The emergency expense audit that could save you $800 a month

April 18, 2026 — 5:01am

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We’re all feeling an immense expense squeeze. Suddenly, it seems the price of everything, not just petrol, is up. So, get forensic about your finances with an emergency expense audit – really a life audit – that saves more than an instant average of $800 a month.

Ditch and switch your expensive suppliers

On everything from gas and electricity to your insurances, price checking your so-called fixed costs will reveal they are anything but.

Indeed, if you’ve been with your providers two years or more, you could likely slash hundreds off your monthly bills.

Comparison websites make the process easy too. The independent government outfits energymadeeasy and – in Victoria – compare.energy.vic.gov.au show you how to save on energy.

Many commercial comparators do the same but also on most insurances and other financial products. See Canstar, CompareClub, Compare The Market, Finder, iSelect and RateCity, while I like WhistleOut for phone and internet.

Be on the lookout for providers with priority listing purely because they pay; you should be able to change a filter to the genuine best products instead. (And we’ll get to the standout independent health insurance comparator shortly).Look out particularly for new-customer discounts. Then, whether it’s........

© The Sydney Morning Herald