With petrol having gone up, what are locals doing to keep their spending low?
There seems to be no respite from spending more, with everything continuously increasing. So, we found out what some locals are doing to be more financially savvy.
After four consecutive months of petrol price decreases, on July 2, it rose. Let’s face it though, this increase is just the cherry on top of an already horrible cake whose ingredients aim to add more stress than delight to our lives.
Because of it, community members are forced to show their resilience and come up with ways to save money. Take Westdene resident Sandra Burt for example. She is grateful she can work from home, which means no high commuting costs for her. “It is always concerning though when you see the impact it makes on prices in store when petrol goes up. It affects the cost of everything.”
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When saving money, the first thing she looks at are her groceries and how she can ‘spread’ meals out. “In winter, that’s big pots of nutritious soup, or stews, that you can eat for days on end,” she shared. Saving also means less money for any luxuries, like a meal out, and definitely less on any kind of pampering. She also highlighted how, due to electricity increases, it’s important to look at ways to cut down on usage. “With petrol, it is really looking at whether you can avoid unnecessary trips, even to the store. Getting everything done in one trip as opposed to multiple.”
Saving on unnecessary trips is exactly what Emmarentia resident Jenny Duffy is doing when she makes sure her shopping is done mostly online once a week. She said this saves her traveling to the shops two to three times a week.
To save money, Julie Ah-Fa, a resident of Fairland, said she started baking more, and eating out less. “I actually turned it into a small, home business. I now bake vegan waffles, cakes, biscuits, and bread. It helped me save money, earn a bit on the side, and know exactly what’s in my food,” she proudly said. The mom says every little saving helps. “But honestly, it’s not only petrol. Everything costs more now. So, it really feels like the right time to be extra mindful. Making small changes at home, like cooking in batches and planning better, helps me stay ahead, and feel a bit more in control.”
There are so many ways, people are saving money during these tough economic times the country is faced with. Share with us some of the ways you are saving.
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