A couple of weeks ago we asked in our weekly newsletter (sign up here) for your favourite money hacks – and we got a ton of responses. So we’re sharing a few of the most popular hacks below:

#1 Cut your own hair

Boy did this one surprise me. I do cut my own hair (well, at least my wife does), but I used to get the occasional hair cut and it always seemed expensive. During lockdown, I bought some real-world clippers for R850. Sure, it’s a lot, but since then I’ve had more than a dozen haircuts (and only one botched one – but it grew back) at zero cost.

This hack was the most popular suggestion on our socials. Everyone agreed it’s perfect for kids, but if you have a fancy haircut, you may well need a pro.

Some of you also pointed out that short hair uses less shampoo. 🙂

And the last suggestion on this hairy topic is to limit shaving your beard to once a week. What’s more – you’ll look more manly. Hmm, I don’t like a beard, so I shave. But I do use an old-school safety razor. My blades cost around R150 a year and work way better than the overpriced fancy ones.

#2 Buy vouchers for offshore services

So a new trick by the banks is charging an extra 1 – 2% fee when buying from offshore providers, like Netflix, Apple, Disney+ and the like. Although we pay in Rands, the money still heads offshore and the banks charge a fee for it.

To sidestep that fee, buy a voucher locally for the service. You can buy these vouchers almost everywhere, including from your bank – and maybe even from their rewards program.

Boom, now you don’t pay that pesky 1 – 2% fee.

Money hack quickies from the JOL community

• “Use aqueous cream as an alternative to shaving foam. I had to make the switch due to skin sensitivity. A jar lasts me more than a year and costs like R35.”
• “An oldie, but still a goodie. Call your insurance yearly and ask for your premium to be reduced due to your car losing value.”
• “You don’t need to spend money on a full leg wax every month. Try 3/4 leg wax. It won’t work for everyone but it’s worth a try.”
• “Drink less.”
• “I use my garden tree trimmings as firewood. I have a big silver oak tree that needs to get an annual “haircut” so it doesn’t block the sun from my solar panels. I’m also in a multi-year process of removing a big old plum tree. Between those two trees, I’ve enough branches for firewood and the leaves go into the compost.”
• “Use a geyser timer. Our geyser is on for less than an hour twice a day, and our electricity bill is waaaay lower as a result. My second tip is to shower together to save even more on hot water!”
• “I buy a bottle of the cheapest dishwasher rinse aid I can find. I then dilute it with water to give me the equivalent of four bottles of rinse aid. It works equally as well.”

We receive incredible money hacks from a growing audience. In this blog, we share our favourites and why we love them. If you are a financial Master of Efficiencies, share your money tips with us by sending an email to info@justonelap.com.