The cost of living is definitely on the increase, so who else to turn to for some savvy savings advice than a mum of nine who makes every cent count?
Captains Flat mum, podcaster and blogger Claire Louise Hooker has just been picked up by New Idea magazine as its new "thrifty mum" columnist, sharing tips, hacks and advice each fortnight on how to meet a tight budget.
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But stories on her thrifty ways have also made it to England and America as people want to know how to do more with less.
She is super-excited about the magazine deal after writing a blog for four years and starting a podcast a year ago.
"I always hoped something like this would come up," she said.
The column is not online, available only in the magazine, so Claire has promised to send copies to her mum in England.
"I bought about five copies in Kmart the other day," she said with a laugh.
Claire and her husband Mark have long had to be savvy savers. They now have nine children - Michael, 4; Martina, 5; Rose, 7; Catherine and Elizabeth, 8; Abigail,10; Franchesca, 11; Charlotte, 12 and Georgina, 13.
Petrol prices have put a big dent in their budget - the family lives in Captains Flat but Mark drives to work each day in Canberra.
"Our budget has definitely gone up," she said.
The couple spend $300 a week on food. COVID restrictions and supply issues made it difficult to find everything the needed.
"I'm an ALDI girl," Claire said. "But because of COVID I've had to go all over the place to buy things now. You have to do a supermarket sweep right across Canberra and Queanbeyan just to find what you need."
Claire, who also home-schools the children, has already started a savings plan for Christmas. She spends about $50 per child on their birthdays, a bit more for milestone birthdays.
"I've got a birthday every month for about six months of the year," she said.
Originally from England, Claire became an Australian citizen in 2020.
Megan Doherty
I like telling local stories with integrity. My greatest hope is that someone will read my story and turn to someone in a cafe or in the next cubicle or across the breakfast table and say, "Did you hear about this?" Email: megan.doherty@canberratimes.com.au
I like telling local stories with integrity. My greatest hope is that someone will read my story and turn to someone in a cafe or in the next cubicle or across the breakfast table and say, "Did you hear about this?" Email: megan.doherty@canberratimes.com.au
