Tips & Ideas for Saving Your Money, Time and Resources – Top Money Saving Ideas for Australians

Get freebies on your birthday by signing up to various websites:
Hoyts offers a free movie ticket on your birthday to any of their cinemas including La Premiere, Xtremescreen, or Director’s Suite.
Boost Juice offers a free smoothie of your choice on your birthday if you join their Vibe club which is also free to join.
Cookieman gives free cookies on your birthday as well as free coffee and 2 cookies for signing up to their newsletter online.
Baskin and Robbins offers free ice-cream of your choice if you join their birthday club which is free to join.
Ferguson Plarre offers a free $3 voucher to spend in store on your birthday if you sign up to their online newsletter.
Krispy Creme used to offer free sundaes on your birthday. Not entirely sure if this is still available.
Cold Rock ice creamery offers a buy 1 get 1 free offer for people who sign up to their online newsletter.
Free lunch from Subway. Join their club for free and get a free lunch on your birthday.
Selected Nando’s stores offer a free ¼ chicken and chips meal on your birthday.

Dress up for children’s birthday. Instead of hiring a professional clown, rent a costume and dress up yourself. Alternatively throw a dress up party and let the kids entertain themselves.
Don’t buy cakes from a bakery. Birthday cakes from The Cheesecake shop or Ice cream cakes from Dairy Bell are usually cheaper than buying from a bakery. Cakes from Asian bakeries found in suburbs like Box Hill, Hurstville, Springvale, and Chatswood cost much less than normal bakeries.

Don’t overdo decorations. For children’s parties, decorations do not need to be elaborate. Some streamers, curly ribbons and balloons are sufficient and are low cost.
Choose low cost entertainment. For children parties, don’t hire inflatable jumping castles, mini roller coasters, ponies, professional clowns and fairies and other commercial entertainers. Choose low cost games like scavenger hunts in your back garden, musical chairs, pin tail on donkey, a simple overnight slumber party with a video to watch, and tag.

Opt for free and low cost locations to hold children parties. Either your own home, public playground or park, public beach, school playground on a weekend, pool party at your or relative’s home, or roller skating rink.
Buy food and lollies in bulk bags. Left-over lollies can be used to fill up take-home bags.
Keep food simple. Children love simple snack and take-out foods like take-away pizzas, chips and lollies, party pies and pastries, green jelly with Freddos (frog in pond), fairy bread, cup cakes, and these are low cost too. Timing your party in mid-afternoon for an afternoon snack instead of lunch or dinner helps to keep food costs down.