About the Author

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Melissa Goodwin (that’s me – call me Mel) has been writing about frugal living for 10+ years but has been saving her pennies since she first got pocket money.

Money was tight when I was a kid so I grew up being frugal by default. On top of that, dad was born during the Great Depression (he was an older dad) and a lot of those thrifty habits were ingrained in him and passed down to me (except the compulsive hoarding…I’m not quite as bad).

Prior to writing about frugal living, I worked as an accountant, so budgeting is something I’ve done in my personal life and professional life. Although I’d much rather spend my day being creative than doing people’s tax returns.

I need to emphasise that I’m a writer, not a qualified financial advisor. I write about our savings journey, but you should always consult a qualified financial advisor to make plans that suit your circumstances.

Want to know more about me?

I live in Queensland, Australia. I’ve lived here with my husband for 16 years, and we’re raising two kids who are growing up quickly.

We’re a one-car, small townhouse kind of family because fewer expenses mean less stress and more living. Living in a small house and having one car has gone a long way in helping us stay frugal.

Two things that are important to me are community and the planet, and I feel frugal living is integral to those two things.

Frugality is all about the wise management of resources and putting people before profits. The good life isn’t about bigger houses and more stuff but about relationships and purpose and connection.

We don’t have pets, but we do have a water dragon that comes to say hello each morning while I’m drinking my cup of tea. He (she?) makes me feel better about not weeding the courtyard because it gives him a place to hunt and hide from the Butcherbirds.

As well as writing for this website, I’ve written a book about saving money on groceries, which you can check out below if you’re interested, and there is a (sort of) podcast and a YouTube channel all under the name of Frugal and Thriving.

There are copycat websites and social media accounts out there, but this is the original Frugal and Thriving website since 2009.

As well as writing for Frugal and Thriving, I’ve had the pleasure of writing for the Canstar newsletter and Yahoo.

Frugal and Thriving has been rated by Feedspot to be among the top 100 best frugal living blogs in the world and in the top 10 best frugal living blogs in Australia, but the biggest honour is that the Australian National Archive has archived the blog for future reference.

Want to know more about the philosophy behind Frugal and Thriving? Click here to read more about what you will find on the website.

Mentions of Frugal and Thriving in the Media and Other Websites

2022

ABC News – How to Enjoy The Holiday Season Without Blowing Your Budget

AMEX – Christmas But Different – Holiday Traditions with a Twist

2021

ABC News – How to Save Money on Back-to-School Purchases 2021

2020

Feedspot – Top 10 Australian Frugal Blogs

Canstar – 8 Tips for Meal Planning on a Budget

2017

EngeryAustralia – Thinking About Going Solar?

2016

Feedspot – Top 100 Blogs on the Internet

Fairfax Media Group (Sydney Morning Herald) – Meet the Extreme Budgeters

News.com.au – How to Be Frugal without Losing Your Fashion Cred

Women’s Weekly – How My Family Saves $60k a year (I don’t unfortunately, but Frugal and Thriving is mentioned in the article)

Daily Mail – Extreme Budgeters

2015

Save My Bacon – 7 of The Best Money Saving Blogs on the Internet

Loans.com.au – 12 Australian Finance Blogs to Explore

WikiMoneyau – 6 Must Follow Money Saving Blogs for 2015

2014

The New Daily – Six Things You Shouldn’t Buy New

2013

360 Financial Services – 5 Faces Improving Personal Finance in Australia

2012

Sunshine Coast Daily – Studying Spend Trends

2011

Sunshine Coast Daily – Any Old Shoe Just Won’t Do

Save Money on the Groceries eBook

Grocery shopping on a tight budget

For more ways to meal plan and save money on groceries, check out the eBook Plan Cook Save: How to Eat Well When Money is Tight and Time is Short.

*Learn how to set the right grocery budget for your circumstances.

*Find out the easiest and quickest way to reduce the grocery bill.

*Discover a meal planning strategy that will only take you a couple of minutes a week but will save you hours.