BUDGETING QUEEN! Stacie shares her BEST MONEY SAVING HACKS!

Good morning everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Sugar Mamma's Fireplay. I am your host, financial planner Cannah Campbell, and today we're diving into a topic that is more relevant than ever. That is how to save money, how to stretch every dollar as the cost of living continues to rise. I am thrilled to have a very special

Well, growing up it was a necessity. My father's quite financially savvy, but he just liked the time. He liked the time to shop around for deals or get the best bargains. So that sort of fell to me being the orders top, and that was, you know, way I could contribute to the household was to get the groceries purchased and save money and pay the extricity bills.

And so you've been doing this for many many years, is like since you were a young child. Wow, Yeah, I bet your father loved seeing the bargains that you would find.

Definitely, it's like some of the bigger bargains. And I told my parents with was many many years ago they had the where you could claim money health insurance for campig centrals and sleeping bags and things like that. And I remember as a teenager going and getting sorry going in, putting the receipts in and having enough money to pay for family holiday.

You're kidding. Wow, So it's like doings were really long. No, it's like always in your blood. So then what motivated you then to share with everyone else all the tips and tricks?

Well, I was I have a history of studying social science, and particularly when I was working in community service roles, there was such a need. I noticed that there was such a need out there, and also that people just didn't know where to sort of look on different even with released to say SemLink payments, not many people sort of knew how to apply or what they could be eligible for.

Wow, you know you were so on the money there, because you know, being frugal and being savvy with money, it does involve time. It does take time to shop around. And if you're able to help people save money but also save time along the way, that is just so incredibly valuable right now, and it really does take a lot of stress and pressure off people's shoulders, particularly when

Again, I'm really not one of these. This is for your no that honestly, I.

Completely disagree you. You're switched off with Mary. I've read stories you've written, and I felt a lot of stalking of you, and you're sappy.

I would actually consider myself more a spend holy coner budget. Okay, all right? For me, it's you know, I love spending, even even in my Instagram name. It's sort of I am a spender by nature. I'm sorry, I'm a same of my nature, Amy, I mean out having a challenge girl.

That one so for someone who wants to be so oided with money, And you know there's someone who loves to shop and doesn't really shop it without ever stopping to think, well, hang on, maybe I can buy that same item somewhere else. Would you recommend people do just to start? Is it a matter of sitting down and googling that particular item or you know what, what is your advice.

There are quite a few options are Google lens for me has been absolute chame changer.

You know, I only recently found out about Google lens. How brilliant is it?

It is? It is absolutely amazing. Like last year, I was like, no, I'm going to go spend money on a new thro some ladge which are normally not only don't spend sorry, it's it's very hard for me to spend on feether I'm not used to spending okay, like such as furniture, or it's very hard for me to spend money on on on sorry, on myself.

Really. Yeah, So for all the listeners who are wondering what Google Lens is, you've got to go and download

To actually truth be told. I went and spoke to a psychologist and had a couple of sessions going this is my views on money, you know, this is how I perceive what I'm seeing, And after some discussion, I was almost asking permission for myself to spend the money.

I'm like, no, trying to justify it exactly, trying.

To justify this is why I bought this because growing up I didn't have much at all. My parents were quite comfortable, but it wasn't something prioritized.

And then what was this psychologist's advice.

I have permission to spend my own money. I have permission to be happy, yes, and I don't have to ask or don't you know, or spending doesn't have to be good or bad, it's just what it.

Is, exactly. And the amount of people that assume I'm going to judge someone for spending money really upset sets me.

You know.

The other day, a friend of mine she called me and she said, I feel really bad. I'm going on a trip. And it was actually part of her work and part of her passion. And I said to her, what do you feel bad? She goes, well, I'm going on two trips and quite close to each other, and you'd probably be frowning upon me and saying this is really financially responsible. I was like, don't be ridiculous. Everyone needs to spend money, it's just about doing it in

And exactly saying that recently, I described sorry. This year, I just have sorry. This year, I discovered cruising and I'm absolutely hooked. I've been on three cruisers. I've got six more books.

Oh you're kidding, Oh my god, wow, our ag we have to keep going with funny how you're affored six bruises book. But this is what I'm talking about. It's the investment within yourself and it's an act of self love and it's a sign of self respect. And you're also investing in your own personal growth and development as you visit new destinations, meet different people from different areas and learn about the culture, and it adds to your richness of.

And also be able to have experiences with my family that matter matter.

More money, exactly, and investing in those moments are those memories and they last forever like that is a brilliant return on your on your investment. So that whatever sees me walking down the street, please don't ever judge me, and don't don't judge me. Don't think that I'm judging them, but it is so far from from the truth. Now, can you share with us, because if you've managed to afford six cruises, I want to know everything about what

Sign up for email lists, email address just for signing up for things such as fly Buyers rewards accounts. Any shop that you go to regularly sign up for the email lists. Have it separate so you're not tempted to shop. You can open it when you need and delete it or unsubscribe.

That's such a good idea to have it as a separate because email a dress because it is very distracting getting those notifications and then thinking, oh, should I jump on this sale? But if it's in a separate email address and maybe not even look to your phone, but maybe linked to a laptop or a desktop where you can then access it, that's great. And obviously a lot of websites these days had an automatic ten percent discount or free shipping or something like that when you sign up.

Or that's actually how I got the cruisersode cheap. Really, I saw a link on social media for Carnival, and I'm like, you know what, I'll sign up for it. And I did, and then I got offered a three hundred overseas cruise. We talked free alcohol and actually on board spending and everything as well. Public cruise three hundred dollar crews.

Oh my gosh. All right, okay, so Google Lands signing up? What else you hit me up?

Do you remember the entertainment book with all the little coupons they used to.

Tut It was like a phone book, and I remember my parents used to buy it. I think the money you got to charity, it was really cheap. It was like fifty dollars.

Yes, well it's actually back as an app now, and you can get discounts on OPSM or worse restaurants, so many other places.

Those savings I remember, like those little chopper dockets used to come in that book. It would pay for itself within like one or two goes. It was such great value.

Most definitely.

All right. So we've got Google Lands, we've got signing Up, we've got the entertainment app. What else do you ever use websites like such as like shot back or casual wards.

Well, of course you can get cash back on so many different things, even such as traveling shots. Now it's absolutely mind blowing. Like my most recent cruise, I got something like forty dollars back.

That's just amazing, And it's amazing how quickly those little things really do add up. I use both shot back and cash awards. Probably I have a buyas towards cash rewards, but it's whenever I love I love it. I log in and I see my you know, money savings adding up and what they owe me, and I know we wait until I hit like three or one dollars before I like cash it in and get a transfer to the thousand dollar produce. It's addictive.

You were so disapploined. I when I have my little cash back, I'm like, oh, that's my treat myself money, that's my Uber eats. Because one thing I do like about shop back is you can actually buy gift cards with the cash back and get cash back on top of that. Already.

That's brilliant, saving my and hustling at the same time. All right, what about pre love Do you ever buy like secondhand from Facebook, Marketplace, a gum Tree? Like, what are your thoughts on that?

I have two massive tips. So first is Dress for Success Sydney. They hold these air peak eirpeak sales with all designer clothes rock bottom, think Tory Birds, think Cumilla, think no, yes, oh my gosh, Rise for Success yes, they so they hold regular sales to sell off clothes that are not suitable for their clients to fund the organization.

Oh my goodness. Okay, right the other one you mentioned. You said there were two Dress to Success.

And then you turn outlet in Punchbowl in Sidney.

U turn punch bowl.

So they've got a set price.

Clothing.

Dresses are three for twenty five. Any dresses. It could be a very high end brand. They don't care at set price. Same with skirts. Skirts are six dollars sixty per skirt, no matter what the brand, no matter what the size, the set pricey.

I go, I've never heard of this. Oh my gosh, wow, Okay, you forget You're right, okay on the ex qustionon is I feel like a freaking I get freaking you're out with our over excited. I am going.

Sorry, I'm enjoying this, I really am.

Now. The cost of living obviously is out of control at the moment. What are your top tips then, for cutting down almost everyday expenses without feeling like you're sacrificing too much.

For me, it is just little simple things like this is a big one for me, even things like groceries. I've started to go to a lot of factory outlets such as the Primal Wanting Syney. These savings can be absolutely amazing with him, like five dollars a kilough and you know the stuff you can do with that? You can make pizzas, sandwiches, the list goes on.

Yeah, this is a bit of a guilty admission by me. I was I was doing solo parenting because my partner Tom ligatory here in Hong Kong here, and I didn't have any ham to make it hit sandwiches. And this is really naughty. But this is just really life. And if I could allow myself to be naughty like this,

Can I don't beat yourself up? She's got to ate subscriptions at the moment. Do you have two eb I have got two?

Okay? On that note, do you are you member Uber one? Then?

Yes? Sorry, I've got two Uber ones.

Do you think Uber one's worth it?

Yes? Why I can be sorry? Uber one can be worth it if you can find a free sign up.

How do you find a free sign up?

So usually os bargain okay or Google okay. So I've gotten about eight months for free and only this month that I've decided to.

Pay, and for people who are happy to pay, Why do you or can't maybe find a free signup? Why do you think it's worth it?

Definitely with the discounts or if you have got o other choice, depending on what you're buying, it's still can be cheaper. For example, I did a coals delivery fire Uber eats. I got twenty dollars off the shop and after even after fees and delivery, I still saved seven dollars on what I would have paid if I went myself at coals.

And then we've had to pay for petrol traffic or you know part try park or you know, lug around a grocery bag or push around a trolleyed and an asle of busy people. I mean, your time's worth more.

And there's somebody who doesn't drive that, you know, that just saved me exacly, ask somebody.

And also I noticed with uber one is that they're quite often some specials, you know occasionally like fish bowl, will do you know dinner and it's like ten dollars each and you know, for nights where it's just Tom and I and the kids are having something you know simple, it's a nice way of having a really healthy salad for dinner that's a total of twenty dollars. And yes, obviously it's a bit of a splurge, it's a bit

Of course, like last year, thanks to Uber and one, I've got something like one and a half thousand dollars in discounts in one week. Ah what. At that time, they were trying to prefer regional restaurants. My family went away to Doubo and I paid for accommodation, but I was really going to struggle to pay to cover the food, and so I just went nuts. We all had Uber account, so we or just did all these mad orderings. I think it was twenty dollars off, so we just did

Really, because there's often the perception that you know, Uber It's is squeezing as restaurants. But no, you'll find it saying you're absente opposite.

No, I think these were really quiet restaurants who don't didn't have a lot of trade in that period. But I think there is some squeezing. But I think in those respects, Uber Eats were reimbursing the restaurants.

For what That's great for the discount.

I was keep getting, Oh that's actually I actually did put up a.

Post okay, one read to make sure I licked your Instagram account because everyone needs to be hearing out all these fantastic resources like impulse spending, because there are a

Sometimes it's just me to a tee. Really not so much anymore. But earlier this year, the best thing I ever did was put a block oh my buy now paid later accounts okay, because I was going to cycle. I was paying it off in full, and then I was like, oh, I've got all this money here. No, I don't have all this money.

Yeah, I was gonna say so, Lonny.

So that was the best thing that I ever did. So they're all paid off in full. It was like three thousand, it's all done.

Yeah, and you've never used them since.

That's only been mate.

Okay, so fast through, so fast. Good. And look, you know, I think sometimes some people, and I've seen this a lot personally, is it almost becomes an addiction, the adrenaline and chase of buy now, pay later, in that you know, it gives them something to channel their energy on and they're trying to pay it off. And obviously that's not a good sign because ideally we want to be paying for things in cash through our debit card. And obviously there are times where buy now, pay later it works

Yeah, definitely.

Okay when it comes to heading to the supermarket and buying your grocery items, because that would probably be the third biggest expense in my household after our mortgage and childcare. What are your tips for saving money on food?

I'm a massy fan of Audi for the every day low price and for those who are struggling to look at community food resources where you can go and purchase food at lower cost, and you're supporting the organization to support those who cannot.

For food for stop. Yeah. What are your favorite things to pick up it out?

I would have to say meat. I think at the moment I was normally so picking up me at Audi for so long, and then the last one or two years I've had a real short of shift back because it's quality, it's affordable, and it's tasty.

Only on the weekend. Part of my girlfriends were telling me about the chicken some sort of chicken strips or chicken tenderloins which are really cheap and absolutely delicious. Studd about those, not.

Really, but I love the chicken. The chicken pad thaie kit that is amazing. It's something like fifteen.

And also I've heard the chocolate is delicious, yes, definitely, And I've heard the selection of cheeses is great as well. And I have also heard I really need to get my ass into Albie. I've also heard that the wine is really rising present and they actually won a lot of awards. Have you heard that? Yes? Yeah? Okay, all right, so all these where we need to be looking at doing our grocery shopping when it cuts things like utilities

So last year, with the Optus out each I end up writing the script for my followers so they could get so. So what they did They copying a paste to step by step into the and most of them got one or two months knocked.

Off their bills. Just wow.

By simply asking, this is what you've done for my Oh blah blah. We just made up a fictional friend brother relative. This is what we've done for them. What can you do for me? I'm prepared to.

Leap gosh, I was so gorgeous, Like that is the most sincere, kind and generous thing to actually give someone a script so they can just easily do this themselves, like and that is Look, the average phone bill is brought between fifteen eighty dollars a month or so, I know for myself it's in excess of eighty dollars. To save two months off my bill is absolutely brilliant. So I am actually with Octor, so I should have actually done that if we missed the boat now, but maybe

So with petrol it's like absolutely crazy expense, now.

Isn't it.

Yeah, I useerhaps like the Orginus files. They've got the fuel finder or they've got petrol spy or but I also buy if comes from shop back all the time, so like BP and EG. And then of course they combine it with the every day we would right if I'm going to go to a worst branded or flybys for colls.

I love everyday rewards. I love watching my savings, and I bank everything for Christmas time because obviously that's such an expensive time of the year, especially if you're entertaining as well. So all these savings really do add up throughout the year, and it really frustrates me when I come on fross people but like, oh, so, what, you just saved ten dollars. Actually, no, that's that's a lot.

For ten dollars, even at the moment it's a load of bread and no exactly, and that load of bread gets you through the week exactly.

What say the most common mistakes when people are trying to save money and how to avoid them, Like you know, the buy three get one for free, Like what do you sort of go, oh, that's a trapped and fall for it.

Personally, my biggest trap for saving is having the money where I can touch it, where I can see it. I needed to be out of sight, out a light, so I'm not going to go, oh, I just need ten dollars, transfer that from the same means no, I need a barrier.

See you. That is so interesting you say that because I run a budget and cash flow academy, teaching people how to do a budget and also how to stick to a budget. And that is the exact mindset that I preach and follow myself. I turned to a supermarket going right, this is our absolute maxim Lert ask me how much we spend. If I go over that, things have to come out of the cart, which that's what

I have a few I don't know.

I love these, I know.

One example was on the weekend I noticed one of the one of one of the accounts I follow. He was talking about how she's going to Europe and everything. So I reached out and said, hey, you might not have to pay for a U rail pass. You may be able to get this for nothing. She was absolutely so born away because I think it's like three thousand dollars or something for these two months euro rap.

Wow.

But I will tell But I think the biggest difference that my community made, not me, is in cover lockdowns. When everybody was looking their jobs, my community stepped up because door Dash at the time and still today gave out twenty dollars per sign up. So I was using that twenty dollars to pay it for it because doord actually really was still happeningly locked down, So anybody who needed it could just say, hey, I needed I need some food, I need something for my kids. Can you make it happen?

Wow?

I think we did about one hundred people families or more. I really lost count as quite a few years ago now, but that still sort of stays with me.

I bet, I mean that is really powerful. That just shows you how important these things are and they do need to be respected and everyone should be having a really good goat right I've got two more questions for you, and then we're going to wrap up. The first one is is there anything in your life that you like to splurgeohn for yourself that makes you feel good inside?

I think now is pretty dresses.

Yes, I a beautiful sluing thing.

I've sort of discovered proud poppy last year. Oh my gosh, I'm just addicted to the word. But by when I purchased, I wait for a sale and I use cash back brilliant and I normally would have put it on after pay, but no longer anymore.

Okay, well, that makes me very happy to hear that. Then the last question I have for you is you are, obviously you know, I would say, one of the most switched on, savvy and frugal people I know when it comes to spending money and finding the best deals and getting as as I said, the best bang for your buck. So it's in order to meet with you and to have you come into the studio today when it comes to saving money, do you have a financial goal that you are working on personally?

I did, but then I've also realized that I would never be able to afford a house, so I'm sort of a bit in my yollow face at the moment um where I'm more focused on creating memories, hence booking six crews.

No, that is makes me so happy. Well, okay, what a couple of pieces to say here. First of all, why is I actually so happy that you have such a fantastic goal. You know it's a lifestyle goal, and you are saving up for that lifestyle goal at a very financially savvy way, making sure you don't get into debt, and you know you're making sure that you budget them