Money Saving Tips: Household

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Household Money saving Tips: Groceries, Appliances, Hardware, Fuel, etc.

 

The amazing thing that I found about retail in Australia is just how negotiable they are with prices.

 

The golden rule has to be “don’t pay full pricefor anything” and use the phrase “is that your best price?”

 

This could be a very popular discussion so please add to it. There are plenty of people out there who know how to save a $ and that’s really important when you are setting up your new life and getting by with perhaps one income.

 

Groceries:

The big supermarket chains have loyalty cards.

Register for a loyalty card as soon as you can and provide a valid e mail address so that they can send you promotions.

An Everyday Rewards card from Woolworths gets you discounted prices on a range of instore goods, plus it gets you a 4 cent per litre discount at the petrol pump when you fill up at a Woolworths / Caltex registered fuel station. This fuel saving can be increased to 8 or 10 cents per litre if you spend $5 in store, and milk and bread are not overpriced in the service station shops, so it makes sense to pick them up when you refuel.

 

https://www.everydayrewards.com.au/

 

Woolworths rewards bad customers more than it does good ones! If you don’t use your rewards card for a while expect an incentive via e mail offering you $10, $15 or even $20 off a $100 shop…that’s a good saving.

 

On the subject of Woolworths…did you know that if an item scans incorrectly (wrong price) then the item is free? Don’t accept the lower price…just politely point out their policy and get the item for nothing. (My son works for Woolworths and he knows prices…never a dull moment when he shops with me!).

 

Woolworths have gift cards that you can purchase for a 5% discount off the face value of the card. You can also get these from the RAA shop if you are a member. If you combine this 5% discount with an employee discount card then that’s a 10% discount every time you do your shop. Woolworths allow a secondary card to be issued for every staff member they employ. Something to remember if you have family that work there.

 

Coles have a Flyby Card which accumulates points. These points can be cashed in for a Coles / Kmart gift card. Just scan the card at the register and start accumulating. The petrol discount at Coles service stations is also applicable.

https://www.flybuys.com.au

 

There’s a wholesale supplier in Adelaide…. bulk grocery/ household called Campbells.

You can register with them if you have a business and they send you 5 access cards. Savings can be considerable especially if you have a large family, birthday party or function to supply.

 

http://www.campbells.com.au/

 

Appliances:

Never pay the full ticketed price!

Look around, use the promotional pamphlets and then go to a store like Good Guys who will beat any price. They will also continue to beat that price for a further 30 days so if you see it cheaper after you have bought it…just go in and get a bigger discount.

Example: you see a fridge at Harvey Norman. Get them to write the price on a card and then go to Good Guys (or other stores that price match) and they will beat the price every time.

 

Hardware:

There’sa price war on at the moment between Bunnings and Masters.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/

https://www.masters.com.au/

 

You can use it to your advantage. Bunnings will beat any price by 10%. Just ask a team member at Bunnings for a pricematch and you’ll get a discounted price…on anything that’s cheaper elsewhere (same brand, same product).

Masters have been advertising specials to attract people into their new stores. If you know that it’s sold at Bunnings, take the ad in and get it there. It’s likely that Masters will have limited stock but your local Bunnings may have stock!

Remember to be polite. The Bunnings registers (tills) have a price match key built into them and it’s an easy process. You don’t get if you don’t ask!

 

I recently bought some tyres from Beau Repairs. They first quoted me $120 per tyre. I phoned K Mart who had them for $97 and I went in and got them to write the price on one of their cards.

The tyres were then discounted to $90 per tyre for exactly the same brand, same tyre…just $30 cheaper per tyre at Beau Repairs. It did make a difference who I spoke to in the store though. The manager said “we don’t want to lose a sale and a repeat customer”.

 

Managers have more discount authority. Whether you are buying from Bunnings, Beau Repairs, Good Guys etc try to get a manager/person of authority to deal with you as they have more discretion with discounts.

 

 

I am sure that there are many more household money saving tips out there…this is just a small sample of many ways to save money

 

If you have any please share…..

Edited March 18, 2015 by snifter
changed font and resized

[chrisda]

Brilliant! Do you know anyone at goodguys as we wanna get a new fridge? The bloke in noarlunga that used to be there has gone but I figured that you'd know of another person.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Brilliant! Do you know anyone at goodguys as we wanna get a new fridge? The bloke in noarlunga that used to be there has gone but I figured that you'd know of another person.

 

Sure do! Glenn that used to work there moved on and is now in the Darwin branch of Goodguys. He used to be able to give a bigger discount than the other store assistants. If you ask for Gail she will be able to help you. If Gail is not there ask when she will be at work as the same issue with discounts apply.

No point in paying more than you have to! If you mentioned that you stayed with me she will look after you (and no I don't get any kickbacks!!!)

[Lazy Cow]

This is such a useful thread. Might it be possible to merge it with Diane's thread from way back:

 

http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/aussie-chat/25993-money-saving-tips-new-arrivals.html

 

Just a thought.

 

LC

[etch123]

Great thread @Tamara we'll be doing a lot of shopping when we get there, TV, Fridge, washing machine, microwave so good guys will be our first stop, where do we go for furniture? IKEA?

[Toni]

Came across another one today. Scanning code of practice. If something you buy at the supermarket scans at a higher price then you get that item free (only applies to the first item of the same kind).

[Rabeah]

Came across another one today. Scanning code of practice. If something you buy at the supermarket scans at a higher price then you get that item free (only applies to the first item of the same kind).

 

At Woolies & Coles yes, Foodland won't give you the item for free, just the price difference. Depends on the supermarket, really.

 

A very useful tread though

[chrisda]

Thanks for the contact. I bought the floor stock model and saved $700. She even gave me a discount off the extended warranty too.

 

Doesnt the same scanning code of practice apply accross all stores?

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Thanks for the contact. I bought the floor stock model and saved $700. She even gave me a discount off the extended warranty too.

 

Doesnt the same scanning code of practice apply accross all stores?

 

From what I understand the scanning code of practice is a code and not law. Certain stores can be quite difficult about it...some Coles for example who have apparently opted out?

I was in Wooworths last week and an item scanned incorrectly on the self serve. My OH called the assistant over who in turn sent someone to check the price...ad it was wrong...no problem, no argument she said it's free and made a Yorkshireman very happy:smile:

 

The Item Free Policy

If the price displayed at the checkout or on the customer receipt is higher than the shelf price, the customer is entitled to receive that item free of charge.

The Shelf Price is the price of an individual item that appears on a shelf label or shelf price label.

The Shelf Label or Shelf Price Label means the sign or label showing the price of individual items at the place where the product is displayed for sale to the customer.

The item free policy does NOT cover goods that are “item priced”.

The item free policy does NOT cover goods where the shelf price is $50 or greater.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

I often shop at Bunnings and the staff discount card is a real bonus! It makes sense to shop there for many items and the nearest store is only a few minutes away.

 

However, I was looking for a replacement Bissell floor steamer and Bunnings don't stock Bissell.

The cheapest local price I could find was $370 but Masters (next to Ikea) had them for $299.

 

I went through and discovered that they had a special on...$15 card for every $100 spent. I saved another $45 (after spending another $1!).

 

The most important thing though was the trade card that was available at Masters. If you supplied them with an ABN number you get a trade card. I supplied them with my Homes Down Under ABN number and they issued me with a trade card on the spot.

 

The trade card gets you 5% off every purchase.

You can apply for a secondary card online.

 

Many people have a small business and an ABN. My cleaner (for the properties) has an ABN for example.

 

Masters also have a price match policy so it's possible to save quite a lot of money by shopping around.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Sure do! Glenn that used to work there moved on and is now in the Darwin branch of Goodguys. He used to be able to give a bigger discount than the other store assistants. If you ask for Gail she will be able to help you. If Gail is not there ask when she will be at work as the same issue with discounts apply.

No point in paying more than you have to! If you mentioned that you stayed with me she will look after you (and no I don't get any kickbacks!!!)

 

Gail has now left and the contact person is Sheena.

Ask her if she can beat any price that you take to her...it's their policy.

I just saved a fortune....over 20% on a fridge. Mention me / Homesdownunder.....everyone can get the special price.

[kadina]

Can I ask Tamara when it was u got the tyres at that price and for how many? What brand? Have my car booked in this afternoon for a mid range tyre at much the same price at BR wondering if you got a better tyre for that price ? Who did you speak to many thanks

 

 

 

 

Household Money saving Tips: Groceries, Appliances, Hardware, Fuel, etc.

 

The amazing thing that I found about retail in Australia is just how negotiable they are with prices.

 

The golden rule has to be “don’t pay full pricefor anything” and use the phrase “is that your best price?”

 

This could be a very popular discussion so please add to it. There are plenty of people out there who know how to save a $ and that’s really important when you are setting up your new life and getting by with perhaps one income.

 

Groceries:

The big supermarket chains have loyalty cards.

Register for a loyalty card as soon as you can and provide a valid e mail address so that they can send you promotions.

An Everyday Rewards card from Woolworths gets you discounted prices on a range of instore goods, plus it gets you a 4 cent per litre discount at the petrol pump when you fill up at a Woolworths / Caltex registered fuel station. This fuel saving can be increased to 8 or 10 cents per litre if you spend $5 in store, and milk and bread are not overpriced in the service station shops, so it makes sense to pick them up when you refuel.

 

https://www.everydayrewards.com.au/

 

Woolworths rewards bad customers more than it does good ones! If you don’t use your rewards card for a while expect an incentive via e mail offering you $10, $15 or even $20 off a $100 shop…that’s a good saving.

 

On the subject of Woolworths…did you know that if an item scans incorrectly (wrong price) then the item is free? Don’t accept the lower price…just politely point out their policy and get the item for nothing. (My son works for Woolworths and he knows prices…never a dull moment when he shops with me!).

 

Woolworths have gift cards that you can purchase for a 5% discount off the face value of the card. You can also get these from the RAA shop if you are a member. If you combine this 5% discount with an employee discount card then that’s a 10% discount every time you do your shop. Woolworths allow a secondary card to be issued for every staff member they employ. Something to remember if you have family that work there.

 

Coles have a Flyby Card which accumulates points. These points can be cashed in for a Coles / Kmart gift card. Just scan the card at the register and start accumulating. The petrol discount at Coles service stations is also applicable.

https://www.flybuys.com.au

 

There’s a wholesale supplier in Adelaide…. bulk grocery/ household called Campbells.

You can register with them if you have a business and they send you 5 access cards. Savings can be considerable especially if you have a large family, birthday party or function to supply.

 

http://www.campbells.com.au/

 

Appliances:

Never pay the full ticketed price!

Look around, use the promotional pamphlets and then go to a store like Good Guys who will beat any price. They will also continue to beat that price for a further 30 days so if you see it cheaper after you have bought it…just go in and get a bigger discount.

Example: you see a fridge at Harvey Norman. Get them to write the price on a card and then go to Good Guys (or other stores that price match) and they will beat the price every time.

 

Hardware:

There’sa price war on at the moment between Bunnings and Masters.

http://www.bunnings.com.au/

https://www.masters.com.au/

 

You can use it to your advantage. Bunnings will beat any price by 10%. Just ask a team member at Bunnings for a pricematch and you’ll get a discounted price…on anything that’s cheaper elsewhere (same brand, same product).

Masters have been advertising specials to attract people into their new stores. If you know that it’s sold at Bunnings, take the ad in and get it there. It’s likely that Masters will have limited stock but your local Bunnings may have stock!

Remember to be polite. The Bunnings registers (tills) have a price match key built into them and it’s an easy process. You don’t get if you don’t ask!

 

I recently bought some tyres from Beau Repairs. They first quoted me $120 per tyre. I phoned K Mart who had them for $97 and I went in and got them to write the price on one of their cards.

The tyres were then discounted to $90 per tyre for exactly the same brand, same tyre…just $30 cheaper per tyre at Beau Repairs. It did make a difference who I spoke to in the store though. The manager said “we don’t want to lose a sale and a repeat customer”.

 

Managers have more discount authority. Whether you are buying from Bunnings, Beau Repairs, Good Guys etc try to get a manager/person of authority to deal with you as they have more discretion with discounts.

 

 

I am sure that there are many more household money saving tips out there…this is just a small sample of many ways to save money

 

If you have any please share…..

Edited August 3, 2015 by NicF
Fixed quote

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Hi there,

The tyres that I bought were Goodyears.

The original tyres were Kuhmo and they lasted no time at all...

That's the price per tyre but cost will depend upon the size...I have a small car and the tyres are not as common as other sizes.

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

Sorry...contact person is Warren!

[Tamara (Homes Down Under)]

My local hardware store (Bunnings Noarlunga) is currently discounting their stock of heaters (although with our current weather it's still heater weather!).

 

They have discounted the entire stock by 25 to 30% and the discounts will get bigger as time passes towards summer. A good time to purchase for next year?

 

They do it every year with heaters and then fans as summer ends.

 

All the Bunnings stores will be doing the same...maybe an opportunity to get a heater for next year at a discounted price.....