Mia came to Birthright for financial advice as her family’s income had decreased now that she had dropped from full-time to part-time work.
In order to provide the best help, our Financial Mentor, Barb, asked Mia to bring in her bank statements so she could get an accurate idea of her regular expenses. As she went through them, Barb noticed that there was an area where savings could potentially be made.
The family was currently spending $60 a week on takeaways.
Barb knew from experience that a lack of cheaper homemade meals could be for many reasons. These include tiredness, no cooking utensils, a shared kitchen, no power, habit, limited shopping or cooking skills.
In Mia’s case, buying takeaways turned out to be a habit from when she worked full-time.
Barb shared what she does to reduce her food bills, which is to buy inexpensive pre-made meals from the supermarket, like meatballs and chicken tenders. Then make spaghetti meatballs or chicken wraps. Meals that are affordable, quick and tasty!
Mia loved the idea and when she went to the supermarket the following week, bought a meal pack for $20. She got her older children to help her prepare the week’s meals, which helped Mia out and taught the children new cooking skills at the same time.
The family now saves $40 a week by making easy homemade meals, and still has enough money left to treat themselves to takeaways each Friday.
If you want free, practical advice on how to save money, contact us. We are here to help and we won’t judge you.
