By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
THE well-known mum of Australia’s ‘tightest family’ is a big fan of Star News.
Super saver Wendy Gower, a regular on A Current Affair, was featured in an episode this week browsing through the News to find the best local bargains.
The Gowers, from Narre Warren, first featured on A Current Affair earlier this year, allowing Wendy and husband Darren to share their scrupulous saving tips first implemented in 2005 after the pair found themselves jobless and faced with a mountainous mortgage.
“It scared the living daylights out of us… we had made a huge mortgage payment the week before, because we were trying to pay it off and we didn’t have a lot of savings left by doing that,” Wendy told the News in July.
“We just had to cut everything and when Darren did get a job we just continued the frugal life because it scared us so much that we thought we were going to lose our house.
“We thought ‘right, we’re going to get rid of it (mortgage) as quickly as we can’.
“We’ll just be extremely wise, without being stingy, and that’s the story we’re trying to get across to people.”
The Gowers have a combined income well below $40,000 a year and currently budget for $270 worth of shopping expenses a month.
Bill expenses are collated separately, while Wendy and Darren spend $300 a year on clothes and shoes from Savers for each family member.
With daughters, Jessica and Megan, aged 17 and 14 respectively, the Gowers receive the family tax benefit but nothing else.
Wendy’s saving secrets include living below one’s means through incorporating savings into the family budget, menu planning, cooking in bulk, buying in bulk when items are on sale, and knowing the difference between an essential item and a luxury item.
The Gowers, who regularly go on holidays but keep them inside Australia, also ensure only two lights are on in the house at one time to save electricity, re-use water, attach pumps to bottles for “portion control”, and purchase presents all year around.
To see Wendy’s latest appearance on A Current Affair, visit aca.ninemsn.com.au/article/8912684/wendys-wonderful-holiday-savings-tips
