How to save (at least) $50 a week without really trying.

Trying to save money is about as boring as watching paint that isn’t even drying. Skipping your beloved morning Chai just feels like punishment and really, life’s too short to always go without.

That’s why I love finding sneaky ways to save a bit of money here and there while still living my best life. Here’s a few tricks I’ve used in the past week.

Don’t be too cool for docket discounts.

Seriously.

Ordinarily I use the supermarket self serve checkout and choose the ‘no receipt’ option, but the other day it printed by mistake and on the bottom of the docket I spotted my fave sauv blanc (which is normally $20 bucks a bottle) was buy-one-get-one-free at BWS next door. That’s two bottles for $20.

It’s basically free wine. Ditto discounted petrol. Depending on the supermarket, where you can save anywhere from four to 10 cents a litre.

So with my little Mazda 2 (which has a 40 litre tank), that’s anywhere from $1.20 to $4 I’m saving every time I fill up (and most cars have a bigger tank than that = more savings). That’s a free coffee right there.

Beware PayPass and payWave.

We're well on our way to a cashless society, made apparent when the government passed an act (which took affect from September last year) that prevented businesses from being able to pass on excessive surcharges when using PayPass and payWave.

BUT, there's still fees associated with that quick tap to buy something. Unless you're shopping or eating at a business which doesn't pass on a surcharge, you're likely paying a 0.5 - 3 per cent fee each transaction.

That's because the transaction is processed through the credit system, no matter the account the money comes from. Sure, it's not much, but if you tap a lot it adds up. The way to avoid that is to use good old EFTPOS and punch in your pin.

Switch between delivery services.

I've become intimately acquainted with all the best takeaway joints in my area and which delivery apps they are listed on. For that reason I switch between Deliveroo, Foodora, Menulog and UberEATS, depending on what I feel like for Friday night take-out.

Last week Foodora sent me a $20 voucher to entice me back to the platform, so sometimes it pays (literally) to not be too loyal. Services will often offer discounts to get you to use them again, or reward you with a voucher if you introduce a friend.

LISTEN: The Barefoot Investor Scott Pape shares his best piece of financial advice for single women. Post continues after audio.

Check Google promo-codes.

If you love online shopping, make sure you Google for promo codes before you go through the checkout. Heaps of online stores offer a percentage off just for the hell of it (my fave online health store, iHerb, always has some sort of discount going).

Some stores also offer a discount for new customers, so consider going through the checkout with one of your other email addresses if you've shopped with them before.

Shop the outlets.

Cost-per-wear ultimately saves you money so we know that buying crap quality clothes isn't smart. Though paying full price for a timeless Brenton tee or black work pants isn't very clever, either.

Outlets like DFO and Birkenhead Point here in Sydney have chain-stores like Seed, Witchery and Country Road where you can get awesome work-wear, denim and classic wardrobe basics heaps cheaper than their regular stores.

And really, how much does a black blazer change each season?

Use your coffee shop's loyalty card.

I'm calling it - those old-school business cards stamped each time you buy a coffee are cool again.

Say you buy a coffee each work morning and your cafe gives you a free one after you've paid for nine, that's 26 free coffees a year. I pay $5 for my order (damn you, almond milk), so I'm saving $130 a year by keeping that little card in my wallet.

In the past week I saved myself $58 without giving up wine, take away or online shopping. How do you like that, Scott Pape?

Listen to Scott's full interview on the No Filter podcast here:

Do you have any cool tricks for saving money? Tell us in the comments section.