When you look back on 2023 in 10 years' time, the one thing you might remember is just how expensive everything from petrol to power and even chips and chocolate got.

That’s why we need to make 2024 the year of the financial fightback.

Yes, some price hikes will be hard to avoid but, if you’re proactive and spend 20 minutes tackling a different bill each day of the next week, I reckon you’ll have set yourself up for better budgeting this year.

The best part? You can tackle most of these expenses by doing a quick comparison, shooting off an email, or making a call. They’re so easy you can get many of them done on the train to work or between ads on the telly.

Fight back against price hikes

We’re all getting used to prices going up but having a relaxed attitude won’t do you any favours. Compare the Market survey data shows 72.1 per cent of Aussies haven’t switched energy plans for more than a year. That’s surprising when average prices for families on so-called “standing offers” in New South Wales increased by between $315 and $435 in July.

Also by David Koch:

• Inflation explained: Simple way to understand 'vicious cycle' in cost-of-living crisis

• Aussies losing jobs and businesses going bust so are we going into recession?

• David Koch: The cost of Aussie 'necessity' getting out of hand

There are often much better offers on the market for those willing to sniff them out. And the savings are greater the more bills you tackle. After you’ve compared energy plans, move on to your insurances.

A Victorian couple with a 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan saved $762 when they compared their car premium in December.

Supercharge your super

These days, most employers offer salary sacrificing so you can use up to $27,500 of your pre-tax income to make extra contributions to your super.

Any contributions you make will be taxed at 15 per cent - that’s probably a lot better than the marginal rate you’ll otherwise pay in tax.

Make your money work harder

Interest rates are up - that means we can’t afford to let our hard-earned savings languish. That could mean paying off any high-interest debts, putting your money in a top-rated savings account or storing it in an offset account to reduce the interest on your mortgage.

Compare the Market crunched the numbers and found that having just $25,000 in an offset account for a $500,000 loan with an interest rate of 5.84 per cent could reduce your loan term by two years and 11 months and save you more than $100,000 in interest over the life of the loan.

Do away with upgrades 

We’ve all been sucked into the race to have the latest and greatest devices. Next time your phone plan is up, ask yourself, ‘Do I really need a new phone?’