How to Stretch Your Dollar Further: Dawn Thomas on ausbiz

With the cost of living showing little sign of easing, Australians are looking for practical ways to get more from their money. Our Senior Wealth Adviser Dawn Thomas recently appeared on ausbiz’s The Advisory to share her advice on exactly that – and her tips were as actionable as they were refreshing.

The cost of convenience

Dawn’s central theme was one that resonates with most Australian households right now: convenience has a price, and it’s higher than many of us realise. Whether it’s brand loyalty at the supermarket, food delivery apps or the subscriptions quietly ticking over in the background, the small decisions we make for the sake of ease are adding up in ways that genuinely matter.

On fuel, Dawn pointed out that understanding your state’s fuel price cycle can make a real difference. In WA, the cycle runs around seven days, making it relatively straightforward to identify the cheapest day to fill up. In other states, that cycle can stretch to 30 or even 45 days – but the AEC website is a handy resource for tracking where prices sit in any given cycle.

When it came to groceries, Dawn referenced what she called the “retirees’ secret” – shopping across multiple supermarkets to take advantage of different weekly deals. It costs more time, she acknowledged, but in the current environment any relief on food costs is worth considering. She also flagged the importance of comparing products on a cost-per-unit basis rather than being swayed by deals or packaging, particularly given recent scrutiny of supermarket pricing practices and shrinkflation.

The subscriptions you’ve forgotten about

On streaming services and subscriptions, Dawn was direct: the subscription model is designed to work against you. Providers count on the fact that cancelling feels like too much effort, so charges keep coming out month after month for services you may rarely – or never – use. A simple review of what you’re actually paying for each month is one of the easiest wins available.

Cloud storage was another expense Dawn flagged – one that catches many people off guard. What starts as a free or very low-cost service gradually escalates as photos and videos accumulate. Her practical suggestion: move files to a physical storage device and reduce what’s sitting in the cloud, before those costs climb further.

Supporting local while saving money

On food delivery platforms, Dawn returned to her theme of the hidden cost of convenience. The fees embedded in a typical Uber Eats or Menulog order are significant – and on top of that, the businesses involved pay dearly to be listed. Her suggestion was a simple one: browse the menus on those platforms to find what you want, then call the restaurant directly and pick up the order yourself. You save money, and so does the business.

The bigger picture

What made Dawn’s segment so valuable was the way she framed these tips – not as sacrifices, but as awareness. At The Wealth Designers, we believe that building a life well lived starts with understanding where your money is actually going. It doesn’t require dramatic change. It requires the habit of looking closely, questioning convenience, and making sure your spending reflects your real priorities.

Dawn brings that same practical, no-nonsense approach to her work with clients every day. We’re proud to see her sharing it with a national audience.

Watch Dawn’s full segment on ausbiz here: https://ausbiz.com.au/media/is-convenience-creep-killing-your-household-budget-the-advisory?videoId=48675