How comedian Mel Buttle became a savvy saver

Estimated reading time
 5 min

In this article

• Handy habits to help you save money
• The importance of having a savings fund
• How to be a savvy spender

If I’m being honest, I haven’t always been good at saving. In fact, until recently, my ability to save money was all but non-existent.

As a comedian, pay cheques can be few and far between, and pair that with a love of ordering takeout and a few bad investments (read: overpriced cars), bang, you’ve got a pretty poor excuse of a savings account. 

I remember sneaking into my mum’s house one night when I was younger (don’t judge, I had a key), and taking some coins off her bench to pay for petrol. I told her of course, but it wasn’t a fun time. 

BUT.

After growing up (ish) and buying a house, I can finally say I’ve somewhat figured out how to manage my money. Here’s some of the handy habits I learnt along the way.   

1. Do you really need to order takeaway again?

Like many people I’m time-poor, and as a result I used to spend a lot of money on food. I’d be coming home from somewhere and think ‘I’m so hungry’ and before you know it, $42 is gone on lunch.  But when you’re saving for a house, every cent counts. So, I dialled down the ordering and turned up the home-prepped meals. 

Now, I have a bit more of a system. Every week my partner and I give ourselves a treat – whether it’s going out for breakfast or dinner, clothes shopping or to get a massage. Whatever it is, once I've had it, that’s my treat and I don’t get a second one.

2. Make a plan, Mel

As a sole trader, I also had to acknowledge that I’m operating as a business – so I got an accounting program to help manage my costs and income. This has changed my life. 

Tax was also a big one. No one’s taking out tax when you work for yourself – so I had to be disciplined and set aside a portion of each pay to be able to pay the tax agent at the end of a financial year.

But also, simple things like planning for when I need to pay my car registration (or bills, rates and all those other adult-related things) have helped. I now write everything in my diary so when it's due next time, instead of just waiting for a letter, getting bill shock and passing out, I know what to expect.

3. It’s cool to be savvy

I’m a big believer in saving where you can. And online second-hand exchanges are an absolute goldmine for a bargain. I recently bought new cane furniture for the front deck of my house from an online marketplace and snagged a table and two chairs, plus cushions, all for under $100. 

I also really enjoy good quality linen, like duvet covers and grown-up stuff that I never thought I would be saying. So, instead of having that extra lunch out, I’ll save up to get this French linen doona cover that I've taken a photo of in my phone. When I’ve saved enough or I see a discount code online, then I can go and get it.

And I do things like look on fuel apps to find the cheapest petrol and save a bit from each pay cheque I receive – I don’t have a set amount, but I decide on a number and put a portion of my pay into a separate bank account so I can’t access it as easily as my everyday savings. 

4. Save for absolutely no purpose

Last but certainly not least: have a savings fund. It’s very grown up and boring, but it helps me (especially in this industry) feel financially safe and secure.

When COVID came, I looked at my savings, got a budget together and worked out exactly how long I could pay for things if I didn't get paid a single cent. And I figured out I could survive for several months because I had the safety blanket of my savings. You can’t underestimate that – or when you might need it.