Why Saving Money Isn’t About Not Having Fun

Back in the good ol’ days, I was whipped on Club Penguin. I was obsessed with playing the little games to make money and then be able to afford to pimp my penguin out with the gnarliest outfit. Then my brother showed me a cheat where we could get tonnes of money. 

I had all the puffles a girl could dream of and an igloo that Architectural Digest would swoon at, yet I quickly got bored and never played it again.  

What’s my Club Penguin analogy saying? Well… I’m not saying rich people don’t have fun, I’m sure they do. But the hustle, the cheeky solutions to save money, the creative ways to work around not having dosh… it’s fun too! I had more fun playing the games and saving towards a goal, than having everything handed on a silver platter. 

Here’s some suggestions on how saving money doesn’t have to be a drag. 
 

Having a fun life doesn’t have to be exxy
 

I know I know, festivals cost the price of Jesus’ tears. So why not volunteer to help set up for a free ticket?  

Travel is oh so expensive. How about you do a Workaway or work at a hostel?  

A new outfit can take a chunk out of your wallet. Why not suss out op shops, or even sell some of your clothes on Depop or Facebook Marketplace to help your budget? 

You don’t have to be a sad hermit, avoiding every social situation in fear of spending too much money. All it takes is a savvy solution. I’ve gone to gigs for free by offering to take film photos of the band. I’ve made short films using my dadcam and a few mates as actors… The solutions can be a thrill, so lean into them. 
 

It's the little changes that make a world of difference
 

It’s time to cut the fat.  

Buy less coffees out. Buying a coffee a day for $5 comes to costing $1825 a year… That’s a return ticket to Europe baby. Meal prep to stop yourself ordering UberEats. Go to the library instead of buying new books. Sell your car, or sign it up for a car-sharing program if you don’t use it in the big city to save on petrol and rego. In fact, sell anything you don’t use – old surfboards, instruments, clothes, books… etc.  

Suss out your most frequent expenses on your bank statement and figure out ways to reduce them.  

What are some random ways you could make money?

I’ve picked up shifts at festivals and concerts to make extra cash. I’ve worked on film sets as a runner or production design assistant. I’ve sold so many clothes on Depop and Facebook Marketplace. I’ve walked peoples’ dogs, housesat, photographed weddings, edited holiday videos… There are so many random ways you can make a bit of cash. 

List your skills, hobbies and interests and work from there. Could you teach the guitar? Tutor primary school students? Mow lawns? Do graphic design. Take photographs… 

You could even give making Tik Toks or YouTube videos a try, reviewing books, playing games or filming vlogs… Sure, this isn’t a locked in way to make moolah but in the modern world, who knows, right?  

So there you have it. Saving money isn’t the enemy of fun, it can be fun. You get to try all different things, get creative and be cheeky and savvy whilst watching your savings go up.  

Now, if you want more advice on all things money, suss out our FinLit Academy with Westpac here!