So this is the first year I will be spending Christmas away from my parents’ home. Although I have lived out of home for a few years now, due to travelling abroad and several stints house sitting, I’ve never had the opportunity to give my apartment a festive décor of green and red.

Anyway, because of our absences over the Christmas period, my partner and I have amassed a total of zero Christmas decorations. Nada. If we were to decorate our apartment, we’d need to start from the beginning: tree, tinsel, ornaments, wreath, the whole lot.

And at the moment I simply cannot afford it. This is a sentiment that seems to be ringing true for many Australian homes.

Michael Mayer, director of decoration supplier Christmas Warehouse has noted that consumers have “moved away from a novelty and back to more traditional products.”

“In today’s environment at the end of the day they need something to make the place look pretty, but they want to spend as little as possible.”

Ditto. This year at most I will put up some LED energy-saving fairy lights, but that will be the extent of it.

Besides, my partner’s religious beliefs don’t even include Christmas.

***

This will be my last blog post on the MoneySaver website. I’ve enjoyed sharing my little tips and findings on the world of saving money – but it’s time to move on.

Thank you for reading.

- Mel

I had come to the end of the mascara I was using, so I was very happy to see the deal when it popped up on my Facebook feed.

I ordered the product, and with the assumption that it would arrive as a small parcel of 4 mascaras, I gave my home address as the delivery details instead of my work address.

Big mistake.

The next week I got an Australia Post ‘We missed you’ calling card in the mail; my parcel has gone to my local post office; opening hours: Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm.

Just great. Like many full time workers, my office hours are 8.30am-5.30pm, with an hour of travel time each side. When was I going to get the opportunity to visit my local Posties?

It appears I’m not the only one who’s become frustrated with Australia Post’s hours. With more and more people enjoying the ease of internet shopping, technology company TZ Ltd clearly saw a gap in the market which needed to be filled. They’ve unveiled a prototype for a new mailbox that they hope will help online shoppers avoid delays in getting their items delivered.

The new mailbox, named OurPAD, comes complete with a host of security and other features designed to store goods securely if the resident is not there to meet the courier or postman. And if you’re having fresh fruit and vegetables delivered? They’ve even designed a model with a refrigeration element.

TZ Ltd will spend the next year looking for a partner to bring OurPAD to the market.

In the meantime, I’ll keep my delivery address set to my office, and hopefully not burden the receptionist with too many large parcels.

And the mascara? Fortunately (or unfortunately), I was struck down two days later with a pretty nasty cold. So, while keeping my germs away from my office, I was able to pick up the parcel from Australia Post.

And yes, my eyelashes look beautiful, thanks for asking.

Consumer Internet company Meebo ran a study on more than 2,000 shoppers (using its Mindset Media technology) to look at how personality traits could determine consumer preferences.

As it turns out, last minute shoppers are 45 per cent more likely than regular shoppers to purchase luxury brands and 27 per cent more likely to plan to spend more on holiday shopping this year than last year. The personality traits they were deemed to have are more likely to be described as ‘irresponsible’, ‘spontaneous’ and ‘fanciful’.

On the contrary, early Christmas shoppers were described as being ‘risk adverse’, and ‘more likely to think of others’,  with 34 per cent identifying as ‘bargain hunters’ and 30 per cent more likely to use coupons.

I know which category I’d rather be in.

See you at the shops!

STOP

From the safety of an excel document, I have just stepped into very dangerous spending territory. One moment I was plugging away at work earning money, the next moment I’m blowing it all on a maxi skirt and a handbag. Does this sound familiar?

Recent research by PayPal indicated that the busiest day for online transactions is a Monday – with nearly 50 per cent of all PayPay transactions completed within working hours, between 9am and 5pm. But we’re not just getting ahead on our Christmas shopping, the PayPal research indicated that the majority of Australians prefer to treat themselves rather than buy gifts for others when purchasing from their desk. Have we begun to use retail therapy at our desks to combat the Monday morning office blues?

I’m going to be a little more mindful from now on. Prior to the online shopping revolution, I used to use little techniques like leaving my wallet at home to prevent myself from regretful purchases. Now I just need to work out how I can make this technique work at my desk. Put my handbag on the other side of the room?

A little brown bag of miracle savings

So at my office, all the cool kids leave at lunchtime to go out for lunch together at one of the many fancy eateries the local shopping strip has to offer.

Unless you happen to have an amazing coupon, you’re going to be lucky to get change from that $10 note, even if you’re trying to do things on the cheap. Now let’s take a moment to do the maths here. $10 x five days a week = $50, multiply that by 48 weeks and you’ve got $2400. That’s right, $2,400.

Let’s add to the equation a daily takeaway coffee. The average price of takeaway coffee is $3.50. Multiply that by the number of workdays per week and 48 working weeks per year – that’s $875. So, if you bought a coffee and lunch every working day, you would have spent an average of $3275 each year eating at work.

That’s enough to pay for a two-week trip overseas!

Now I’m not silly, and I do realise that if you make your lunch, you are also going to have to pay for ingredients. You can buy a loaf of bread, some tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and some apples for under $15. That will come to $720 a year – much more economical isn’t it? Your 2 week trip overseas is still very much affordable at $2,555.

If you haven’t noticed, fashion has begun to dictate that everything that is passé is now ‘cool’ again. Therefore, I am whole-heartedly embracing the lunchtime brown paper bag. In a ‘it’s-so-retro-it’s-cool’ effort to save money, so I can spend it on the more important things in life.

Despite the example above, making lunch doesn’t just need to be a salad sandwich in glad wrap anymore, the brilliance of Tupperware has made previously non-transportable foods perfect brown bagging fare.  Most office kitchens are equipped with a fridge, microwave, toaster and a kettle, making foods like soup, salads, stews, casseroles and yoghurts now suitable for office consumption.

Now before you say “but buying lunch is the only excuse I have to get out of the office”, I’ve already come up with a number of other brilliant diversions from the corporate cage.

1. Go for a run. Go on, give it a go. Perhaps you’ll only make it a block, but the next day you might make it two. Get a friend from the office to come with you. And no, it’s not too cold. As soon as you start running you’ll feel a lot warmer! And if it’s hot, you’ve got the perfect excuse to enjoy the beautiful weather.

2. Join a gym closer to work. If running’s not your thing, why not join a gym? Recently I gave up my gym membership close to home, and joined the gym around the corner from the office, meaning I wasn’t any worse off financially than before. A lot of gyms offer half hour power classes at lunchtime, which means you can get your work out done in half the time, and not have to worry about hitting the gym after work. My gym also offers lunchtime yoga, so if I’m having a stressful day, I can spend my lunchtime de-stressing.

3. Read a book. Find a place outside or inside, and take some time losing yourself in another world. There’s nothing better than leaving the stress of your last meeting behind for the mountains of Nepal! Or if novels aren’t your thing, catch up on the latest news in today’s paper.

4. Go window shopping. But only do this if you leave all your cards back at the office. Otherwise you might end up buying something you don’t really want. If you’re still thinking about the item at lunch time the next day, take your card and go and buy it! Window shopping at lunchtime could save you a couple of hours on the weekend looking for a present for Great Aunt Marg you never see anyway.

5. Learn a language. There are thousands of free podcasts you can download to help you learn a language. You might need to know a little bit more Japanese for your 2 week holiday!

You could start by organising one lunch from home a week, then two, then before you know it, you’ll have a routine going and a home-made lunch every day of the week.

And as for those cool kids?

Well, this New Years Eve I will be bringing in the New Year on the beach in Sihounoukeville, Cambodia. Paying for the holiday with the money I saved taking lunch to work, and flaunting the body I have gained going for runs at lunchtime.

I think I’ll be the cool one then.

The new shopping mall?

My iPhone is the handiest gadget I own.

I use it for emails, directions, to read the newspaper, browse websites, settle disputes with Wikipedia, Facebook, play games, translate foreign languages and SMS my friends. And occasionally, I make the odd phone call.

This year I added a new use for my iPhone as well: shopping. And apparently, so did everyone else! According to survey results from Sybase 365 and the Mobile Marketing Association, last year 32 per cent of American consumers said they would willing to make a purchase with their mobile device over Christmas if prompted by coupons, discount offers, text alerts, gift cards or loyalty points.

And this year’s Christmas? The figure has almost doubled. 60 per cent of American consumers are now happy to shop via smart phone. And after performing a quick poll in the office, I’m concluding that our attitudes are not too dissimilar from our American friends.

What’s finally moved us to shop on our phones? I’d say it’s a number of things. Convenience, mobile friendly websites, businesses finally savvying up to the fact that their customers want smart phone discounts, and of course, the explosion in online shopping and group buying sites over the last year.

At MoneySaver, we’re always looking for a bargain and trying to cut the cost of the essentials. Earlier this year we developed the MoneySaver iPhone app as a free app so people could access vouchers for the things they need, wherever they are.  Without promoting the app, the downloads proved to us what we knew to be true – we all want a bargain, and we’re hunting for new ways to save money everyday.

Using a mobile phone to make a phone call seems like an afterthought these days. Our mobile devices are now our first destination for information, and a growing destination for discount shopping.

That’s reminds me… I should probably give mum a call!

If you choose to shop at DFO or restrict your shopping to Boxing Day, you’re certainly going to pick up something for a fraction of the price. But beyond these dependable discounts, finding out when fashion retailers choose to go ‘on sale’ can be a difficult task. Unless we walk down a shopping strip everyday en route to work, or subscribe to hundreds of retailer email lists, we’re likely to miss the headline grabbing sales.

But now there’s a new website to take the ‘hunt’ out of retail bargain hunting. AllTheSales.com.au has bounded onto the scene to allow local bricks and mortar stores with existing e-commerce websites to list all of their sale products on the one site.

The site was designed with both the retailers and the consumers in mind. As well as giving local retailers a platform where they can advertise their sale products to consumers, it gives bargain hunters a one-stop-shop in which to find items at a heavily reduced cost.

James Gilray, founder of AllTheSales.com.au, noticed a gap in the market, “As a shopper there is a real lack of information around when retailers go on sale. We usually find out via chance browsing, word-of-mouth or certain time of year, such as mid-season sale or boxing day sale, and unless you visit a DFO there isn’t much more shoppers can do to access sale items in one place. We think that by aggregating everything on sale from retailers that shoppers know and trust, that we can provide shoppers with a useful and unique service all year round,”

Already, AllTheSales.com.au has attracted over 60 brands to their website. Customers can define their search by brand, store, price and percentage of discount to search for a complete wardrobe solution. Everything from underwear through to accessories is currently on offer. And best of all, the website’s infrastructure is simple enough to allow growth into other areas.

I’m bookmarking AllTheSales.com.au, and I’m going to keep a close eye on how many retailers they can attract over the next few months. The products listed on the site are updated daily and there are now in excess of 1,000 items.

The bigger they get, the better it will be.

Tummy grumbles have the power to undo the best intentions

errands – when suddenly, unexpectedly, hunger hits.

Not just a small tummy rumble, rather a gigantic bear like growl that needs to be satiated immediately.

If you do, you’re not alone. 50% of Australians eat a meal on the go at least once a week. That’s what an independent survey commissioned by the Foodco Group, the owners of Muffin Break, Jamaica Blue and Dreamy Donuts, discovered last week.

The question is, what do you reach for when hunger strikes? I’m doubtful it will be something that Women’s Health Magazine would put their stamp of approval on. A piece of fruit, a handful of nuts? It’s more likely you’ll stumble across one of the many quick serve restaurants and convenience stores designed to prey on hungry pedestrians like yourself. Muffins, doughnuts, chocolate bars, sugar filled ‘coffee’ concoctions, scrolls, cookies, burgers, chips – the list of unhealthy options goes on.

And it’s not just unhealthy for your waistline. The price of this food puts a very decent dent in your wallet. Try picking up a packaged snack for under $2. It’s not so easy. Now try picking up a ‘healthy’ snack for under $2 – it’s nigh impossible.

So here’s a new strategy. Next time you leave the house, pop an apple in your bag. Or try a sandwich bag filled with nuts or a muesli bar. You don’t have to eat it, but at least when hunger strikes, you’ve got something healthy and cheap on hand.

And don’t say you don’t have time. Waiting in line to order food will take a lot longer than throwing an apple in your bag!

I was firmly against it. Giving the world updates about myself in 140 characters seemed like the sort of ego stroking which only pure narcissists would choose to indulge in.

But in my quest for the latest bargain, a work colleague suggested I join twitter,

“You don’t just have to write about yourself, you can follow other people too you know,”

Embarrassingly, this thought had never occurred to me. (Perhaps I should renege on that statement about narcissists…) So tentatively, I began my first Twitter account. I revved up my new Twitter engine by ‘following’ the suggested Tweeters; the celebrities known for their engagement in Twitter, the online newspapers I like to read, and finally, the businesses I enjoy parting my money with.

It started with just a couple of my favourite businesses. Initially I chose to follow Sportsgirl and Fernwood Fitness, but within a couple of days the majority of my Twitter follows began to resemble the interior of a Westfield Shopping Centre.

I didn’t take long to discover why my work colleague was so keen for me to join Twitter; if you want access to competitions and special offers first, following the brand on Twitter will keep you in the loop well ahead of the rest of the pack. I was first to know about the buy one get one free L’Oreal special at Priceline, and knew ahead of the queue when and where Ikea was giving away free meatballs.

I now know that my quest for a bargain is not a solo one. A recent US study by Constant Contact and Chadwick Martin Bailey found that 21 per cent of Twitter users follow brands.  And of these 21 per cent, 50 per cent of respondents said that after following a company’s tweets they were more likely to purchase from a brand. That’s half of all users following a brand going on to make a purchase. I’ll bet quite a few of those are buying at a heavily reduced cost, and taking advantage of great ‘2-4-1’ promotions only promoted through Twitter.

So, after a couple of months, I have to say, I’m converted.

Tomorrow I’ll be tweeting #fftwitter

Recently I’ve liked Mad Mex to get a 2-for-1 Burrito deal, Commonwealth Bank to get a free movie ticket, and Tetley Tea to get a free sample of their new Chai Latte mix.

Basically, if it’s free, I want it. And in doing so I have given away my details to countless marketing agencies just itching to put me on a subscriber list. But what’s the worst that can happen? A little unsolicited mail? A few extra spam emails to click ‘unsubscribe’ from? Apparently, a lot worse can happen.

SCAMwatch is warning social networking users to beware of scam posts which offer fake gift vouchers or products for free. The vouchers are offered in exchange for personal details and passing on a scam link to friends.

To avoid being hit by scammers, be mindful that if a survey asks for your personal details, scammers can use this information to commit identity theft. They can also hijack your social media account to spam your friends with more scam posts.

To protect yourself, do a little bit of research before you click on the offer. If you search the Internet for the exact wording of the offer, there could already be reports of its authenticity. If you’re still in doubt that it’s legitimate, always contact the company on their official customer service number to verify that it is genuine. And remember, if the offer looks to good to be true, it probably is.

I might put the brakes on my freebie clicks for the moment… well not entirely. But I will be doing a little more investigation before giving away my details for a free offer.

Have you even been hit by an online scam?