Your Guide To Thrifty Living
The cost of living in Australia is putting a lot of financial pressure on students. Here, we provide you with some helpful tips and tricks for saving money, as well as information about where to go for further help if you need it. Compass has created a handy Thrifty Living guide to help you out. You can read the main topics below, or view the full guide here.
Being worried or stressed about money can have an impact on your wellbeing and mental health. If you need support in this area, RMIT has free counselling available to all currently enrolled RMIT students. You can book an appointment or find out more at the RMIT Counselling web page.
Budgeting & Bills
When money is tight, it is particularly important to create a budget so you know that your basic expenses are covered and how much extra you might have to play with. And when it comes to bills, playing smart with your suppliers for essentials such as phone, gas and electric can really save you a lot of money.
- Learn how to create a basic budget
- Track your spending
- Learn to manage the cost of living
- Money tips in other languages
- Get the best deal for your power bills
- Concession card holder utility relief grant
Food
Food can be past its ‘best before’ date, but still be delicious and safe to eat. Unfortunately, good food often gets wasted, when there is no need to throw it away. Preserving food by freezing or pickling can also extend its life a little. And choosing food that others may reject, such as curly cucumbers or misshapen fruits, could save you a bunch!
- RUSU Free Food events on campus
- Find good info on storing and keeping food
- An ugly box of vegetables is often cheaper
- Farm direct food is a great choice
- Visit markets to save big!
- Best before dates don't mean the food is bad
Smart Savings
There are so many easy tips that you can do every day to help you save money, such as making your coffee at home, scoring furniture for free, and even using a bike instead of your car. There are also plenty of existing services available that you may be eligible for, such as healthcare or travel discounts, to help give your finances a boost.
- Apply for a Low Income Healthcare card (if eligibile)
- Discount travel for International Students (if eligibile)
- Check out Facebook Marketplace for cheap goods
- Cancel your unused subscriptions for Apple
- Cancel your unused subscriptions for Android
Finding Work
Finding work can be time consuming and disheartening, but there are people and services that are here to help you! And volunteering is a great way to gain real world experience, and to get free access to work essentials such as a food handling or responsible service of alcohol certification (depending on the volunteer work you choose).
- RMIT Job Shop
- Tips for international students
- List of job search engines
- Become a RUSU Volunteer
- Volunteer at RMIT
Housing Help
Finding affordable housing can be very tough, and with the current rental crisis in Melbourne, horror stories abound. Ready yourself that it might take a while to find somewhere you really want to live. Be prepared to be flexible when searching, but stand firm on things that you know you aren't prepared to compromise on.
- Housing options available to you
- Affordable rentals for Australian citizens
- Fairy Floss Real Estate
- Tips on living independently
- Know your rights as a tenant
- RMIT Legal Service for advice and support
- RMIT Welfare homelessness help
- Community based crisis accommodation
Need More Help?
When we are already stressed and overwhelmed, it can be difficult finding the right type of support. Below are a range of services to support you. For free advice and information at RMIT, please book in to speak with an RMIT Student welfare advisor to discuss financial hardship.
- Free Financial Counselling
- Community Support via Ask Izzy
- Help with Debt
- Free legal advice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Free tax help
- RMIT Welfare support
- Don't fall victim to scams
- Struggling with gambling?
