Finance · Money admin
How to save money: cut bills and build an emergency fund
Six short lessons on how to save money when living costs are high. Sort your spending, cut regular bills with official comparison tools, build an emergency fund, choose where to keep it, and let compound interest help. Country panels for Australia, the UK and the US.
About this course
cut bills and build an emergency fund.
Starter · About 1 hour of learning · 6 lessons · 13 quick checks · 1 download
Who it's for
Adults in Australia, the UK, the US and elsewhere who want to cut bills, build an emergency fund and make savings grow.
How it works
6 guided lessons in your browser, with worked examples, exercises and a quick check after each lesson. Progress is saved in this browser only, and you can restart at any time. Lesson 1 is open to everyone, and you can take one whole course without an account. After that, a free account lets you continue past lesson 1.
Sources we rely on
27 published sources, mostly regulators and official bodies, listed below so you can check the original guidance yourself.
By the end you can
- Sort spending into fixed, flexible and occasional costs
- Run a bill audit using official comparison tools and help schemes
- Set an emergency fund target and an automatic plan to reach it
- Compare savings accounts and check deposit protection
- Explain compound interest, read an APY or AER, and find official help
Downloads
- Savings workbook: bill audit, emergency fund and compound interest .xlsxSort your spending, audit your bills, set an emergency fund target with milestones, and see how regular saving grows with compound interest.
Rules by country
Learning time
About 1 hour of learning. May count towards your CPD or professional development; check your professional body's rules. Estimated from reading time, exercises, quick checks and downloads.
Sources
Check the originals.
Drafted with AI assistance and run through automated quality and source checks. How these courses are made. Spotted an error or out-of-date rule? Send a correction.
General information only, not financial advice. We don't recommend financial products.
- Simple ways to save money · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Ways to save on energy costs · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Save for an emergency fund · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Savings accounts · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Compound interest · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Compound interest calculator · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Financial Claims Scheme · APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority)
- An essential guide to building an emergency fund · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) · Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services
- Deposit insurance · Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (US)
- Regulation DD (Truth in Savings) § 1030.2 Definitions · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
- Switch your home energy supplier · Ofgem (UK energy regulator)
- Check your money is protected · Financial Services Compensation Scheme (UK)
- Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) · GOV.UK
- Help to Save · GOV.UK
- Interest rates explained · MoneyHelper (UK, Money and Pensions Service)
- Annual Equivalent Rate (AER) practice note · UK Finance (industry code referred to by the FCA)
- Term deposits (term deposit scams) · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- Financial advisers register · Moneysmart (ASIC, Australia)
- TPB Register: check if your tax or BAS agent is registered · Tax Practitioners Board (Australia)
- National Debt Helpline · National Debt Helpline (Australia)
- Australian Financial Complaints Authority · AFCA (Australia)
- How to check a firm or individual is authorised · Financial Conduct Authority (UK)
- Get free debt advice · GOV.UK
- Working with an investment professional · Investor.gov (US Securities and Exchange Commission)
- Choosing a tax professional · Internal Revenue Service (US)
- What is credit counseling? · Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (US)
Publisher
Who publishes this course.
Published by trainyourself.org, a trading name of Combine TRS Pty Ltd (ABN 42 112 983 678), Brisbane, Australia.
How it's made: drafted with AI assistance from published regulator, government and official money guidance, then run through automated quality checks against our course depth standard and automated source checks that match each rule to its official source, listed above. Read how these courses are made.
Last updated:
General information only, not financial, credit, tax or legal advice. Spotted an error or an out-of-date rule? Send us a correction.
Keep going
More in Money admin.
-
Budgeting for beginners: the 50/30/20 rule
Budgeting for beginners: track expenses, use the 50/30/20 rule, zero-based and envelope budgets, and AI tools safely without bank logins. Template included.
-
Credit scores: how they work and how to improve yours
Credit score basics: what goes into a score, how to get your credit reports from the official source, fix errors and build better habits. AU, UK and US rules.
-
Buying your first home: how mortgages work for a first home buyer
First home buyer guide: deposits, how mortgages and interest work, fees, schemes by country and how to use official mortgage calculators. General info only.
-
How loans work: credit cards and buy now, pay later
How do loans work? Interest, APR and comparison rates, credit cards, personal and car loans, and buy now, pay later, with AU, UK and US rules and official help.
-
How to negotiate your salary: a step-by-step guide
How to negotiate salary: research pay with official BLS, ONS and ABS data, know your pay rights, plan your ask and get the offer in writing. AU, UK and US.
-
Money management basics for your first job: payslips, tax and your first budget
Money management basics for your first job: read a payslip, tax and retirement deductions, set up accounts, a first budget and an emergency fund. AU, UK and US.
-
How to pay off debt: snowball vs avalanche
How to pay off debt: list your debts, compare the snowball and avalanche methods with worked examples, talk to lenders and find debt help in AU, UK and US.
Opening soon
Waitlist opening soon.
We're not collecting sign-ups yet. When the waitlist opens you'll be able to leave your email here to hear about new courses and tracks. Until then, the open courses need no sign-up.