What are you all munching on while you are on the sidelines? Today I had way too many salt and vinegar chips and a banana. I need to do better. Give me your cost saving and healthy ideas. Think I should also buy a small cooler bag for myself...

Advice needed: Waterdrop vs Frizzlife water filters 💧

Hi everyone! We’ve recently moved to Melbourne and have noticed that our tap water has quite a strong chlorine taste. We’re looking at getting a water filter and have narrowed it down to two options on Amazon.

Would love to hear from anyone who has used either of these, or has experience with similar systems!

Option 1: Waterdrop ED01W Electric Water Filter Pitcher

• Can be stored in the fridge, which is a big plus for us as we prefer cold water.
• Comes with 4 filters.
• Approximately $112 for the unit alone or $167 with 4 filters.
• Each filter is rated for 200 gallons (around 757 litres).
• Convenient and portable, with no plumbing or installation required.

Option 2: Frizzlife MK99 Under-Sink Water Filter

• Connects directly to the cold-water supply under the kitchen sink.
• Around $120 when on special.
• Replacement filters cost less than $20 each.
• Advertised capacity of 1,600 gallons (around 6,057 litres) per filter.
• Quick-change cartridges, with no need to replace the whole unit.
• The downside is that we’re renting, so we’d need to install it temporarily and remove it when we move out.

What would you choose and why?

Our main priority is getting rid of that strong chlorine taste and having water that tastes good enough to drink every day. We also like the idea of having cold, filtered water ready in the fridge.

Is the under-sink system noticeably better, or would you go with the convenience of the Waterdrop? How do the ongoing filter costs compare in practice?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I am also another victim of unexpected high energy bill! I wanted to see if this is relatively normal or if I should be checking for leaks etc?

Cost: $283.41 incl. supply charge (September full month)

Units: 874 kWh (Peak: 631.964 kWh, Off peak: 240.420 kWh)

Supply charge: $47.62 ($1.587 per day)

Supplier: Origin Peak/Offpeak plan (Peak: $0.3135, offpeak: $0.1567)

Household:

• 2 Adults, 1 child - house
• No gas so electricty does heat water
• Have used heating but very sparingly
• Only 1 fridge and always turn lights off when not in use
• Location: Metropolitan Sydney

Statement pic: https://imgur.com/a/tuRUM2o

Wondering what is the best reputable insurance to go with for Full Insurance and Third Party car insurance that isn’t a rip off and when you have any issues or claims it’s easy to do with no hidden bs?

Cause with NRMA the insurance is so pricey and gets expensive every year.

Wondering if anyone knows more about car insurance and etc. Please share your experiences aswell etc

G’day legends,

With the cost of living these days, the wife and I are trying to cut back on subscriptions and ongoing expenses. One thing we’ve decided to ditch is our gym membership, which is currently costing us $40 a week for both of us. That’s over $2,000 a year!

I’ve got some space in the garage, so I’m thinking of setting up a decent home gym instead. Ideally, I’d like to keep the total spend under $1,500 AUD, buying mostly second-hand stuff off Marketplace here on the south side of Brisbane.

What I already have:

• An adjustable bench from COVID times (flat and incline, but no barbell rack), good quality, i think it is rated for 300+kg.
• Two kettlebells (8kg and 12kg).
• Two dumbbells and a small barbell with around 50kg of combined weights.

1. Cardio machine – elliptical or rowing machine, or maybe airbike?

I’ve been looking at ProForm and NordicTrack ellipticals, or possibly a rowing machine on Marketplace. Decent-looking ellipticals seem to be around $500.

For those who own or have owned one:

• Which brands and models are worth looking for second-hand in Australia?
• Are ProForm, Sole, and NordicTrack generally reliable, or are there models you'd avoid?
• What should I check before buying a used elliptical, particularly with the electronics, resistance system and moving parts?
• Would you go for an elliptical or a rower for a home gym?

2. All-in-one gym – Smith machine, power rack and cable system

Ideally, I want something with a Smith machine or barbell rack, lat pulldown and cable attachments for triceps, where I can also use my existing bench.

I’ve come across heaps of options, from cheaper new machines like these:

• RitKeep Destroyer M10
• Cortex 6-in-1 Power Rack with Smith Machine and Cable Machine

There are also plenty of second-hand machines on Marketplace, but the prices vary from 500$ and up to 5000$

The main reason I want a lat pulldown is that my wife can't do pull-ups yet.

My biggest concern is the pulley and cable system.

I’ve heard people say that cheap all-in-one machines can have poor-quality pulleys and cables, and that replacing them can get expensive.

For anyone who owns one:

• How good are the pulleys and cables on budget brands like Cortex, RitKeep and similar machines?
• Do the pulleys run smoothly under load, or do they feel jerky and have a lot of friction?
• Are replacement cables and pulleys easy to source in Australia, or can you end up having to modify things or order custom parts?
• When inspecting a second-hand machine, how do you check the cables, pulleys, bearings and weight-stack movement?
• Are there particular brands you'd trust for a used all-in-one gym, and any you'd stay away from?

I'm also wondering whether I'd be better off buying a basic power rack, barbell and weights, plus a separate lat pulldown attachment, rather than one of these all-in-one setups.

Budget and overall plan

My thinking is that spending $1,500 now is roughly nine months of gym memberships, and we can hopefully resell the equipment down the track and recover some of the cost.

Am I overthinking this, or is there a smarter way to build a decent garage gym on this budget?

Keen to hear from anyone who's built one, particularly around Brisbane. Happy to buy second-hand on Marketplace if it's good-quality gear.

Cheers, appreciate any advice! 🍻

I need to upgrade my car insurance to comprehensive, quotes are all around $1,500.

Is there anything stopping me from getting the NAB Low Fee credit card, paying my $1,500 car insurance upfront and collecting the $250 cashback?

Is there any reason this won’t work or are there better ways of doing this?

I am looking to donate items to my primary schools' request fir Christmas Food Hamper donations, but trying to line it up so that I can buy 3-5 items that together make a decent meal, then purchase that a few times to donate - I hope that makes sense!

For example, a jar of white sauce, tin of tuna, corn, macaroni for a tuna bake. That sort of thing.

Any recommendations and suggestions are appreciated! TIA

What are some of the best discounts for seniors.

The only deals are like are using the business portal for the good guys - the deals are cheaper in their

I’ve been searching online without much luck.

Does anyone know of a Telstra-network MVNO that offers a wearable/companion eSIM compatible with the Google Pixel Watch 4 LTE?

There should be a clothing tag

Most jeans these days barely last a year. Most of shops are picked clean of decent jeans before I get to them.

Levi's have gone to hell, where do you buy new jeans from?

I live in a 1970s red brick apartment block, single person household WFH 4 days per week. The average of my daily usage over the 6 months I've been here is 15 kwh per day. I thought pretty normal, but apparently not.

I just went through my bill with a neighbour in my building, who runs their dryer almost every single day (they don't line dry at all). They're also a single person household, no A/C but use pedestal fans and heaters. They're TV is on during the day as well which I can see.
They're daily usage is 10kwh per day.

I've got a power meter here now, starting with the fridge (my first assumption at the culprit) however it's telling me the fridge is very efficient at roughly 1.5 kwh per 24 hours.

Any ideas you could throw at me of where the leak might be, what I should prioritise checking with the energy meter?

I have:

- Fridge - second hand
- Hot water tank - 50L baby and commonly run out
- new LG thinq washing machine
- WFH setup: Dell gaming laptop (I don't game though) and second monitor - sleep mode outside business hours on both.
- TV - second hand (only 1-2 hours in the evenings)
- sound bar (very small one)
- 2-3 lamps with ikea bulbs
- air fryer
- also use the ceiling fan in my bedroom

I do not have:

- A/C
- heating
- dryer (only communal line user in the complex)
- dishwasher
- bathroom exhaust fan
- bathroom heat lights

Anything else I've missed?

Hi everyone,

I’m a support worker and trying to source a phone for a consumer of mine. I have been looking around but struggling to find a cheap or free phone as he is financially struggling but isn’t elligible for a DV safe phone. Just seeing if anyone has any ideas or places which can assist with this? TIA

The price is similar to the other few available STBs, but this model has the 'go to' button and feature.

I have 2 old Bush and DSE STBs and they were very similar with the remote being interchangeable even though the remotes have slightly different buttons.

The 'go to' feature lets you 'jump' ads when watching recorded shows.

You press 'info' to bring up the time stamp info, then you press 'go to' and enter the minutes and seconds.
After doing it a few times you realise 7, 9, and 10, have 4-5 minute ad breaks.

Without this handy feature, you have to use Fast Forward which has far less precision.

I'm thinking of buying one, as STBs seeem to be on the way out.

https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/linsar-set-top-box-lsstb

Remote control image:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0641/9388/8321/files/50066684_636808.png?v=1776226844&height=1200

Manual link:

https://linsar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/LSSTB-Linsar-Set-Top-Box-IM-V12.pdf

Note: the remote info is incorrect in the manual for the layout.

I meal prep every Sunday and I'm curious how others keep protein affordable.

1. What did your last weekly shop come to, and roughly how much of that was protein?

2. What do you buy for protein when you're trying to keep costs down?

3. Have you swapped anything recently because the price went up? What did you switch to?

4. Do you plan around the weekly specials, or buy the same things every week?

Keen to steal some tips.

I’m a single mum to a toddler, recently single, and sorting out my finances.

I don’t wanna survive on baked beans on toast. Nutrition is important. I wanna eat decent food. In my head I’m thinking $250 a fortnight on groceries … does that seem right to you? We spent around $350/fortnight as a couple with child.

What are you eating week to week to save money?

I live in Sydney and need around 25GB/month with no lock-in contract. I’m considering SpinTel, felix, TPG, Lyca or ALDImobile. I don’t need remote-area coverage or super-fast speeds, just reliable internet for everyday use. Has anyone tried these? Which would you recommend around $20/month, ideally beyond introductory offers?

I had a really good Breville coffee maker ($600-700) years ago and really loved the coffees. I had it fixed once, and then when it broke again let it go as I was then on my own and couldn’t justify getting another machine just for myself. I’m not into the pod machines, and had just assumed either were more expensive.

A large lactose free cap is now $7/$7.30 (Perth WA) and I might get 2 a week. I use Nescafé cappuccino sachets the rest of the time, it tastes nicer to me than instant coffee. I haven’t been able to find alternative milk sachets.

I know there’s mixed feelings about AI but I’ve found it helpful for a lot things, and use it with caution. I ran ChatGPT through what I’m doing now vs buying a cheapish machine, new grinder, and ongoing beans and LF milk.

I based it on $120 for the Devanti 20 Bar Coffee Machine Espresso Cafe Maker, but I’m also looking at a smaller one for $100 and a Delonghi for $129. And there are a few others priced up to $200, I need to look into a bit more.

A new $30 grinder (the old one has been used to grind fish pellets), and ongoing $18 for 1k beans (this may be $3 higher if they’re crap), and $3L LF milk. 2 years assumption for the life of the machine and grinder. I used to buy descaling tablets but am sure I can find a cheaper hack for this now.

It’s very estimated at this point, current weekly $21.21 vs home machine $17.25. A $200 machine would be $18.02.

I didn’t realise that it could be cheaper than what I’ve been doing. Better tasting coffees and I get my LF milk, for less.

It also gave me scenarios for using instant coffee, and 2 bean coffees at home and the remaining with sachets, ‘the best financial choice’ it said 😂 Not untrue, but I do like a good coffee.

*** After looking into it further, I went for a higher priced one, Breville Infuser ($400) which might have a life span of 5-7 years, assumed 5 years for calcs. I did see the Devanti might have a 3-5 year (3 years $15.91 weekly), but felt this was better as my last Breville lasted 7-8 years and worked well.

New calcs for the Breville: $15.64 a week vs current $21.21

Hi everyone.

I am not looking for financial assistance or anything like that. Just tips/ideas.

I’m looking for tips to survive the additional costs that are associated with starting a new job.

I start working at a new job on Monday after being unemployed for 18 months due to cancer (thankfully I am now cancer free).

I have $30 in my account to cover travel and food for lunches for the 2 weeks until I get my first paycheck.

I have survived (barely) on Centrelink by eating 1 meal a day but because I’ll be working an active job, I’ll need a bit more nourishment than what I have been surviving on.

What are some tips/ideas for low cost lunches and/or travel? I’ll be travelling about an hour by car each way each day.

Thank you ☺️

Hi everyone, I am on a temporary visa with bupa basic insurance which doesnt cover dental. I was looking to get a checkup and one filling. Does anyone has any recommendations for a good cheap dental clinic?

I am near Narellan and Campbelltown, but also can travel further inner south west or more. Thanks

IN REGARDS TO FRUIT & VEG, SEE EDIT BELOW

Just wanted to share with people what I got for a typical grocery haul. I usually have the basics at home (salt, pepper, spices, milk, vegetables (frozen and fresh), fruits, all types of carbs like lentils, rice etc.) I just top up what I generally need and dont overspend or bulk buy. I typically don't eat a huge amount of food, but if I feel like it a girl can surely eat!

Coles:

Beef Sausages - $6.50 (its $12 for 2 but I only get 1 cause thats all I need)

Beef Marrow Bone (HUGE bone marrow, delicious) - $5.38

Super Sub Bread 2 pack - $2.20

Chicken Thigh Cutlets with Skin -$9.50 for 4 good sized pieces

Pork spare ribs - $11.06

Baking Paper (to line in my airfryer) - $1.8

Coles Cookies 200g (this is the small pack, not the box) - $3.8

1x Tomato - $0.63

1x small ginger piece - $0.69

1x generic paper towels (2 pack) - $2.20

TOTAL: $43.96 in COLES

Tongli Supermarket:

1x small sweet potato - $1.05

1x Choy Sum bunch - $1

TOTAL: $2.05 in TONGLI

The list looks short, but its actually a lot for a week I reckon. I get leftovers just from all of that with the dishes I make! This is in reference to a single household also. Just thought I'd share 🫶🏻

EDIT: I also buy my veggies at parklea markets or asian grocery stores usually. Its so much cheaper there sometimes. My typical tactic is simply to just buy what you actually need for a dish and make that for the week. Gotta be a dish you REALLY love and nourishing at the same time.

EDIT: People keep asking me where are the veggies on the list. As stated I only buy what I dont have. I already have a huge surplus of veggies, fruit, rice, condiments and even cleaning products/sanitary items stored. I only bought Choy Sum this week as its the only vegetable I dont have in stock. The rule is always the same. I only buy whats missing and what I need for that week. When it comes to the meals, i always have veggies incorporated into the food i make. Sometimes I make cheat meals also, why not? I made a brief suggestion on what id make with what I bought that week on another comment. But I will always eat enough veggies and fruit in between in reality, and always end up staying well below budget!

As for the amount of meat I get, theyre easy to store in the fridge and I can always defrost when I have a surplus of it. I dont use all of it all at once either!

I've been with Woolies mobile for a few years now. My last recharge, they'd nixed my $170/12 month plan (with 1x 10% off in store shop a month), so I went with the $130/6 month plan (with no Woolies discount). Now they're going to $160/6 months, no discount.

I know prices are going up, but I feel like that's taking the piss.

Who is everyone with, and what's the cost? I prefer a telstra network, and I use less than 5GB a month, though would like data rollover or a bit higher monthly data because I do work in field.

I bought these scales in July 2025 and the buttons became faulty around May 2026

The problem is the buttons are those soft rubber types.
I've had similar issues with soft buttons on my Kmart heated throw, so there's some inherent fault in the design AFAIK.

I bought the scales for $7, and they're now $10, but not worth it at any price.

The previous scales had 'hard' buttons and they lasted years. They still work but the buttons need to be pressed more than once, so that's why I bought the new ones.

These dominate the eBay listings, but there's a couple of others.
It feels like the quality of all the scales has dropped a bit unfortunately.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/144521944503