Okay so we all know that I’m broke at the moment because I don’t stop bitching about it but the truth is I’m learning to live bloody cheaply here in this big old city. Here are a few things working for me…
* The Queen Victoria Markets – I go every Sunday and buy fruit, vegetables and meat. I rarely spend over $15 and I have everything I need for a full week.
* A big mofo vegetable stir-fry – We all know I’m a bit of a health nut but at the moment I can hardly afford my avocado and baby spinach salad and low-carb protein shakes. Instead I’ve been making an ENORMOUS vegetable stir-fry on Sundays and dividing it into my beloved tupperware for my lunches. It’s brilliant, filling and cheap. I can feed myself for five days on around $5.
* Morrocan Soup Bar – If you’re feeling a little cashed up and want a delicious takeaway just grab your own containers (the bigger, the better) and mosey on into this little heaven. Ask for a takeaway banquet for two. It will cost $15 and it will feed you for days. Although the chickpea bake rarely lasts longer than 5 minutes in Smaggle land. Too delicious.
* Aldi wine – I’m serious. I’m so pov-core that I’ve resorted to purchasing ALDI WINE!!! And to be honest it’s not too shabby. Give the Dearborn Cab Sav a go ($5 a bottle) and the cask of Dry Red ($8) is also rather enjoyable.
* Get a thermos – Take your tea and coffee with you. If you buy a take-away coffee every day for a week and impulse buy a cheeky cookie one day you’ve spent $21. That’s enough for a movie, a couple of magazines, a gorgeous lipstick or when times are really tough your weekly groceries. I know which I’d prefer…
* Shanghai Dumpling House – Massive plates of dumplings for $5 and $4.80 imported Asian beers. What’s not to love?
* Socialise at home – This is a foreign concept to most Melbournians but it’s a SERIOUS penny saver. In Canberra we have a huge lounge room culture because there isn’t really anywhere else to go. In Melbourne you have so much choice but if you have four beers in a pub and a plate of chips when you get hungry and take a tram there and back it’ll cost you around $45. If you grab a six pack and head to your mates place you’re looking at around $20. Cha ching!
* Savers – Needs no explanation. Although I found this thread on the Vogue forum with a reader having a polite dig at the staff for nabbing the best stuff. Well der! If I worked there and had to plunge my hand into a mine of unidentifiable and possibly soiled material and happened to pull out an Allannah Hill coat and a Chanel 2.55 you can bet your arse I’m keeping them. And good on the little suckers who work there – their sense of smell may never recover.
* The Tan – As much I would love to I simply cannot afford to join a gym. But I’ve been keeping fit with Co-Dependent Smaggle running around The Tan – the track that goes around the outside of the Botanical Gardens. It’s GORGEOUS! And free… Pilates DVDs (that you already own) are also free. They are just deathly boring.
* Mie Goreng – I’m in no way endorsing these noodles as a healthy meal. They will literally solidify your arteries with fat and salt and render you a vegetable at the age of 30. They are, however, the most delicious and nutrient negative pile of MSG that I have ever encountered. Chop up some vegies and toss them in. It makes you feel less revolting.
Happy saving my little chickens! Please feel free to add suggestions in the comment – I’m only new here and have barely scratched the surface of cheapness here!
Love Lady Smaggle
xxx
P.S You can find Mie Goreng in the asian section at your supermarket. The one exception is my local supermarket because my ‘asian section’ contains only taco and burrito packs. Riiiiight. I think we need to have a little chat with the manager about geography. The Mi Gooreng in my supermarket is near the rice. Neither of which are anywhere near the asian section. I just don’t think that grocery shopping should be that difficult.
16 Comments
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I was reppin’ ALDI wine in Canberra but then I moved to Sydney and discovered NSW ALDI stores don’t stock alcohol. WHY!?
(Wait, there’s a happy ending.)
I recently made my first Grays Online purchase: six bottles of red wine for $30 including delivery!
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Since you’re already going to the Queen Vic market you should check out the Re-Wine stall – they refill your wine bottles, have some pretty awesome cheap wines, plus you get the whole feel-good factor of re-using rather than recycling. I always forget to take my bottles back though, so now I look like a bit of an alco with my collection waiting to be refilled!
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I save money by perving at other people’s magnificent finds on “I op therefore I am” blogspot rather than doing to much actual op shopping.
Also, getting a Cinematheque pass. This only works as a supersaver if you actually go to the movies though.
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There is a restaurant in St Kilda- I can’t remember what it’s called- but it’s pay what you can. It’s not on Acland st but it’s just up from there. Not very helpful, but it’s delicious if you can find it and they will feed you for fuck all if you can’t afford it.
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I want to know how you make your mofo vege stir fry. Please. If you don’t mind.
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Ha, back to the student lifestyle, I remember it well.
Actually moving down to Melb as an actor, I may very well need this.
We are permanently down at the end of Apr, and I will be stalking you Miss smaggle cause I will know basically no one and your such a fucking legend who licks my face. Yeah!
Talk soon,
Soz. -
I am Queen of The Sell By – you know that thing where they start reducing sell-by outdated stock around 7pm and then half it again around 9pm (perhaps that’s just a UK thing?). If you keep a little nook in your freezer you can bag some staples and bring a delightfully randomness to your menu.
Also see http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com its UK based but if you scroll down you’ll find general thrifty threads and pointers.As well as the mofo stir fry you could also make a big frittata and slice it up for a few days eating … http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frittata – great way of using up odds and ends 🙂
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the pay what you can is actually pay what you think it’s worth (but of course is always interpreted as what you can afford!) and it’s called Lentil as Anything. There is three restaurants now – one in St Kilda, one in Abbotsford at the Abbotsford Convent and one on Sydeny Road in brunswick street.
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Hee hee your comment on Savers made me laugh. As a loyal Savers employee, I have to completely agree with you. Yes, we might slip a little something special into a hidden corner sometimes, but god the crap we have to plow through to find it (And when I say crap, sometimes there is actual crap involved). According to my friends I smell of Savers now, though I honestly can’t tell anymore….
Anyways, well done on highlighting on our little store. -
OH yeah Lady Smaggle! I’ve been championing Mie Goreng for years – dinner of champions … poor aussie champions, fab-u-lusshh.
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Elizabeth – Holy shit yes! Which supermarket do you work at? Send me an email!
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The mie goreng at the supermarket I work at is opposite the deli.
A sneaky way of saving money is to join my sms list.. I have the awesome fun job of marking down cheeses and things every day at work, and so if I mark down some Brie and I know you like Brie, I’ll send you a message!
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Mie Goreng….I picked some up last week, i had such a craving for that greasy goodness! Try it with an egg!
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How do you make your vegie stir fry??
Anyone know of any moroccan soup bar type places in Sydney?? Sounds fab…
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Hey:) all of this is super helpful and that makes me really happy! I was wondering if you had advice on how to find a place to live in luxury for dirt cheap? I will be moving to Melbourne in a month or two with almost no money to work as a working artist in my own show in a gallery. I have never not had my parents support before and now I leaving their support to try this life as an artist thing and well I am a bit nervous about finding somewhere to live.
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Hey just wondering if you made the move yet and how its going so far? Wife and I are thinking of doing the move early next year.
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