Scan to download the Finder app on iOS or Android

TAKE ME TO: Eating out | Experiences and attractions | Events and festivals | Movies | Theatre

Feeling the pinch and thinking of changing your spending habits? You're not the only one.

New research by Finder found that 85% of Aussies would cut back on spending in certain areas to counteract the rising cost of living.

Where are we shaving expenses? You guessed it: luxuries.

Of those surveyed, 22% are saying goodbye to eating out, with 9% planning to ditch trips to the pub.

If this is your plan too then life is about to get pretty boring pretty fast.

But it doesn't have to.

We share with you some clever ways you can save when going out.

If you're not picky over where you go, check out daily deals sites such as Groupon and Scoopon where meal deals can be up to 71% off.

Swap the weekend date night for a weekday date night and look for daily specials. Pubs often have a discounted dish of the day BUT it's usually Monday–Thursday only.

Relaxing and romantic – hit the shops for some cheese and cold meats, grab a bottle of wine and pack some plates and cutlery in a basket and lay a rug down in a favourite spot.

Pop by the pub or bar during happy hour and make the most of cheap drinks. To really rein in your spending, make a point of only buying drinks during happy hour.

Unpopular one, but not buying rounds is a solid one. – James Martin, insurance editor at Finder

A night out can quickly become a blow-out when you start offering to get the next round of drinks. If you really want to shout your mates a cold one, head to the bottle-o, buy a slab of beer and invite them over. You'll thank your wallet later.

Hands down, it's cheaper to buy your own bottle and pay for corkage than fork out for a bottle from a restaurant's shelf.

When on sale, buy The Good Food, Uber Eats and Gourmet Traveller gift cards to save a little extra on your food bill. Coles and Woolworths sell these and more.

In the past, Giftz has also taken 10% off select gift cards.

This foodie festival sees stacks of restaurants and cafes take 50% off your bill. It happens around April–May so keep it in mind for next year. That's the big one, but during the year TheFork still has discounts going for it. Right now, it has 30% off the a la carte menu at select restaurants and set menu deals. Check out the special offers tab for the latest.

Small galleries often host launches that are open to the public. You'll get to talk to the artist and fellow art lovers, see new art and yes, most of the time there will be free nibbles and drinks.

Major art galleries and museums offer free entry to their general exhibitions. Here's a short list to get you started:

Know where you want to go? Being prepared could save you some dosh as many attractions offer cheaper rates by booking online. This also means you can skip the queue.

Experience sites RedBalloon, Adrenaline and Klook often have sitewide discounts which can take dollars off your activity or admission fee.

To make it easier for you, check Finder's things to do guide for all the latest deals on experiences and activities across these brands and more.

Find yourself going to the same theme parks, zoos or attractions time and time again? See if they have a yearly membership to bring those dollars down.

American Express, Mastercard and Visa all have programs packed with special offers and rewards.

From roadside assistance and unions to telcos, superannuation and health insurance – almost anything you have a membership for often has a section about discounts or rewards. Spare some time to check them out and see what savings you're missing out on. Popular ones include RACV, NRMA, RAC, Bupa, Rest, Employment Hero and SDA.

If you're in NSW and have school-aged kids, you'll have a bank of $250 Parents NSW vouchers to use. These are made up of 5 $50 vouchers that can be put towards experiences and accommodation. Cinemas, theatres and top attractions all accept them as do RedBalloon, Adrenaline and Klook.

Across the country, libraries and bookstores host free talks and shopping centres run free kids' activities over the school break.

Not sure where to start? Check out your council or city's official website for events and things to do and filter by "free events".

In Melbourne, the City of Stonnington and Glen Eira City often have free events while in Sydney the City of Parramatta always has family-fun activities.

Film, music, writers' and light festivals often need volunteers to help them run the show. You could be doing anything from ushering and front-of-house enquiries to cleaning up and handing out maps and flyers and you'll get free access to performances in return.

When I lived in Vancouver, I volunteered for the Fringe Festival and got to see so much theatre for free. – Amy Bradney-George, acting editor, credit cards, Finder X and Finder Green at Finder

Screenwave International Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival and Sydney Film Festival are a few big names that do call-outs for volunteers.

Check the websites or look for volunteer gigs on job boards.

Groupon constantly has discounts on Event cinema tickets and candy bar eats. Right now, you can score 2 adult tickets for $34.50 or a kids ticket for $14. Heading to Reading Cinemas? Give yourself a treat with this $13.50 meal combo.

20. Catch a flick on cheap days

Most cinemas have a cheap day. This is typically on a Monday or Tuesday. Here's a list:

21. Make the most of your memberships

Stacks of memberships come with bonus deals, many of which include discounted movie tickets.

22. Sign up to movie rewards program

Sign up for your preferred cinema's loyalty program. Benefits include discounted tickets or free movies once you've seen a certain number of movies with them.

23. Search for free outdoor movie nights

When the weather warms up, outdoor cinemas take over. Many are ticketed, but many are also absolutely free. This includes Laneway Cinema at The Rocks, Outdoor Cinema at Sydney Olympic Park and Fed Summer Films in Federation Square.

The TodayTix app is your one-stop shop for cheap theatre tickets. It has last-minute rush tickets, no-fee tickets and flash sales for big and small name productions.

Can't find any discounts? Take matters into your own hands and call up the box office 30–40 minutes before a performance and ask if there are any last-minute tickets. They may also tell you of any current promotions or cheap days.

Feeling lucky? Lotteries for super cheap seats are becoming more popular and if lady luck is on your side, you could score some great seats for a fraction of the price. Right now, you can score tix to Moulin Rouge for $30, Mary Poppins for $45, Hamilton for $10 and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child for $40.

Before productions officially open, there are often 2–4 days of preview performances that sell for less. Yes, you might see some teething issues but overall they do try to give you the best performance possible.

The price difference can be significant. It's $58 to get a preview ticket for STC's next show (Jekyll and Hyde) and between $80 and $116 during the season. – Amy Bradney-George, acting editor, credit cards, Finder X and Finder Green

If you find yourself heading to the same theatre multiple times in the year, see if it has a season pass. You'll have to commit to a certain number of shows but they will be at a cheaper rate than buying them individually.

Earn 4.01% p.a. on your capital.

Compare, cut costs and connect faster.

With the cost of living rising, how can you get more in your pocket?

Find a better plan and avoid the price hikes.

Click here to cancel reply.

You are about to post a question on finder.com.au:

Level 10, 99 York St, Sydney , NSW , Australia 2000

Finder acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as the traditional custodians of country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, waters and community.

Disclaimer - Hive Empire Pty Ltd (trading as finder.com.au, ABN: 18 118 785 121) provides factual information, general advice and services on a range of financial products as a Corporate Authorised Representative (432664) of Centra Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL 422704. Please refer to our FSG - Financial Products. We also provide general advice on credit products under our own Credit Licence ACL 385509. Please refer to our Credit Guide for more information. We can also provide you with general advice and factual information on about a range of other products, services and providers. We are also a Corporate Authorised Representative of Countrywide Insurance Group Pty Ltd trading as "Austbrokers Countrywide" ABN 51 586 953 292 AFSL No. 511363 for the provision of general insurance products. Please refer to our FSG - General Insurance. We hope that the information and general advice we can provide will help you make a more informed decision. We are not owned by any Bank or Insurer and we are not a product issuer or a credit provider. Although we cover a wide range of products, providers and services we don't cover every product, provider or service available in the market so there may be other options available to you. We also don't recommend specific products, services or providers. If you decide to apply for a product or service through our website you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product or service and not with us. We endeavour to ensure that the information on this site is current and accurate but you should confirm any information with the product or service provider and read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) or the information they can provide. If you are unsure you should get independent advice before you apply for any product or commit to any plan. (c) 2022.

Finder Earn and Finder's digital asset trading is powered by Finder Wallet Pty Ltd (ABN 11 149 012 653) an AUSTRAC registered Digital Currency Exchange and reporting entity (DCE100735494-001). Finder Wallet is an arm of the Finder Group specialising in blockchain technology. Finder Wallet operates the Finder App’s digital asset trading and wallet services. Finder Earn, powered by Finder Wallet Pty Ltd, is not offered under an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). Finder Wallet Pty Ltd is not a bank and does not offer banking services. Banks are covered by a Government Deposit Guarantee. Finder Wallet's services are not covered by the Australian Government Guarantee on Deposits.

Optional, only if you want us to follow up with you.

Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.

finder.com.au is one of Australia's leading comparison websites. We compare from a wide set of banks, insurers and product issuers. We value our editorial independence and follow editorial guidelines.

finder.com.au has access to track details from the product issuers listed on our sites. Although we provide information on the products offered by a wide range of issuers, we don't cover every available product or service.

Please note that the information published on our site should not be construed as personal advice and does not consider your personal needs and circumstances. While our site will provide you with factual information and general advice to help you make better decisions, it isn't a substitute for professional advice. You should consider whether the products or services featured on our site are appropriate for your needs. If you're unsure about anything, seek professional advice before you apply for any product or commit to any plan.

Products marked as 'Promoted' or 'Advertisement' are prominently displayed either as a result of a commercial advertising arrangement or to highlight a particular product, provider or feature. Finder may receive remuneration from the Provider if you click on the related link, purchase or enquire about the product. Finder's decision to show a 'promoted' product is neither a recommendation that the product is appropriate for you nor an indication that the product is the best in its category. We encourage you to use the tools and information we provide to compare your options.

Where our site links to particular products or displays 'Go to site' buttons, we may receive a commission, referral fee or payment when you click on those buttons or apply for a product. You can learn more about how we make money here.

When products are grouped in a table or list, the order in which they are initially sorted may be influenced by a range of factors including price, fees and discounts; commercial partnerships; product features; and brand popularity. We provide tools so you can sort and filter these lists to highlight features that matter to you.

We try to take an open and transparent approach and provide a broad-based comparison service. However, you should be aware that while we are an independently owned service, our comparison service does not include all providers or all products available in the market.

Some product issuers may provide products or offer services through multiple brands, associated companies or different labelling arrangements. This can make it difficult for consumers to compare alternatives or identify the companies behind the products. However, we aim to provide information to enable consumers to understand these issues.

Providing or obtaining an estimated insurance quote through us does not guarantee you can get the insurance. Acceptance by insurance companies is based on things like occupation, health and lifestyle. By providing you with the ability to apply for a credit card or loan, we are not guaranteeing that your application will be approved. Your application for credit products is subject to the Provider's terms and conditions as well as their application and lending criteria.

Please read our website terms of use and privacy policy for more information about our services and our approach to privacy.