use your answers to create campaigns or get funding for something the company is working on.

It is usually 1 - 3 hours and pay varies but is usually quite worth it. It is not a regular income

though.

Sit down, look at what you are interested in doing, have a search online to see what you can do in your area and think about what will work for you. There is a lot of opportunity out there to make money. What have you tried?

I really want to thank Kylie for taking the time to contribute to my blog and my financial series.  

I have bought and read Kylie's book and can honestly say that it contains some great ideas for making money....I highly recommend it.  You can purchase it via Amazon simply by clicking on the 'shop now' button below or just the image.

You can also follow Kylie on Facebook or on her blog....I strongly recommend that you pop over and follow her....she is a wealth of great financial information and more.

Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT

Our Finances Suck Part 7 - Christmas Club Accounts

sponsored post

Did you know that it is only 6 months til Christmas...what the heck!!

When your finances totally suck it can be really hard to start putting away money for Christmas or even to start buying gifts during the year.

My solution for the past 10 years or so has been to have a Christmas Club Account .....seriously this has been a life saver for me!   I have $50 per fortnight taken directly from our wages and put into the Christmas account,  by November each year when you can draw the money out, I have approximately  $1,300 to spend on Christmas presents and food.

Because the money comes straight out of our wages I don't miss it on a fortnightly basis and if I tried to put the money away each fortnight myself I am sure that it would end up disappearing when the hot water system sprung a leak or the washing machine died...this way it's locked away safe and sound until Christmas is close. 

I truly love Christmas time and certainly don't need the stress of not being able to buy gifts for the girls so the Christmas Club Account is perfect for me....maybe it's something that could work for you too.

I have my account with Queenslanders Credit Union because that's who we had our mortgage with at the time and even though we've changed mortgage providers since then I've stayed with them for the Christmas Club account because it works perfectly for me and I've never had a problem with getting my money, usually within 24 hours of emailing them my withdrawal request the money hits my everyday banking accounts and I can hit the shops!  

You can read about the Quuenslanders account here or you can google others...there are plenty around so you should be able to find one that suits you.

Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT

Do you have a Christmas Club Account already or do you think you could find it advantageous to use one in the future?

Our Finances Suck Part 6 - Payment Arrangements

Generally I try to make fortnightly payments towards my utility bills, school fees etc.. to avoid the shock of having the bill arrive and the full amount needing to be paid! Unfortunately at the moment this is not an option for me so currently I feel like I am drowning in bills and expenses (even more than usual!!).

So here's my advice on how to deal with situations like this....

Collect all of your bills together, figure out how much you can afford to pay towards each bill per week or fortnight and then get on the phone......eeek scary I know....but it's gotta be done.

I used to hate ringing companies to ask for payment extensions or payment arrangements ......like really, really hate it to the point of making myself feels sick about calling!!  

But now when things are really bad I figure that I've got no other choice...it's just gotta be done!  If it helps write down on a piece of paper what you are going to say so you can refer to it during the phone call.  

Check the back of your bills, nearly all of them will have a number to call for assistance with your payments.  Simply tell them that you are having a hard time financially at the moment, you are not able to pay the bill in full and you would like to make weekly or fortnightly payments of the amount that you previously decided that you can afford. 

Most of the time this will not be a problem at all but you must be aware that you are now locked into the payment arrangement  and you must make sure that you make all payments on time or else the payment arrangement will be broken and you will be required to pay the outstanding amount in full.  Also be prepared that some companies might be a bit more strict with what they want you to pay each payment and so you might have to offer to pay a little more than first planned..... 

To date I haven't had any nasty experiences with calling companies and arranging payment extensions or payment plans and it's much better to call and make a payment arrangement with these companies than it is to receive a letter from the collections agency who will be much less flexible and will want payment in full by a particular date or else legal action will ensue.

Believe me you really do not want things to escalate to the point of collection agencies and beyond.  Speaking from experience we ended up in a really bad financial situation years ago, had to move house, constant phone calls for payment of money we owed......in the end notice of our moving must have gone astray to one financial institution  and hubby's credit card at the time got forgotten......seriously we were basically paying money to those who called the most!  The bank never got in touch with us and the first we realized was a letter from the collection agency.  We paid in full within the time frame they gave us and we moved on.  A few years later we went to borrow some of the equity in our mortgage, just $5,000.....and guess what...we were denied the loan...all because of this black mark on his credit rating and this was the first that we knew of it.  That black mark stays there for 6 years....we still have 5 months to go before the six years is up.

So take my word for it, you do not want to get to that stage!  Call anyone that you can, make payment arrangements and stick to them.

You will probably find that your school will be willing to enter into payment arrangements for fees and often after school activities can be paid by installments too if you speak to them about your situation.

Just paying small amounts each week or fortnight will ease some of the pressure on your finances and eventually you should be able to get back on track!

Here's a useful link if you need some more information about making payment arrangements for your bills or if you have trouble in trying to do so....  just click here


Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT

Are you like me, a big baby when it comes to having to call people and make payment arrangements etc...??

Our Finances Suck Part 5 - Meal Plan and Save Money!

This week I am thrilled to have Victoria from Boiled Eggs and Soldiers sharing some great advice on meal planning and in turn saving money.......I've got to admit that I don't meal plan as much as I should..... 

I’m delighted to be over here today as part of Veronica’s money saving series and want to have a chat about meal planning. Don’t glaze over just yet!! Everyone knows that it’s a good idea and has good intentions to do it but do we often think about the real benefits of it apart from making us feel very virtuous and organised?

I started meal planning when my eldest was about 2 and she started eating what we were having (well, at least a variation of it anyway).  I also had a newborn at home so time or lack thereof was an issue.  That was 6 years ago and I’ve been meal planning ever since.  Here’s my take on the benefits of meal planning besides always having an answer to the question “What’s for dinner tonight?”

1.  Saves Time and Reduces Stress

We often think that planning a week of meals is time consuming so put it off, but spending 20 -30 minutes once a week will actually save you far more time in the long run.  (Once you have a bank of meals plans you can recycle them so you don’t even need to spend the time making a plan if you don’t want to).

By having a meal plan no longer will you stare into the fridge hoping for some magical meal to appear and it also stops the need run to the shops for a last minute ingredients too.   By planning your meals in advance you can make your shopping list and only get the things that you need that week.  This makes your time at the shops much more efficient I think, you aren’t wandering aimlessly around the aisles hoping that dinner will pop into your trolley and there is less chance that you will reach out for those impulse buys as well.  It also means that usually you only have to shop once a week if you are lucky (except for perishables like fish).  All that can save you a great deal of time.

Meal planning also cuts down on time for the cooking process.  If you need to defrost something you know to take it out in the morning so that it’s ready for that night.  If you know that you are busy before dinner time you can make part or all of the meal in advance so that all you have to do it cook it or heat it up when you get home.  This time of year is great for using a slow cooker that you can put on in the morning and dinner is ready for when you get home.

 2.   Saves Money

If you have planned your meals you can see across the week where you can use the same ingredients, where you can make extra to have leftovers made into another meal.

For example we had friends over for an early dinner on Sunday night and I did pulled pork tacos with coleslaw as an easy meal that everyone ranging from age 4 to 50 enjoyed.  I bought an extra  large piece of pork for the purpose of having leftovers.  I made a pulled pork shepherds pie the next night for a quick & easy Monday night dinner.  If you don’t want pork 2 nights in a row it can be frozen and used at a later date but for the extra $2 the bigger piece of pork cost me I got a whole other meal out of it.  The leftovers could also be used for lunches the next day as a pulled pork wrap in the lunch box would go down a treat!

Planning your meals in advance also saves you money through enabling you to buy in bulk especially for things like pasta, tinned tomatoes, grains etc.  You can also take advantage of the often cheaper produce that is in season or on special and plan future meals around it.

Because you know what you are having for dinner each night you will be less tempted to use the convenient but more expensive “take away” fall back. If you are only buying what you need for the meals that you have planned then you won’t end up buying things that you are not sure if or how you are going to use so you will reduce food wastage therefore reducing wasting money too!

 3.  Helps you make healthier choices

Elite athletes plan their meals meticulously so why not you too?  Ok, so maybe you are not a Stephanie Rice or Sally Pearson but busy, active, growing families can also benefit from healthy meal choices.  Mapping out your meals over the course of a week can help you make sure you are getting variety and nutritionally balanced meals.  Work out how many times a week you want fish, chicken, red meat, grains etc and making sure you are getting lots of fruit and vegetables so you know you are “eating your greens”. Factoring that into your meal planning means that you can easily see what your intake is and make any adjustments that may be necessary for example if you are having toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and then pasta for dinner you may want to switch out one or two of those meals for something with more protein and vegetables instead.

I do a weekly meal plan on Boiled Eggs and Soldiers

 4.  Can involve the whole family

If you have a plan and a shopping list then the actual shopping is not dependant on one person so the load can be shared (if practical & possible).  It also means that for those asking “what’s for dinner tonight”? you can point them to the plan and say there you go.

Getting the family involved in meal planning means that they can choose meals that they like and may (no promises here) even be more likely to try new things if they have been part of the planning or preparation of it.

5.  Bulk Buying and Batch Cooking

When you are doing your shopping list you can buy in bulk and then make large batches of meals that can be frozen.  Bolognaise sauce, stews, curries, meatballs etc are great for this or muffins and cakes – make two and freeze one.  This way you always have something that you can pull out of the freezer for those busy days and if things are a bit tough in the budget some weeks to have something that has already been prepared can help you out there too.

I tend to stick to the meal plan Monday to Friday but we are a bit more flexible on weekends to allow for spontaneity and changes of mind! 

There are many apps that can help you meal plan or some gorgeous stationary out there. Kidspot have a great post listing out a lot of apps that you can link recipes to shopping lists etc.

Also a lot of websites including mine offer meal plan suggestions and there are also some great websites that many foodies link up their favourite recipes too. Shameless self-promotion here but I co-host “Your Weekly Feed” which is where I get a lot of my meal ideas from.

To help get you started here is a printable shopping list for you....just click on the image below and print!

So while meal planning may seem like a bit of a task it does have some real benefits as well as helping take the pain out of the mundane!

Thanks so much for having me here today.  Happy planning!

A huge thank you to Vicki for joining us in the 'Our Finances Suck' series and sharing some great meal planning advice.  Be sure to check out Vicki's blog over at Boiled Eggs and Soldiers it is truly one you need to have on your reading list!

Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT

Are you a meal planner....do you think it saves you both time and money?

Our Finances Suck Part 4 - Save Water Save Money

In the past few weeks with this series we have made our budget here, implemented it here and come up with some ideas for quick cash here.

Now it's time to look at ways to save money.....and today we are privileged to have the lovely Bec from The Plumbette joining us with some great advice on how to save money by saving water around your home......

"The cost of living seems to be a common concern to all of us when we hear about price increases to rates, electricity and water.

We received our water bill this week from Urban Utilities and I was surprised to read that our water usage had decreased last quarter. I had to think about why our usage had decreased despite having an extra person in the house. Our girls have started to share 1 bath at night as opposed to two and we haven’t had the need to water the garden when the heavens have been taking care of that for us.

Wisely managing water is a smart way to save money on your water expenses. A small drip on a basin tap and a few extra full flushes on a toilet can add extra dollars to the water bill.

As a plumber, I’m always asked for ways to save money around the home and it’s quite simple. If you save water, you can save money.

I’ve put together some tips which you may already know, and hopefully some others that you can add to what you currently do.

     

1.  Install a rain water tank and get the water to be connected to your toilet, laundry and  outdoor hose taps.
2.   Install dual flush toilet suites.
3.   Install taps that have a water flow of 7 litres of water per second or less. All new taps in Australia are set to this standard. If you want to reduce the flow on your existing taps, install water saving aerators to the spouts. Check out my post on the OneTouchTap here which can potentially save you water and money.  
4. Take shorter showers with a standard shower head. Yes, you heard me, don’t get a water saving shower head.(if you do have one of these horrific shower heads, you can take the water restrictor out)  Water saving shower heads  give pathetic pressure which means you stand under the shower for longer getting the soap suds out of your hair. If you’re bald, they may be of use to you. But if you have thick, long hair like me, water saving shower heads are a pain in the neck. Reduce your shower time with a normal shower head to 3 minutes instead of 4 or if you are really keen, turn off the water when you wash and then turn on to rinse.
5.  Catch cold water from the shower in a bucket and use this to water plants.
6.  Use a cup of water when brushing your teeth. I know I tend to turn the tap off and on to moisten the toothbrush and get rid of the toothpaste, but half filling a cup will save the few liters of water that go down the drain.
7.  Use a dishwasher and only put it on when the dishwasher is full.
8. Stop using the garbage grinder and put food scraps in the compost (the ones that can) or in the bin. You need to run water down the grinder when it’s in use, so you can save water by not switching it on.
9. Same with your washing machine, only wash full loads of washing.   
10. Drink full cups of water. I am prone to having a glass of water, leaving it in the house and then coming back to a stale drink. I then pour the water down the drain!!  A great way to keep water from going stale is to drink it from a water bottle that gets kept in the fridge OR using the stale water for plants or filling a bath or boiled for veggies that night for dinner.
11.  Bath the kids (and a parent) together. Filling a bath and washing 2 or 3 bodies saves much more water than showering 3 individual bodies.
12.  Restrict water play for kids in summer to a couple of days a week.
13.  Check all your hose taps outside and ensure they don’t drip when turned off or when in use attached to a hose. Hose taps can be easily replaced if they drip or their washers can be changed.
14. Wash car with tank water or the bucket of water saved from the shower.
15.  If your water bowl for your dog needs changing, chuck the water on the garden rather than down the drain
16. Water plants late in the afternoon or early in the morning to avoid evaporation

Depending on where you live, the costs of water and sewerage to your property will vary. The cost component of water usage is often very little on the water bill, but every litre saved is another dollar saved and when multiplied over a year or a couple of years, it could potentially be a lot of money."

A huge thank you to Bec for joining us in the 'Our Finances Suck' series and sharing with us some invaluable advice on saving water.  Be sure to check out Bec's blog over at The Plumbette it is truly a wonderful blog to have on your reading list!

Linking up with Essentially Jess for #IBOT

               Can you suggest any other ways of saving water around the home?