Tipid Tips

jakibantiles

Hello po. 10 months pa lang po kami ni hubs dito sa Sydney. Planning to have kids and hopefully makabili ng bahay as soon as possible. Umaabot ng 5k yung expenses namin monthly which I think sobrang laki. Any tipid tips po sa everyday expenses and even cheap but good quality buys na pwedeng dayuhin dito sa AU? Halimbawa, bili sa Cabramatta vs Costco, Coles or Woolworths, furnitures, clothes, kids essentials, etc. Kahit anong tipid tips po sana. Salamat po sa magsheshare! 😍

athelene

@jakibantiles said:
Hello po. 10 months pa lang po kami ni hubs dito sa Sydney. Planning to have kids and hopefully makabili ng bahay as soon as possible. Umaabot ng 5k yung expenses namin monthly which I think sobrang laki. Any tipid tips po sa everyday expenses and even cheap but good quality buys na pwedeng dayuhin dito sa AU? Halimbawa, bili sa Cabramatta vs Costco, Coles or Woolworths, furnitures, clothes, kids essentials, etc. Kahit anong tipid tips po sana. Salamat po sa magsheshare! 😍

If I may ask, what's the breakdown of that 5k/month living expenses?

Generally the rent ang pinakamalaki na gastos, then transpo, utilities/bills. If it's an option for you to move to a more affordable place for the next year or so para makaipon for house downpayment, that would be better because short-term sacrifice sya. Rent in Sydney can be very expensive, especially if you live close to CBD. If there's nothing you can do about the rent, shop around for better utility providers--mobile, gas, electricity, etc. For my mobile plan I pay only AUD 30/month with 40Gb data with Vaya, because it didn't include a new phone. I have never paid for gas/elec/water bills before because I always look for a room for rent (houseshare) that includes all those na (I paid AUD 230/week but I lived near CBD so bawas gastos din sa transpo). I did the same here in Brisbane, so ang main expenses ko nlng are transpo (I don't drive in Australia, so public transpo all the way), mobile plan, extra health insurance, and food (Coles/Woolies/Aldi). Then miminsan lang ako magshopping (Kmart, Big W, Target, and Daiso are my go-to places). Coles and Woolies have pretty much the same range of products, so check out their weekly sales. Kung alin yung may discount, dun ako bibili, then I'll figure out a menu based on the product on sale, hehehe. I think the location/place to shop only makes a small difference, especially since dalawa lang kayo ng husband mo (it'll probably only make a big difference kung marami kayong anak).

I understand that as a couple you need your own place, and that's perfectly fine. My advice is just to identify what are your savings goals first, then work out a maximum budget that you're willing to spend for living expenses (rent, transpo, bills, food, shopping). As a single person, I survived on a monthly budget of AUD 1200 (AUD 1500 if ma-shopping or laging may takeaway for that month hehe) for the past 3 years. I've cut my expenses to the bare minimum/essentials, then the rest go to savings.

One big expense na minsan hindi maiwasan is to eat out/takeaway, especially if you live near a takeaway place (which was the case for me in Sydney). Here in Brisbane, iilan lang yung takeaway place around my house so I was forced to do more homecooking with simpler dishes (less ingredients = less spending). Also, I limit my visits to grocery and shopping centers to a minimum para hindi ma-tempt magshopping hehehe.

Hope that helps.

jakibantiles

@athelene said:

@jakibantiles said:
Hello po. 10 months pa lang po kami ni hubs dito sa Sydney. Planning to have kids and hopefully makabili ng bahay as soon as possible. Umaabot ng 5k yung expenses namin monthly which I think sobrang laki. Any tipid tips po sa everyday expenses and even cheap but good quality buys na pwedeng dayuhin dito sa AU? Halimbawa, bili sa Cabramatta vs Costco, Coles or Woolworths, furnitures, clothes, kids essentials, etc. Kahit anong tipid tips po sana. Salamat po sa magsheshare! 😍

If I may ask, what's the breakdown of that 5k/month living expenses?

Generally the rent ang pinakamalaki na gastos, then transpo, utilities/bills. If it's an option for you to move to a more affordable place for the next year or so para makaipon for house downpayment, that would be better because short-term sacrifice sya. Rent in Sydney can be very expensive, especially if you live close to CBD. If there's nothing you can do about the rent, shop around for better utility providers--mobile, gas, electricity, etc. For my mobile plan I pay only AUD 30/month with 40Gb data with Vaya, because it didn't include a new phone. I have never paid for gas/elec/water bills before because I always look for a room for rent (houseshare) that includes all those na (I paid AUD 230/week but I lived near CBD so bawas gastos din sa transpo). I did the same here in Brisbane, so ang main expenses ko nlng are transpo (I don't drive in Australia, so public transpo all the way), mobile plan, extra health insurance, and food (Coles/Woolies/Aldi). Then miminsan lang ako magshopping (Kmart, Big W, Target, and Daiso are my go-to places). Coles and Woolies have pretty much the same range of products, so check out their weekly sales. Kung alin yung may discount, dun ako bibili, then I'll figure out a menu based on the product on sale, hehehe. I think the location/place to shop only makes a small difference, especially since dalawa lang kayo ng husband mo (it'll probably only make a big difference kung marami kayong anak).

I understand that as a couple you need your own place, and that's perfectly fine. My advice is just to identify what are your savings goals first, then work out a maximum budget that you're willing to spend for living expenses (rent, transpo, bills, food, shopping). As a single person, I survived on a monthly budget of AUD 1200 (AUD 1500 if ma-shopping or laging may takeaway for that month hehe) for the past 3 years. I've cut my expenses to the bare minimum/essentials, then the rest go to savings.

One big expense na minsan hindi maiwasan is to eat out/takeaway, especially if you live near a takeaway place (which was the case for me in Sydney). Here in Brisbane, iilan lang yung takeaway place around my house so I was forced to do more homecooking with simpler dishes (less ingredients = less spending). Also, I limit my visits to grocery and shopping centers to a minimum para hindi ma-tempt magshopping hehehe.

Hope that helps.

Woow! Ang galing niyo pong magbudget. Noted po sa sacrifice ng konti sa rent. Since wala pa naman anak, kaya naman siguro namin maghouse share muna para mapabilis ang ipon. Laking tipid nga yun, di na prob ang utilities/bills. Madalang po ako makakita ng sale sa mga coles/woolies/aldi, may timing po ba? 😅

Ito po yung breakdown namin:
Rent: 360/wk
Food: 700/mo
PHI: 250/mo
Car: 990/mo (all in-gas, insurance, rego, etc)
Phone: 115/mo
Gas/Net/Elec: 180/mo
Transpo: 200/mo (ako lang)

Bale almost 4k/mo lang po pala. Naisama ko pala yung padala ko sa parents 😅

Ozlaz

Rent: 1738
Food: 600/mo - aldi/coles
Car: 800/mo (all in-gas, insurance, rego, etc)
Phone: 32/mo (2 na kami ng asawa ko)
Gas/Net/Elec: 230/mo

=3400
Tapos 600 sa recreation (family of 5)

We are in Melbourne.. yung phone namin, 20gb lang. May promo kaya 16 per month lang. Hehe

athelene

@jakibantiles said:
Woow! Ang galing niyo pong magbudget. Noted po sa sacrifice ng konti sa rent. Since wala pa naman anak, kaya naman siguro namin maghouse share muna para mapabilis ang ipon. Laking tipid nga yun, di na prob ang utilities/bills. Madalang po ako makakita ng sale sa mga coles/woolies/aldi, may timing po ba? 😅

Ito po yung breakdown namin:
Rent: 360/wk
Food: 700/mo
PHI: 250/mo
Car: 990/mo (all in-gas, insurance, rego, etc)
Phone: 115/mo
Gas/Net/Elec: 180/mo
Transpo: 200/mo (ako lang)

Bale almost 4k/mo lang po pala. Naisama ko pala yung padala ko sa parents 😅

hahaha forced magtipid kasi maliit lng yung fortnightly stipend on the scholarship at bago ako dumating sa australia, nakapagtanong na ko sa kakilala ko about yung phone plan. AUD 15-20/mo lang daw yung kanya pero di naman siya naka-data plan, so nagresearch lng tlga ako ng mura na mobile plan. yung sa rent, i was more willing to pay higher rent to live closer to the city, bawas ng konti yung transpo expenses at di masyado pagod/haggard pag pumapasok sa uni. Nadiscover ko lang on my own yung laking tipid ng houseshare na inclusive yung bills, and wala na iisipin after magbayad ng rent.

As for sale sa grocery, laging merong sale every few weeks, minsan few cents lang ang difference, minsan almost half-price. I would also recommend checking out asian groceries kasi mas mura yung ibang items (yung ginger na 49/kg sa coles/woolies, 20/kg sa asian grocery hahaha). Mas gusto ko magshopping ng garlic and ginger sa asian grocery, tapos yung frozen chopped onions binibili ko sa coles (lifesaver for me na laging naiiyak pag naghihiwa ng sibuyas hahaha). OK yung Thai Kee and Miracle Supermarkets in the Haymarket area; check out if there are big asian groceries in your area. Meron ata ok na market sa Flemington kasi marami akong nakikitang tao na puno yung cart/trolley pag sumasakay ng train.

For your breakdown, it looks ok naman, so car pala yung malaking expense nyo and yung rent hehehe. Iniisip ko dati kung kukuha pa ako ng car, but looking at that monthly expense, nakakadismaya yung cost 😅 commute nalang tlga ako hahaha. Maybe try spending less on food/grocery for a month and see if it makes a big difference? Minsan kasi di natin alam na overspending tayo sa food, when we can spend so much less. Like Coles has bulk packages for chicken (yung 1kg), so get those ones instead of the 500g ones. Also, they decrease the price on those meat products pag malapit na sa best-before dates (like kailangan na lutuin that day or the next), mga few dollars difference din. Shop around for better price on your mobile plan, then change provider if wala kayong contract. Alam ko free naman lumipat ng provider and you can keep the same number (I've transferred from Amaysim prepaid sim to Jeenee/Vaya and have kept the same number).

engineer20

@jakibantiles said:

@athelene said:

@jakibantiles said:
Hello po. 10 months pa lang po kami ni hubs dito sa Sydney. Planning to have kids and hopefully makabili ng bahay as soon as possible. Umaabot ng 5k yung expenses namin monthly which I think sobrang laki. Any tipid tips po sa everyday expenses and even cheap but good quality buys na pwedeng dayuhin dito sa AU? Halimbawa, bili sa Cabramatta vs Costco, Coles or Woolworths, furnitures, clothes, kids essentials, etc. Kahit anong tipid tips po sana. Salamat po sa magsheshare! 😍

If I may ask, what's the breakdown of that 5k/month living expenses?

Generally the rent ang pinakamalaki na gastos, then transpo, utilities/bills. If it's an option for you to move to a more affordable place for the next year or so para makaipon for house downpayment, that would be better because short-term sacrifice sya. Rent in Sydney can be very expensive, especially if you live close to CBD. If there's nothing you can do about the rent, shop around for better utility providers--mobile, gas, electricity, etc. For my mobile plan I pay only AUD 30/month with 40Gb data with Vaya, because it didn't include a new phone. I have never paid for gas/elec/water bills before because I always look for a room for rent (houseshare) that includes all those na (I paid AUD 230/week but I lived near CBD so bawas gastos din sa transpo). I did the same here in Brisbane, so ang main expenses ko nlng are transpo (I don't drive in Australia, so public transpo all the way), mobile plan, extra health insurance, and food (Coles/Woolies/Aldi). Then miminsan lang ako magshopping (Kmart, Big W, Target, and Daiso are my go-to places). Coles and Woolies have pretty much the same range of products, so check out their weekly sales. Kung alin yung may discount, dun ako bibili, then I'll figure out a menu based on the product on sale, hehehe. I think the location/place to shop only makes a small difference, especially since dalawa lang kayo ng husband mo (it'll probably only make a big difference kung marami kayong anak).

I understand that as a couple you need your own place, and that's perfectly fine. My advice is just to identify what are your savings goals first, then work out a maximum budget that you're willing to spend for living expenses (rent, transpo, bills, food, shopping). As a single person, I survived on a monthly budget of AUD 1200 (AUD 1500 if ma-shopping or laging may takeaway for that month hehe) for the past 3 years. I've cut my expenses to the bare minimum/essentials, then the rest go to savings.

One big expense na minsan hindi maiwasan is to eat out/takeaway, especially if you live near a takeaway place (which was the case for me in Sydney). Here in Brisbane, iilan lang yung takeaway place around my house so I was forced to do more homecooking with simpler dishes (less ingredients = less spending). Also, I limit my visits to grocery and shopping centers to a minimum para hindi ma-tempt magshopping hehehe.

Hope that helps.

Woow! Ang galing niyo pong magbudget. Noted po sa sacrifice ng konti sa rent. Since wala pa naman anak, kaya naman siguro namin maghouse share muna para mapabilis ang ipon. Laking tipid nga yun, di na prob ang utilities/bills. Madalang po ako makakita ng sale sa mga coles/woolies/aldi, may timing po ba? 😅

Ito po yung breakdown namin:
Rent: 360/wk
Food: 700/mo
PHI: 250/mo
Car: 990/mo (all in-gas, insurance, rego, etc) - medyo mataas ito
Phone: 115/mo - may kasamang phone sa plan? kung wala look for cheaper sim-only plan
Gas/Net/Elec: 180/mo
Transpo: 200/mo (ako lang)

Bale almost 4k/mo lang po pala. Naisama ko pala yung padala ko sa parents 😅

@jakibantiles coles/woolies have their weekly specials na nagpapalit every Wednesday. check their catalogues na available sa shops or online. Pag mga fish, meat at veggies/fruits naman usually mas mura sa butchers at asian.

jakibantiles

@athelene @engineer20 woow! Thanks po sa tips! Noted po sa Wed na grocery schedule at magcheck ng cheaper phone plans! All the best po! 😄

crashbandicoot

@jakibantiles said:
@athelene @engineer20 woow! Thanks po sa tips! Noted po sa Wed na grocery schedule at magcheck ng cheaper phone plans! All the best po! 😄

Check nyo rin yung Boost mobile. Sulit para sakin 300 AUD/yr (minsan nagppromo sila ng 245 AUD) kasi unli calls and text din sa Pinas.

agentKams

@jakibantiles bulk buy sa butcher for the meat, weekend market for the veggies/fruits. bumibili ako ng maramihan pag 1/2 price esp rice sa coles/woolies.

Desert_Cowboy

@Ozlaz said:
Rent: 1738
Food: 600/mo - aldi/coles
Car: 800/mo (all in-gas, insurance, rego, etc)
Phone: 32/mo (2 na kami ng asawa ko)
Gas/Net/Elec: 230/mo

=3400
Tapos 600 sa recreation (family of 5)

We are in Melbourne.. yung phone namin, 20gb lang. May promo kaya 16 per month lang. Hehe

Hello. Wow good news for me. 3400 for family of 5!
Plan din naming magmigrate sa AU. Waiting nalang kami for visa grant kaya nagreresearch ako about sa expenses. We're a family of 6, and I'm bothered sa living expenses baka di kayanin kasi single income earner ako. My estimated income would be about 5k AUD after tax. Free naman ung education ng mga bata sa government schools at may Medicare din. Mejo nabobother ako sa mga nababasa kung 4k-5k ung budget for a couple with no kids. Nakita ko ung comments mo at nagkaroon ako ng pag asa. hehe. kaya pala nasa diskarte lang.