The Happy Saver
Ruth The Happy Saver covers a wide range of personal finance topics, but a recent blog emphasised the importance of the word “no” when it comes to personal finances. Ruth sprung a spend less and earn more challenge on her family in July this year, including a teenager. “Should we go out for lunch? NO. Should we stock up on cat food because it’s on special? NO. Should we test out the new gondolas in Queenstown? NO.” They ate from the pantry, did not buy snacks or coffee. Subscriptions that were not necessary were cut or put on hold. They drove the car less, walked more and looked for deals on fuel.
Ethically Kate
Sustainable living quite often dovetails with living frugally. Kate Hall of Ethically Kate is just that person to deliver age-old advice, such as boiling your food scraps to make stock. I don’t entirely agree with her many blogs promoting cute stuff for sale. On the other hand, her 2022 wardrobe freeze married sustainability with frugality. Almost all the clothes we buy are wants, not needs. Hall found at the end of the year she had retired a number of items of clothing, could live with less and her consumption habits were far more in control. Her bank balance would have been very happy. We can spend a lot of money on clothing in a year. Here’s how not to spend money for a month.
Māori Millionaire
Let’s be clear here. Te Kahukura Boynton doesn’t claim to be a millionaire, but she’s working hard to get there. Like many influencers, she is learning as she goes. Boynton’s podcast on April 6 was entitled “How to stop spending your emergency fund on random things”. Start by setting rules around that emergency fund, she said. For example, a warrant of fitness isn’t an emergency. It needs to be planned for and a bucket created to save into. If there’s no money in a particular bucket, such as entertainment, don’t spend it. Another hack is to put emergency funds in a completely different bank and set up an automatic payment to credit it regularly. Here’s a link to my article on budgeting in the digital age.
Keep the Change
Luke Kemeys of Keep the Change, who calls himself The People’s Accountant, shares some no-nonsense advice, with a fair few expletives thrown in. His advice is wide-ranging, but he talks about thinking more abundantly. He recommends delving into your personal money stories. They can hold you back, or make you spend money unnecessarily. “We pick up on the lessons we hear.” Kemeys isn’t a “live on the smell of an oily rag”, deprivation man. He’s more about making intentional choices. “Start the habit and change the beliefs.”
Some other frugal or at least money-savvy influencers worth a read or listen include Frances Cook’s @MakingCentsPod, @AndyCooks, to spend less on food while eating well, @FriendsThatInvest, for investing insights, and @thekiwihomemaker and more.
Just beware that a lot of influencers earn commissions or sponsorships, which means they make money when you spend. That’s the opposite of a guarantee of independent advice.
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