A retired Queensland couple is proving to everyday Australians that it's possible to live well for less.
Sandra Rielly and her husband Peter keep their expenses to less than $15,000 a year, which covers groceries, bills, petrol, council rates and insurance.
The couple focuses on keeping their costs low to free up more money for travel, dining out on special occasions and home renovations.
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Sandra helps run the popular Facebook group Simple Savers, an online community where more than 240,000 Australians share their money-saving tips.
When Sandra shares the details of the couple's budget, she is often met with curiosity and disbelief.
"A lot of people say they think you're eating the paint off the walls or something, and you're not," Sandra said.
"We all have to pay some things that are non-negotiable.
"I just try my best to keep that stuff low and live the good life."
Over the course of a year, the couple spends $5126 on house expenses, $2656 on phone, internet and home entertainment costs, $3628 on maintenance for two cars, $84 on health costs and $3168 on groceries.
How to spend less at the supermarkets
A simple idea helped Sandra and Peter slash their grocery bill to $60 a week.
Their grocery budget covers food, cleaning products, toilet paper and toiletries.
"I've always been an ingredients-based pantry person," Sandra said.
"One day I said 'I'm going to get $200, I'm going to do the shopping and I'm going to buy every no-name thing that I can find'."
Sandra went to every grocery shop in her area and bought $200 worth of generic-branded pantry staples.
She admits her family had "some funny meals" that fortnight but those ingredients soon gave them options.
"The next fortnight I wrote a list and went shopping to fill the gaps," she said.
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Now when Sandra and Peter go to the supermarket, they aim to live by one golden rule - every item in their trolley must be a generic-branded product or on special.
The couple still buys meat but prefers to limit their consumption to twice a week.
They grow their own fruit and vegetables in their garden, cook in bulk and bake to keep their food costs low.
To eliminate food waste, the couple organises their pantry items by the use-by date and rotates them regularly.
The couple also strives to eat a balanced diet in order to maintain their health.
Peter spent $84 at the chemist last year and the couple's medical appointments were all bulk-billed.
Tree change grows savings
Sandra and Peter relocated from Sydney to regional Australia more than 30 years ago to pursue a more affordable lifestyle.
The couple has since paid off their mortgage and their children have become independent adults.
They manage to keep their housing costs low due to the way their property is set up.
Their home is north-facing which means their solar panels get the sun all day.
Solar electricity and solar hot water has kept their electricity bill to $360 a year.
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The couple also buy energy-efficient appliances to keep their energy usage down.
They use a water tank on their property and live in an area that experiences high rainfall, which means their water bill costs them around $260 each year.
The couple also has a home sewage treatment plant, which is serviced quarterly, allowing them to save on sewage usage charges.
"The rates are cheaper because the only thing we've got is the garbage man that comes to our house," she said.
The couple keeps their gardening costs to a minimum by using permaculture principles and avoiding sprays.
Their petrol costs include fuel for two cars, a lawnmower, a whipper snipper and a chainsaw.
The couple also pays for the internet and yearly plans for two mobile phones which is $350 each.
Home and contents insurance is the couple's largest expense, which works out to be $2964 a year.
A two-year plan
The couple said they were semi-retired in their mid-30s when they moved away from Sydney.
Sandra worked as a data processing operator, while her husband was a butcher by trade on Pitt Street in the city's CBD.
The couple moved to the NSW Central Coast where Peter drove a backhoe during the day and worked as a cleaner at night.
He did this work for three years until the couple started a cleaning business.
Peter cleaned for 10 years and Sandra took care of the bookwork for the business.
The couple made a two-year plan in 1991 to pack up and move to Queensland.
Over the past 32 years, Peter has worked odd jobs so he could learn how to run the couple's property.
Sandra worked at the Hyatt Regency Coolum for six-and-a-half years as a casual.
The couple also decided to sell doughnuts for a while.
The couple bought land in Queensland in 1993 and built their house in 1994.
A community of savvy savers
The Simple Savers community shares money saving tips, support, hints and recipes.
Simple Savers administrator Fiona Lippey said the group started 16 years ago after a retired school principal told the Simple Savings forum she fed herself on $20 a week.
"Everyone said 'what? Tell us how'," Lippey said.
"It was a combination of cooking from scratch and growing food."
The group now runs a challenge for members to feed themselves for $50 a week per person.
For Sandra and Peter, a budget is all about creating freedom.
"Life is not about going without anything," Sandra said.
"It's just about paying the right price for what we want to have."
The information provided on this website is general in nature only and does not constitute personal financial advice. The information has been prepared without taking into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on any information on this website you should consider the appropriateness of the information having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs.
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