When it comes to frugal living, NZ is truly the land of milk and honey.
We have fertile land and abundant water.
This is pretty lucky, considering the high cost of living and low wages here.
That said, I still think saving money in New Zealand is possible.
Here on the blog, I’m sharing my best tips for saving money and ideas for getting free stuff and spending less in general.
Frugal Living Tips for Life in New Zealand
Table of Contents
- Frugal Living Tips for Life in New Zealand
- 1. Get Your Debts Under Control
- 2. Get Free Samples
- 3. 20 Money-Saving Tips Every New Zealander Needs to Know
- 4. Birthday Freebies: The Ultimate New Zealand Guide
- 5. Electric Kiwi Refer a Friend: Get $50 Free
- 6. Paid Surveys New Zealand: 14 Best Survey Sites
- 7. Earn Free Gift Cards in New Zealand
- 8. Cheap Ways to Winterise Your Home
- 9. New Zealand Product Testing Companies That Want Your Feedback
- 10. Supermarkets in New Zealand
- 11. Get Your Unclaimed Money Back
- 12. Pick Up a Side Hustle
- 13. Always Get a Price Match on Your Purchases
- 14. Consider an Offset Home Loan
1. Get Your Debts Under Control
Your debt doesn’t have to take over your life. These organisations can help you tackle your debt.
Resource: 7 Places To Get Help With Debt In New Zealand
2. Get Free Samples
Want to try a new product? Request one of these free samples, and you can try it before you buy for FREE.
Resource: 16 Places to Get Free Samples in New Zealand
3. 20 Money-Saving Tips Every New Zealander Needs to Know
Genius tips that’ll help you slash your costs so you can save more for the fun stuff.
Resource: 23 Money Saving Tips Every Kiwi Needs to Know
4. Birthday Freebies: The Ultimate New Zealand Guide
Never pay for your birthday dinner (or coffee, or muffin, or lunch) again with this monster list of birthday freebies in New Zealand.
Resource: Birthday Freebies: The Ultimate New Zealand Guide
5. Electric Kiwi Refer a Friend: Get $50 Free
Switch to Electric Kiwi and you’ll get $50 Free. Their Free Hour of Power saves a lot of money!
Resource: Electric Kiwi Refer a Friend
6. Paid Surveys New Zealand: 14 Best Survey Sites
Want to earn a little extra from home? These paid survey sites are the best on offer in New Zealand, and they pay for your opinion.
Resource: 14 Best Paid Survey Websites in New Zealand
7. Earn Free Gift Cards in New Zealand
Build a gift card stash for Christmas and birthdays with these great ideas.
Resource: 10 Easy Ways to Earn Free Gift Cards in New Zealand
8. Cheap Ways to Winterise Your Home
Winter is an expensive time. These tips will help make your home warmer and drier for a little money.
Resource: 5 Cheap Ways to Winterise Your Home
9. New Zealand Product Testing Companies That Want Your Feedback
Are you interested in trying products for free in exchange for your feedback? Check out this list of product testing sites in New Zealand and get started today.
Resource: 10 New Zealand Product Testing Companies That Want Your Feedback
10. Supermarkets in New Zealand
We learn all about the different supermarkets in New Zealand so you can choose which one is best for you.
Resource: 13 Best Supermarkets in New Zealand
11. Get Your Unclaimed Money Back
Unclaimed money refers to funds that have been inactive or forgotten for a period of time, usually more than six years.
This can include money held in bank accounts, investments, insurance policies, and even wages.
If the rightful owner of the funds cannot be located, the money is transferred to the IRD’s unclaimed money account.
The IRD then holds the funds until the rightful owner claims them.
Resource: How to Claim Unclaimed Money with IRD
12. Pick Up a Side Hustle
Having a side hustle can provide numerous benefits, including earning extra income, gaining new skills, and pursuing a passion outside of a traditional job.
A side hustle can also provide a safety net in case of unexpected job loss or financial hardship and the flexibility to work on your own schedule.
Plus, a side hustle can help build a professional network and provide valuable experience that can be leveraged in a full-time career.
With so many potential benefits, it’s no wonder that more and more people are turning to side hustles as a way to supplement their income and achieve their goals.
Resource: 18 Side Hustles to Make Extra Money in New Zealand
13. Always Get a Price Match on Your Purchases
Getting a price match on your purchases helps you save money on items you were already planning to purchase and eliminates the need to drive around multiple stores, wasting your precious time.
By taking advantage of price-matching policies offered by retailers, you ensure that you’re getting the best possible price for the items you need.
This can be especially helpful when shopping for big-ticket items like electronics or appliances, where the savings from a successful price match can be substantial.
Many New Zealand retailers have price match or price beat policies, including The Warehouse, Mitre 10, Briscoes, Noel Leeming, Smiths City and more.
14. Consider an Offset Home Loan
An offset home loan can help reduce the amount of interest paid on your mortgage over time.
With an offset account linked to your home loan, any money you deposit into the account can offset the balance of your mortgage, effectively reducing the amount of interest you owe.
This can help you pay off your mortgage faster and save money in the long run.
Offset home loans aren’t for everyone, and they aren’t always the best option. But having a part of our mortgage on offset (enough that we could offset 100% of the debt) has helped us pay down debt quickly while still having access to the funds as needed.
This guide explains more: How an Offset Mortgage Could Save You Money
Keep checking back as we update this New Zealand frugal living resource with new content designed to help save you money.
