Carolyn from Auckland writes: Dishwashing liquid – I do not have a dishwasher so grate good old Sunlight soap and it is great. I make my own laundry products from Binn Inn – Baking soda and again grated Sunlight soap and a few drops of essential oils where necessary, likewise I have a container of […]
Alchemist from Dunedin writes, Sometimes buying meat from a butcher is cheaper than the supermarket. Shop later in the day and make friends with your butcher. S/he will be happy to tell you how to get the best out of cheaper cuts.
J.P. from Auckland writes, “Anything bought from an Op’ shop saves you 15 percent G.S.T. – on top of a bargain.” Comment from Oily Rag Ed’ – J.P. is correct! The IRD website confirms donated goods and services sold by non-profit bodies are exempt from GST. That means they do not include GST in their prices. While […]
Caron from the Waikato has responded to our recent column about low-cost school holiday activities with some great ideas of her own. “I was in charge of my grandkids recently and was determined that they would not be glued to their devices the whole time. I went to my local Spotlight store and bought some […]
Caron from the Waikato has a tip for frugal shopping. “I discovered that I can make good savings by buying milk and yoghurt at my local ‘ethnic’ store: they have the best milk prices in my neighbourhood – if you buy 2. The same with 1-litre tubs of very good plain yoghurt. Next, I discovered […]
SW from Christchurch writes: I have found that with online shopping I stick to exactly what is on my list so stick to my budget. Apart from the sweets/snack aisle I look at!
Liz from Tauranga has written in about the cost of bulk bin goods, finding that in many cases, the cost was higher than the equivalent packaged product. Liz’s comment is consistent with an exercise carried out by the NZ Herald in April. They found in most cases that unpackaged products were more expensive, and quite […]
JB from Whangarei has written in response to last week’s column about shopping smarter. “There are many different market places now other than shops and online. Think food cooperatives, farmers market and many innovative local food initiatives. Look up the nearest Transition Town or Localising Food Project to support local growers and cut out the […]
Food prices always seem to be rising and questions are being asked as to why this could be so in a food growing country like Aoteaoilyragaroa. Some are pointing the finger at retailers, but we reckon the best way to beat higher prices is to shop smarter and grow your own. Sometimes shopping is dangerous, […]
When looking for the best buy focus on the unit price, not the total price, like the cost of a product per 100g. It makes it really easy to compare the price of different brands and weights. For example, on the Countdown online shopping site a 1.5kg bag of flour is shown as $1.19 a […]