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With the cost of your mortgage or rent, petrol, and groceries all set to ramp up just as we head to the silly season, is it time to go back to basics when it comes to managing money?

I had a great time trawling through tips from the ‘olden days’ (as my kids like to call them 🙄) for Sunrise this week, and the old Great Depression mantra sums them up best: Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.

From recycling tea bags, investing in a sewing kit, and buying based on cost-per-wear, to my favourite: repairing your blown-out thong by popping a bread tag at the base of it. Genius.

What once felt absurd — like the sheer force my dad used to squeeze the last skerrick out of a toothpaste tube — are actually smart habits worth passing down.

Sometimes one person’s habit can turn into another person’s hack, so if you’ve got a tip from the ‘olden days’, send it my way.

PS: The card surcharge ban starts today (Aldi already dropped theirs earlier this week). If you spot an extra charge you think is unfair, start by mentioning it to the shop directly. It might be a case they didn’t realise the rules have now changed.

If you’re considering a side gig, your choices will depend on your lifestyle, skills, experience, and interests. Here are a few popular options you could choose from.

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Global oil prices have dipped slightly in recent days, but those changes won't flow through to the pump straight away. While global factors are out of your control, a few digital tools and driving tweaks can help you avoid some of the sting.

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Do you put your tax bill on plastic? If the answer is yes, it’s time to find a new way to pay. From November 30, the ATO will no longer accept credit cards on the back of the RBA-initiated surcharge ban. That’s because the cost of accepting these payments is being put back on businesses, and the ATO, in its capacity as a business, has decided taxpayer dollars shouldn't cover this cost. It’s not a huge change. Just 2.3 per cent of taxpayers actually pay this way, but if that’s you, head to ato.gov.au/howtopay to decide on an alternative.

Loyalty programs, particularly those with levels you have to qualify for every month or year, can get exhausting, which is why Booking.com’s ‘Genius’ program is a breath of fresh air. Once you get to a particular level (that’s 1, 2 or 3), that’s it, you’re there for life, giving you access to perks such as 10–20 per cent discounts, free breakfasts, or room upgrades in some cases. However, whether it offers true savings can vary. Genius works best as a convenient default discount, but checking prices directly is a step every Genius should still take.

The Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale is on now through to Monday. Yes, there are some decent discounts across the site, however, you will need a Prime membership. One hack is to start a 30-day free trial, provided you cancel before your first payment kicks in. Shopping now makes sense for some items — Roborock robot vacuums are up to 73% off, while some everyday essentials (Huggies nappies, anyone?) might be worth stockpiling ahead of the silly season. That said, for other items it could be worth holding out for Black Friday, or just stalking the half-price specials at your supermarket.