How I saved over $15K

24 September 20253 min read

And You Can Too Everybody loves a bargain, me especially. But let’s not sugar coat the fact that the cost-of-living crisis is affecting Australian households. Rising interest rates, inflating grocery prices and unpredictable petrol costs are seeing our paychecks go faster than you can say “I’m trying to save!” It is no wonder many Aussies are struggling to boost their savings, with many just trying to stop it from shrinking. But life happens. The car breaks down. The dog eats something it shouldn’t. The kids need to go to the GP. All these unexpected instances eat up your budget. Saving money doesn’t necessarily mean going without. I have a few tips that can allow Aussies to boost their savings and make the most out of their dollar. If you are able to integrate these habits into your ongoing purchases, I have no doubt you will come out the other side with more bang for your buck! Groceries – one of the biggest necessary expenses for families and individuals. I regularly cut my grocery bill by more than 50%. The secret? Markdowns! Every supermarket has a routine for when they mark down produce, so get to know your local grocery stores’ markdown times and days. Usually, this is in the late afternoon or early evening. By shopping smart and being flexible with meal planning, you can slash your total cost in half and still eat well. One of my biggest savings tips, which has allowed me to accrue over $15,000, is cashback! Everyone already shops online, so why not get some money back whilst doing so? Cashback sites like TopCashback have multiple retailer partners where you get a percentage of your purchases back – clothes, beauty, flights or even insurance. You can use it for regular grocery expenses like Woolies online and even boost your savings by using it during big sale periods like Black Friday, Click Frenzy and more. When it comes to shopping, loyalty isn’t important anymore. You can shop around for the best deals across the big brands. Don’t be afraid to chase the deals, to politely ask for a cheaper price – this works well if you have done your research beforehand and have past or current sales to point to – and to buy from whichever shop has the best price on what you need. There are dedicated online forums and groups where everyday Aussies share their markdown finds and sales on at the time, so utilise that too. It’s easy to fall into the trap of being financially overwhelmed and feel as though you can’t wrangle your savings, but by being strategic and shifting habits, it is possible! You don’t need to change your lifestyle, just approach it slightly differently. Building these smart habits will pay off in the long run. Pairing markdown shopping, sales hunting and cashback opportunities will see you spending less and getting more value. That extra cash can go straight into your savings accounts! By Amanda Dean aka @bargain.boss

Would you buy a house that works against you?

Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions most of us will ever make. We spend months scrolling through listings, attending inspections and comparing suburbs. We look at school catchments, transport links, renovation potential and property values. We calculate budgets, organise finance and imagine where the furniture might go. But there is one question many buyers never think to ask: How will this home actually feel to live in? It’s something Classical Feng Shui consultant Lisa Burman encourages people to consider before signing on the dotted line. “People often focus on the practical aspects of a property, which are absolutely important,” she says. “But a home is much more than a floorplan and a postcode. It’s the environment you’ll wake up in every day, raise your family in and build your life around.” While Feng Shui is often associated with lucky bamboo plants and carefully positioned furniture, Classical Feng Shui takes a different approach. It examines factors such as a home’s orientation, age and surrounding environment to better understand how the space may influence the people who live there. According to Lisa, every property has its own unique energetic blueprint. “Just as no two people are exactly alike, no two homes are either,” she explains. It’s a concept that resonates with many homeowners. Most of us have walked into a property and instantly felt comfortable. Others might tick every box on paper, yet something doesn’t feel quite right. That feeling, Lisa says, is often overlooked during the buying process. “We’re very good at analysing properties from a financial perspective, but we don’t always stop to consider how a home might support our wellbeing, relationships or lifestyle.” Of course, location, affordability and practical needs should always come first. But understanding how a property feels can add another layer to the decision-making process. The same principle can apply when it’s time to sell. While fresh paint, decluttering and good styling can certainly help attract buyers, Lisa believes creating a welcoming atmosphere is just as important. “People make emotional decisions about property,” she says. “Often within moments of walking through the front door they’ve already formed an impression of whether they can see themselves living there.” Simple changes such as improving natural light, creating a sense of flow and removing visual clutter can help buyers connect with a space more easily. At its heart, Feng Shui is based on a fairly universal idea: our environment influences how we feel. Most people would agree they feel different in a calm, light-filled home than they do in a dark, cluttered space. The places where we live can affect our mood, energy levels and overall sense of wellbeing. “When you’re buying a home, you’re not just buying a building,” Lisa says. “You’re choosing the environment that will shape your everyday life.” Whether you’re a firm believer in Feng Shui or simply curious about the concept, it offers an interesting reminder that a home is more than bricks and mortar. It’s the backdrop to your life, and that’s something worth considering before you pick up the keys. About the author Suzanne Butler Founder of Harmonising Energies, Classical Feng Shui Practitioner and Contributor Helping people create homes that support their health, relationships, career success and financial wellbeing. With a unique blend of environmental analysis, mindset work and practical strategy, Suzanne helps clients understand how their surroundings influence their everyday experiences and long-term outcomes. Facebook LinkedIn Instagram Website

By Suzanne Butler

Home and Lifestyle

Print is back baby!

By Leanne Hart, Publisher, Get It Magazine I bought a newspaper the other day. The first one I’ve bought in years. Real paper, no scrolling, no pop-ups—just me, coffee, and quiet. And sitting there, I started thinking about why print advertising in Australia is having a moment that a lot of marketers are quietly scrambling to catch up with. One detail stopped me cold: Harvey Norman owned nearly a quarter of the 94 pages through advertising alone. My first thought wasn’t how much did that cost? It was why? Here’s a massive company with budgets that could buy every digital channel available. Yet they still invest heavily in print. That question wouldn’t leave me alone. The answer, I realised, points to something bigger than nostalgia. It’s about what actually works when everything else is screaming for attention. The Digital Noise Problem Let’s be honest about where we are. Your phone pings constantly. Feeds refresh faster than you can read them. Algorithms shuffle content before you finish a sentence. Someone’s always trying to sell you something, and it all blurs together—real posts mixing with ads mixing with AI-generated answers that appear before you even click through. This isn’t digital fatigue in the romantic sense. It’s structural exhaustion. The medium itself has become unreliable. Google now serves AI summaries in roughly one in five searches, cutting traditional click-through rates from 27% down to 11% for top positions. Some research shows drops of nearly 50%. Businesses can’t rely on a single traffic lane any more. The old assumptions don’t hold. But here’s what’s interesting: while digital channels erode, something else is quietly happening. People aren’t abandoning the internet. They’re actively choosing something different when they want to actually pay attention. Why Print Works Differently There’s something fundamentally different about sitting down with a magazine or newspaper. It’s slower. More intentional. Less “blink and you’ve missed it.” When you hold a publication, you’re not competing with a hundred other posts appearing two seconds later. The advertiser isn’t fighting an algorithm. They’re meeting you in a space where you’ve already decided to slow down. And credibility matters here in ways digital struggles to replicate. Appearing in a trusted publication carries weight. Readers instinctively know that businesses in print have invested real money and commitment to reach their actual audience—not just anyone who scrolls past. Print signals intentionality. There’s also the sensory element people underestimate. You can return to a magazine later. Leave it on a coffee table. Hand it to someone. The physicality changes how you engage with it. It feels considered. Real. Not disposable. The Real Opportunity This isn’t about choosing print or digital. It’s about recognising that balance is where things actually get interesting. Harvey Norman understands something important: as digital becomes noisier and less reliable, people are actively seeking spaces where they can stop and genuinely engage. They’re hungry for credibility. For undivided attention. For something that feels intentional rather than algorithmic. The businesses paying attention to this shift aren’t nostalgic. They’re strategic. They see that stepping outside the usual digital box—finding the quiet spaces where people actually pay attention—still works. Sometimes the oldest solutions still deliver what newer channels promise but can’t quite achieve: genuine connection with people who are ready to listen. That’s not print coming back. That’s print finally making sense again.“Print Never Left. We Just Forgot Why It Mattered.“

Home and Lifestyle

The cosy luxury trends we’re embracing this Winter

For years, luxury interiors were all about perfection — immaculate styling, sharp minimalism and homes that looked beautiful but didn’t always feel lived in. This winter, the focus is shifting toward comfort, warmth and creating spaces that invite us to slow down. Think layered bedding, softer lighting, rich textures and rooms designed for living, not just looking good. The goal is no longer to create a showroom-perfect home, but one you genuinely want to curl up in during the colder months. TIP: Cosy luxury doesn’t have to mean expensive. Often, the most inviting homes are layered with personality, comfort and pieces collected over time. COLOUR Burgundy, sage and cream might sound like ingredients from a winter menu, but they’re also some of this season’s most popular interior shades. While paint can instantly transform a room, you don’t need to commit to a full makeover to embrace winter tones. Cushions, throws, vases and artwork in rich seasonal colours can add warmth and depth without the long-term commitment. Warm metals, timber accents and natural finishes can also help create a cosy winter sanctuary. Other moody winter shades include: olive clay chocolate smoky blue deep green terracotta TIP: Stores such as Kmart offer affordable on-trend accessories in warm winter colours, making it easy to update a space without overspending. TEXTURE Luxury is just as much about how a home feels as how it looks. Soft cashmere throws, velvet feather-filled cushions and layered bedding instantly create warmth and comfort during winter. Bouclé (pronounced boo-clay) continues to dominate interiors, adding softness and texture to living spaces. This season is all about layering different fabrics and finishes to create a home that feels welcoming and lived in. TIP: Texture is personal. Choose fabrics and finishes that feel genuinely comfortable and calming to you. LIGHTING A big part of cosy luxury comes down to ambience. A lamp glowing in the corner, candles flickering on a coffee table or wall sconces casting soft shadows can completely change the mood of a room. Winter interiors are moving away from harsh overhead lighting and embracing softer, warmer light sources instead. Think: lamps instead of overhead lighting candles wall sconces warm-toned globes dimmer switches The goal is less “display home” and more “boutique hotel lounge”. TIP: Avoid heavily scented candles, which can quickly overpower a room or irritate sensitive noses. MAKE IT PERSONAL Winter is the perfect time to lean into the pieces that make a home feel personal and comforting. Favourite books, vintage finds, framed photos, board games and meaningful artwork all help create a sense of warmth and familiarity. Rather than chasing copy-and-paste interiors, many people are embracing homes that feel collected and lived in. Think: collected pieces vintage finds meaningful art books family photos TIP: Don’t overthink it. If you love it, display it. OUTSIDE Cosy living doesn’t have to stop at the back door. There’s something hard to beat about the atmosphere of an outdoor fire on a cold night. If space is limited, a compact fire pit can still create warmth and ambience without overwhelming a small outdoor area. Outdoor lighting also goes a long way in making a space feel inviting during winter, whether it’s festoon lights, lanterns or soft garden lighting. TIP: Hardware and homewares stores often stock affordable outdoor lighting options during winter, making it easy to create atmosphere on a budget. THE WRAP This winter, let trends inspire you, but focus on creating a home that feels warm, calming and comforting to you. Because true luxury isn’t about how perfect a space looks — it’s about how it makes you feel. About the author Kylie Harding Founder of Styled to Sell, Stylist and Contributor Kylie Harding is the founder of Styled to Sell, a property styling business she has run for more than 25 years. Instagram Website

By Kylie Harding

Home and Lifestyle

Why real-world shopping is back.

There’s something exhilarating about shopping online. The convenience of browsing dozens of stores from the comfort of your couch, the anticipation of delivery and the small thrill of finding a package waiting on your doorstep. When it all goes to plan, it’s easy to wonder why anyone would bother heading into a store at all. But it’s the delayed shipping, the dress that looks nothing like the photos, the impossible returns process or the dreaded “final sale” policy that quickly reminds us of the downside of convenience. And suddenly, the appeal of wandering through the shops with a coffee in hand starts to feel enticing again. After more than a decade of rapid digitalisation, face-to-face shopping is making a comeback. Australians are increasingly craving real experiences, personalised service and human interaction over endless scrolling and checkout carts. Nearly three in four Australians say they’ve changed their shopping behaviour in the past 12 months, with 61 per cent now preferring to buy non-essential items in store. While online shopping remains a major part of modern consumer life — particularly for younger generations — many shoppers are being drawn back to physical retail by the experience itself. And there are some things online shopping simply can’t replicate. There’s the instant gratification of walking out with your purchase that day. The ability to try something on properly, feel the fabric, compare colours in real lighting or ask someone for advice. In an era of rising living costs and increasingly enhanced online imagery, shoppers are becoming more cautious about where they spend their money. Seeing a product in person offers reassurance that no size chart or customer review can quite match. Post-COVID, shopping centres briefly became places many people avoided altogether. Now, foot traffic is steadily returning, helped along by the redesign of retail spaces into lifestyle destinations that offer much more than shopping alone. Many centres now incorporate wellness spaces, dining precincts, entertainment and flexible work areas, creating environments designed for people to spend time in rather than simply buy and leave. A quick trip to the shops has once again become lunch with friends, an outing with the kids or a slow Sunday morning wandering through stores after coffee. But it’s not just major shopping centres benefiting from the shift. As people increasingly seek connection and community, many are turning back toward small businesses and local retailers. Supporting independent stores, discovering locally made products and chatting with someone behind the counter offers a level of authenticity and trust that can feel difficult to find online. The personalised service these businesses provide often transforms a simple purchase into something far more meaningful. Customers feel recognised and valued rather than treated like another transaction, and in a world where so much of life now happens through screens, that human interaction matters. Of course, online shopping isn’t disappearing any time soon. Instead, retail is evolving into a hybrid experience where customers move seamlessly between digital convenience and in-store connection. Click-and-collect services, dedicated pickup zones and weekend pop-up stores have become standard, while many online-first brands are increasingly appearing at local markets and temporary retail spaces. Studies show around 80 per cent of shoppers now actively use a combination of both online and in-store shopping, often researching products online before heading into stores to make the final purchase. The future of retail no longer appears to be a choice between digital and physical shopping. Increasingly, Australians want both. Because while convenience may have changed the way we shop, it turns out people still value the experience of shopping itself.