Money is something we all think about, yet we often approach it so differently. Over the years, I’ve developed simple, practical habits that help me live a life I enjoy — without financial stress. In this post, I’m sharing the routines and mindset shifts that have worked for me. They’re not fancy or complicated, just things I do consistently that make a big difference. I’ll keep adding to this list as I pick up new habits or remember others I’ve already built.
1. Separate Bank Accounts for Different Purposes
I set up a direct debit to pay myself a monthly salary into a main account. From there, I divide the funds into three buckets:
- Investments: A portion goes into an investment account where I’ve set up automated monthly ETF contributions.
- Personal Spending: This covers non-deductible personal expenses like groceries, pet insurance, private health insurance, and leisure. I allocate about 10%-15% of my income to this account. If I underspend, I transfer the leftover back to the main account and reinvest it. If I overspend — usually due to travel — I reduce my spending in the following months to stay on track.
- Offset Account: The remaining funds go into the offset account for my residential property to reduce non-deductible interests. For my investment properties, I only cover the minimum required repayments to keep them cash flow positive. If I need to cover larger costs like repairs or maintenance, I can draw from the offset account.
This setup gives me clarity and control of my finances and keeps things clean for tax purposes. No personal expenses come out of the investment account, and no deductible expenses come out of the personal account — everything has its place.
2. Review Expenses Regularly (At Least Quarterly)
I’ve tracked my expenses since I was 15. Back when I didn’t even have a computer, I’d jot down my daily expenses in a notebook (which I still keep). Once I got a computer, I moved everything into an Excel spreadsheet and updated it manually. Then there was a period when I used a free app called Money Manager, but I stopped due to some limitations.
These days, with most banks allowing you to export transactions in Excel or CSV format, it only takes me about 15–20 minutes to categorize everything quarterly. Doing this regularly helps me spot where most of my money goes — and where I can cut back. For example, I used to pay around $110 a month for pet insurance. After shopping around and cancelling, my provider offered me three months free if I stayed, plus a small discount. That alone saved me about $350.
I also noticed I was still paying for a Netflix subscription I hadn’t used in months, so I paused it. Subscriptions are tricky like that — you sign up once, and payments just keep rolling unless you remember to cancel.
Another big benefit of reviewing expenses is planning for major purchases. Before an overseas trip, I’ll estimate how much I’ll need, then look at where I can cut back in the coming months. If things feel tight, I’ll adjust my investment contributions or other non-essential spending accordingly.
3. Pay Myself and Sort My Own Tax First
As mentioned earlier, I set up a direct debit to pay myself a wage each month. I also make sure to lodge and pay my BAS and super before doing it for any of my clients. I use a task management system with recurring reminders so nothing gets missed.
I usually lodge my BAS and make super payments in the first week following the end of each quarter. For tax returns, I aim to get mine done by the end of October each year. Throughout the year, I estimate how much tax I’ll owe and pay PAYG instalments quarterly — that way, I don’t get hit with a big bill at year-end.
4. Buy Second-Hand
Who doesn’t love a bargain! Whenever I need something, the first places I check are Gumtree or Facebook Marketplace. You can find so many decent items there for a third of the price of brand-new ones. Sure, there’s some risk and no guarantee, but personally, I’ve never had a bad experience.
I still remember the first thing I bought on Marketplace after moving to Australia — a pink bicycle (I didn’t have a driver’s licence at the time). I got it for around $50, used it for a few months, then sold it for $80. What a win 😊!
I also bought my first scooter and car in Australia through Marketplace — and later sold both for a decent profit. Unlike in Vietnam, I’ve found second-hand goods here are generally in great condition.
When I got my puppy, I quickly realised how expensive dog toys were. At first, I bought from big stores like Pet Barn or Pet City, but soon thought — what’s the point of buying pricey teddy bears when he was going to destroy them in minutes (he was teething then, but thankfully grew out of it). So I switched to second-hand goods instead — teddy bears, toys, blankets, towels — all from Salvos or Good Sammy. With $10, I could get about 10 teddy bears. What a saving!
5. Make My Own Coffee
As a coffee lover, I have at least one cup a day. Rather than spending $7–8 daily, I invested in a good espresso machine. It saves time, money, and I can enjoy coffee anytime (especially helpful in Perth, where cafés close early).
6. Cook at Home
To be fair, I don’t cook at home mainly to save money — I do it because I genuinely enjoy it, and it’s healthier. Growing up, eating out was a rare luxury, so even now, it still feels a bit indulgent. When I lived in Singapore and Vietnam — where eating out is quite affordable — I still chose to cook most nights.
Cooking stimulates my brain, helps me unwind, and gives me full control over what goes into my body. One thing I’ve noticed with many Asian restaurants is they tend to use a heavy amount of MSG. Sure, it makes the food taste great, but it’s not always the best for your health.
If I do the maths, I spend about $500 a month on groceries — that works out to roughly $20 a day, assuming I cook at home 25 days out of the month. That covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Eating out, you’d likely spend half that just on two decent meals.
I’d say I’m pretty frugal overall, but there are three things I happily spend a little more on: my dog, education, and food — because they truly bring me joy.
7. Wash My Own Car
With a golden retriever that sheds a lot, I need to vacuum and clean my car regularly. Paying $70–90 monthly for car washes isn’t practical, so I do it myself. It takes 30–45 minutes every other weekend — totally manageable.
8. Get a Robot Vacuum
This might sound counterintuitive when I’m trying to save money, but it actually saves me a lot of time (which equates to money). I have a dog who sheds a lot, and I’m a bit of a clean freak — I need the house to be hair-free. If I had to vacuum myself every day, it’d take 15–20 minutes. Between work, exercise, cooking, and looking after my dog, my day’s already packed. So saving that extra time each day is 100% worth it to me.
9. Groom My Dog Myself
By now, you’ve probably noticed I do a lot of things at home myself to save money — and having a dog isn’t cheap. Mine sleeps with me sometimes, so he gets a quick clean every night before bed. I give him a proper bath once a week and groom him monthly. I’ve considered getting a professional groomer, but they’re not exactly budget-friendly — it’s usually at least $100 a session.
Instead, I just do it myself during my lunch break. It’s actually quite relaxing, so I don’t mind it at all.
10. Buy Clothes Once a Year
I barely buy clothes in Australia for two main reasons: they’re expensive, and the styles don’t really suit my Asian taste. Whenever I travel overseas — especially when I visit family in Vietnam — I take a 23kg suitcase and stock up on whatever I need.
And before anyone comes at me for not supporting Australian businesses, let’s be real — most clothes and shoes sold here are made in China, Vietnam, or Bangladesh anyway. Plus, the less I spend on personal items, the more I can invest — which helps me grow my income and, in turn, pay more taxes.
That said, everyone’s different — you do what works for you. Personally, I rarely spend more than $50 on any single piece of clothing unless it’s something really special.
Shoes are the one exception. I invest in good quality ones for the gym, hiking, or playing badminton — they’re worth it for both comfort and safety in the long run.
11. Shop for Groceries in Different Places
I normally buy meat from Woolworths, Coles, or local butchers — they’re fresh, although usually more expensive than Asian grocers or Aldi.
For vegetables, since I cook a lot of Asian dishes, I shop at Asian grocers where prices are often about two-thirds of what you’d pay at Woolies. For frozen items like corn, beans, and fish, I find Farmers Jack to be slightly cheaper than other stores.
It’s worth doing a bit of research and shopping around. And being an accountant, I always check the price per kilo to compare and choose the best value.
12. Always Check Grocery Receipts
Most of the time, I use self-checkout so I know exactly what I’m buying and paying for. But when I do go through the counter, I always check the receipt. You’d be surprised how often discounted items get scanned at full price, or how easily the wrong code gets entered — especially with vegetables — and you end up paying more. It’s always a good idea to double-check.
13. Buy in Bulk (When It Makes Sense)
For essentials that last a long time — like toilet paper, rice, dishwashing liquid, laundry powder, etc. — I always buy in bulk. It’s so much cheaper. A 20kg bag of rice, for example, can last me at least a year. Same with dog food — instead of buying the smaller 9kg bags from the shop, I usually order a 20kg bag online, which works out to be at least 25% cheaper.
14. Do My Own Nails
There was a time when I’d get my nails polished regularly — about once a month. But then I realised it was eating into my budget, so I decided to cut it out completely. Sure, it’s nice to have polished nails every now and then, but I try not to do it too often anymore. Especially in winter — what’s the point of getting my toenails done if they’re going to be covered in socks most of the time anyway. So I stopped, and it saves me a little extra cash.
15. Haircut Once a Year
This isn’t intentional but a bit of blessing in disguise. My hair takes ages to grow and there is no need to cut hair regularly. I do it once a year whenever I travel overseas.
Food for Thought
What money habits have helped you save or feel more in control?
Which one is your favourite?
Let me know in the comments 😊
Thanks for reading to the end. See you in the next post!
Disclaimer
In Money Talks series, I share personal reflections on money — everything from budgeting, investing and saving to mindset and lifestyle. This isn’t financial advice. I’m not writing this because I think I’ve got it all figured out. I just want to share what I’ve learned along the way — personally and professionally.
Some of it might be useful to you, some not — and that’s totally fine. What works for me today might not work tomorrow. If you want tailored advice, please speak to a financial advisor. Otherwise, read with an open mind and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.
