5 tips for saving money at work

You spend more of your waking hours at work than at home Monday to Friday, so it’s a good place to make some in-roads with your budgeting, and get closer to your goals.

Here are five tips for saving money 9 to 5:

1. Pay yourself first
   If you have trouble saving, set up an automatic payment so the money goes into your savings account on pay day. Or ask your employer to set up a salary deduction so the money goes into your savings account or super fund before it even hits your bank.
2. Take your lunch
   If you can’t face making a packed lunch at home, bring ingredients like a loaf of bread and a can of tuna to work on Monday and make it as you go. (I’m not going to mention coffee in this post, OK?)
3. Know your hourly wage
   If you’re on a salary, divide your take-home pay by the number of hours you work to establish what your hourly wage is. Then whenever something says “Buy me!” think to yourself “It will actually take me x hours work to earn that”. Sobering stuff.
4. Don’t take the car
   Parking your car near work can cost as much as $12 a day. If walking or biking isn’t possible and public transport isn’t an option either, try parking in a cheaper (or free) part of town and walk the rest of the way.
5. Join KiwiSaver
   If you can afford the 2% minimum, with matching employer contributions and up to $1024 per year from the government, KiwiSaver is pretty hard to beat for long-term savings.