'I’m the 'admin friend'. Here's exactly how I save hundreds with just 3 phone calls each year.'

Look, no one told me this stuff. I discovered it while having one of those "where's all my millions of dollars?" moments a few years ago.

When I share these tips with my friends and colleagues, they look at me like I have just done a backflip (I've always wanted to be that impressive, but I'll settle for being the thrifty girl).

I'm that friend who not only reads the fine print but gets excited about it.

While my mates gently make fun of my colour-coded spreadsheets (yes, they exist, and yes, they're beautiful), they're also the first ones asking me how I manage to save money faster than them despite earning less. Consider this my lesson on being delightfully cheap.

Unfortunately, the companies we pay our bills to are basically betting on us being too lazy to make a phone call. They're counting on us accepting a price and choosing procrastination over savings. Well, not on my watch! 

Watch: 5 phone-less tips too–just to make SURE we're saving. Post continues below.

You can literally just call the internet, phone and insurance customer service lines and ask for a discount. Yes, it's that simple. But there's an art to it, especially now when everyone's trying to save money faster than my local cafe can increase the price of an iced coffee.

So, here's my yearly money-saving routine that takes exactly two hours and saves me hundreds of dollars. You're welcome.

The private health insurance call.

First up, ring your health insurance provider. Yes, actually ring them. Here's the script I use: "Hi, I'm reviewing my health insurance options because apparently, being an adult means making these kinds of calls. Any chance you could offer me a better deal?"I've experienced lovely customer service with my provider, except for one time when they weren't helpful and here's what I said next. This is the most important:  "What is the process for switching providers, do I have to pay a fee?" There is no fee, I just say this so they take me seriously.

Watch how quickly they transfer you to their 'customer retention team' (aka the people with the power to actually give you a better deal).

This exact conversation took five minutes and saved me $192 annually. Worth the awkwardness you might feel? Absolutely.Call your provider every 12-24 months depending on the duration of the discount they provide you with.

The phone provider call.

If you aren't on a plan, this is for you. If you are and it's not wrapping up soon, skip to number three.

If you're still paying $65+ monthly with a major telco, we need to talk. I switched to a smaller provider using the same network and now pay $17 a month.

Thanks to a cheeky CommBank perk, I switched from paying $65 a month with a major telco to just $17 with More Mobile (which uses the same network, by the way) but even without the bank discount, you can get plans from $24 a month with More Mobile or another smaller provider. They'll do all the heavy lifting — they'll send you a SIM card and transfer your number for you. A can't-be-bothered person's dream. 

The Wi-Fi call.

This one's my favourite money-saving hack, because internet providers are constantly trying to woo new customers with special deals.

Ring up, mention you've spotted a competitor's offer, and watch the magic happen. I do this every six months and haven't paid full price for the internet in three years. I went from paying $80 a month to $50 per month and, as someone who works from home and considers watching TV a personality trait, I need ALL the internet.

CommBank also gets me a discount with More for my internet.

The streaming services subscription sweep.

This extra tip requires no phone calls (and is probably quite an obvious bill to monitor)

We've all been burned by forgotten free trials (like the meditation app I used exactly once). This one's less about calling and more about smart admin, but stick with me.

You know all those "free trial" offers you're scared to sign up for because you'll forget to cancel them?

Here's what you do:

• Sign up for the trial

• Immediately set two calendar reminders: one for three days before it ends and one for the day before.

• Actually cancel when the reminder pops up.

I've saved a small fortune on streaming services and meal kit deliveries.

The secret to all of this? Being just assertive enough (while staying polite) to get what you want. These companies literally have entire departments dedicated to keeping customers happy — you just need to channel your inner Karen.

So there you have it — my somewhat nerdy but extremely effective money-saving routine that takes just two hours. Your bank account can thank me later.

Feature: Supplied.