Find out how to stretch your money to cover your household budget! The cost of living just keeps getting higher with inflation and higher interest rates.
You might have noticed the rise in petrol prices when you went to fill up your car, realised that your weekly grocery spend is costing a lot more and noticed that your household utility bills are up. And don’t forget the increase in rents or the mortgage repayments! 2023 is going to be a tough year with many facing a mortgage cliff due to interest rate hikes.
With family budgets being squeezed across Australia and interest rates still set to rise more, we’ve put together a series of guides to help you save money on your household expenses. They contain useful tips and suggestions about how to make your money go further.
As well as useful moneysaving tips, we’ve also put together information about various NSW programs and voucher schemes to help you save money. We’ve also included ideas for free family fun for those with kids or grandkids. We hope this information helps you save money if you’re on a tight budget.
GROCERIES
How to Save Money on Your Grocery Shop
It’s easy to save money on groceries and reduce your shopping bill. Here are our favourite money-saving tips to save dollars at the supermarket.
13 Products You Should Buy Generic to Save Money on Your Grocery Bill
Save lots of money on your grocery bill by choosing the generic version over a name-brand product. Most of the time, you can’t tell the difference in taste. Here’s our list of generic products to purchase.
10 Top Vegetables to Grow in Your Garden to Save Money on Your Grocery Bills
Save money on your grocery bill and start growing food. Here in Australia, we are blessed with a great climate for growing herbs and vegetables. Here is a list of vegetables to grow in your garden to save money on your grocery spend.
HOUSEHOLD BILLS
How to Save Money on Your Utility Bills
Save hundreds on your utilities. Here are some useful tips to reduce energy use and slash the costs of your electricity, gas and water bill.
17 Best Websites & Apps to Save You Money
Trying to save money? Here are a collection of websites and apps to install on your phone guaranteed to save you money and trim your spend.
BABIES & KIDS
Kids Eat Free in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & The Hunter
Don’t feel like cooking but want to save on going out with your family? Here’s a list of where kids can eat free (or cheap) in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter region all week long!
50+ Free & Low Cost Things to Do With Kids in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & The Hunter
Looking for some affordable family fun? You don’t always have to spend lots of money on activities to entertain babies and kids. There are lots of free and low-cost things to do in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter.
Discover Newcastle through Free Family Scavenger Hunt Printables
Get out and explore Newcastle! Newy with Kids, with the support of City of Newcastle’s Boost Your Place placemaking, has developed a series of free family scavenger hunts to download.
50 Ways To Save Money When You Have A Baby
They’re small and cuddly but babies can cost a fortune! It seems like there are so many things to get for pregnancy, birth and beyond. A pram, baby clothes, car seat, diapers, baby wipes, toys, the list is endless. Here are our best tips on how to save money when you expecting a baby.
How to Easily Save Money – 101 Tips to Save on Family Expenses
Trying to save money on your family budget? Here’s 101 ideas to save money on your family expenses without compromising fun, style and time.
150+ Ideas For Free Family Fun at Home
Keep family life fun with a mega list of kids activities to try. Here are 150 ideas for family activities to enjoy for kids of all ages. We’ve included games and activities you can enjoy both indoors and outdoors at home.
15 Easy Ways to Save Money on Your Kid’s Birthday Party
It’s easy to get carried away and spend a lot of money on throwing your child a birthday party especially when you see some of the kids’ birthday parties featured on Instagram or Tik Tok. Before you max out the dollars, remember you can still have a fun and memorable kids party on a budget. Whether you’re on a strict budget or just want to curtail excess birthday party spending, here are our best tips to help you save money on a kids birthday party.
125 Free Kids Activities to Save Money on Family Fun
You can still have fun with your kids without spending a cent. Here are 125 kids activities for free family fun to enjoy with kids of all ages. We’ve included free kids activities you can enjoy at home as well as in your local community without breaking the bank.
LIFESTYLE
20 Ways to Save Money on Clothes
Want to look stylish on a budget? Spend less, be frugal & still look fashionable. Here are our best hacks to save money on clothes.
Save Money! How to Stream TV & Movies for Free in Australia
Cut the costs of paid streaming services! We’ve researched the best free streaming platforms available in Australia to find free movies & TV.
15+ Best Ways How to Save Money on Books & Magazines
Love reading but spending too much on books & magazines? Here are our best creative ways to cut costs on your reading materials.
Exercising on a Budget? Try These Tips to Save Money on Fitness
Ditch that expensive gym membership or personal trainer and work out for less. You’ll save loads of money while still getting your cardio or zen on.
25 Tips To Save Money on Travel & Holidays
Enjoy your holiday without worrying about costs! Don’t spend heaps on airfares, accommodation & attractions. Here are our 25 best tips to save money on travel.
NSW GOVERNMENT VOUCHERS
How to Claim Your $150 NSW Back to School Voucher
A new $150 NSW Government Back to School voucher scheme has been introduced to help families with the costs of school-aged kids. The voucher can be used for school uniforms, school textbooks, shoes, stationery and school bag and other school expenses.
Active Kids Voucher: Apply for Two $100 NSW Active Kids Sports Rebates
The Active Kids program provides families in NSW with two $100 per school-aged child each year, to help meet the cost of getting kids involved in community sport.
NSW Creative Kids $100 Voucher for School Age Kids
The NSW Creative Kids $100 Rebate can be put towards the cost of registration, participation or tuition fees for creative and cultural activities such as music lessons, language classes, coding and digital, visual and performing arts.
$100 First Lap Voucher for Swimming Lessons for Kids Aged 3 – 6
The First Lap voucher program provides $100 vouchers for parents, guardians and carers of children aged 3-6 years towards the cost of swimming lessons.
$180 NSW Family Energy Rebate
Apply for a $180 NSW Family Energy Rebate. The 2021-22 rebate helps NSW families with the cost of their energy bills. Apply online.
MAKING MONEY
How To Make Extra Money: 30 Ways to Increase Your Income
Earn extra money. Here are the best ways to make extra cash so you can pay bills and supplement your income.
Started in late 2012 by a local mum, Newy with Kids has grown into a thriving go-to family guide for the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie & Hunter region. Parents visit the Newy with Kids website to find things to do with babies, kids and teens. Whether it’s local attractions, upcoming events, kids eat free, school holiday activities or birthday party ideas, Newy with Kids is the best website for local parents to find local kid-friendly activities and information 24/7.