Opinion: Saving money can be simple as cutting back on luxury items

Tauranga residents are switching power companies to save money. Photo/File

Who doesn't like saving money?

This week, the Bay of Plenty Times featured a story about record numbers of Tauranga residents switching their power companies last year - an increase of about 300 people compared with 2016.

According to a budgeting expert, residents can save up to $500 a year by simply switching power companies, depending on their current supplier and usage.

It makes sense doesn't it?

if you can save some money, simply from switching providers, why wouldn't you?

It definitely makes me wonder how much money I can save by not only changing my power company, but also looking at what other options I have for all of my utilities.

It also made we wonder what others do to save money in their everyday lives.

I've cut back my coffee purchases. I went from buying at least one coffee a day to probably now only buying two a week. I'm probably saving about $30 a week now.

A colleague says she saves money by making sure she brings her own lunch - she saves a lot doing this, admitting she loves food and buying lunch is easy to do.

Another colleague doesn't have a debit card - she has an older-styled Eftpos card. This means she cannot shop online or make quick and spur-of-the-moment purchases, which saves her money because she can't scratch the itch to buy when she gets it.

But, I'm interested to find out what others do to save a few dollars every week.
Do you cut back on certain things? Have you changed brands for anything?

If you have any tips, feel free to let us know by emailing editor@bayofplentytimes.co.nz.