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OILY
RAG
INDEX
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Shopping
tips
General
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In
the supermarket, park your trolley (which has a
basket in it to protect the squashy goods and take up
room!!!) at the end of the aisle & walk down the aisle
choosing what you need then return to trolley. What you
can't carry, you either can't have or you will have to go
back for if REALLY needed.
-Lorraine,
Te Awamutu
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Some large amounts of
washng powder are expensive per kilo,
can be cheaper in smaller amounts like one Kilo when on
special like $2 or $2.50 watch the price for the weight with
any product you buy, we feed the four of us for $240 that's
on Average $60 per person. My Motto: buy on special when you
can. - Murray Clark, Hastings.
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Explore shops where you
don't expect to find grocery items. Payless (was Payless
Plastics) now parallel-import well-known deodorants and
grocery items - E.g. 375ml Jif Cream for $2.50 but it's
$3.75 at Pak n Save. Payless
also stock party items and other things you would not expect
them to. - OB1NZ,
Auckland
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Check out the $2 shops
too. There are items there that are identical in other shops
where you'll pay much more. - OB1NZ,
Auckland
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When your going to the supermarket for midweek top up
shopping use the basket instead of a trolley.
It saves time, makes you think what you really need
and saves you money. If
you have young children sit them in the supermarket trolley
as this will reduce space and help you buy less. - Bella,
Auckland.
Impulse
buying
Lists
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When
doing a grocery list spend sometime on your computer writing
up a list of absolutely everything that you buy in your
grocery shop, Print it off and go around your kitchen and
home to cross off what you have plenty of. Doing this will
ensure that you don't need to go back to the supermarket
until your next fortnight or monthly shop. - N.M, Blenheim.
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Make a list and stick
to it. Deviate and you'll spend more than you planned to.
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Never buy pre-printed shopping lists or small notepads.
Re-use envelopes received in the mail with lots of white
spaces and use the blank backs of the letters inside. BuzzyBee,
Waiheke Island.
Loyalty
cards
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Use "Loyalty
Cards" especially ones that don't have an end date.
It might take a couple of years to fill your card,
but it's worth it at the end.
Paper Plus have cards for books, for greeting cards;
(buy 9 get the 10th one free); many cafes do (if you're part
of a staff who have the occasional coffee out, it's good to
know you'll get a free one eventually); Plastic Box does,
many beauticians etc. You
have to spend money to take advantage, but if you have to
spend, you'll do it at the place that stamps your card! -M.W.G.,
Hastings
Meat
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Watch for "Use today"
meat specials, often half the normal price, and
freeze for future use. Towards
the end of the week meat that is already on special becomes
an especially good buy. - Jaycee, Kawerau
Rewards
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Investigate Smile City.
A number of shopping sites plus earn points.
No need to shop to earn - when enough points, can
cash out ($30 so far and eligible for another $30 at
present), or donate to a specified charity, or bid on an
auction. More
details at www.smilecity.co.nz
The website was upgraded during the latter half of
last year. - Rosy, Wellsford.
Returns
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I would like to comment
on your article in Hawkes Bay Today, yesterday (06-04-10).
You have missed out on one other rare sub-species of homo
shoppiens: The super special swapper shopper.
You were talking about the rage when a shopper finds
an article cheaper, on special the next day.
The super special swapper shopper, who interestingly
enough always come in a twin pack knows what to do: Usually
the male will take the article back to the store upon the
discovery of price reduction and will ask for a refund, as
it was not the right article - or whatever excuse will do.
The other half of the twin pack super special swapper
shopper - (usually the female) will then merrily enter the
store to buy the same item at the reduced price. (A real
story, I might add, saving $15.00). - Wollfgang, Hastings.
(Very sneaky! - oily rag ed.)
Timing
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Shop for food fortnightly or monthly if you can.
The more often you shop, the more you'll spend
because of impulse buying! - OB1NZ,
Auckland
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Never shop for food
when you are hungry - have a meal first, then off to the
supermarket! - OB1NZ,
Auckland
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Go to the supermarket first thing in the morning and get
some real bargains at the deli section. there are often
things, being close to their 'use by date', at less than
half the normal price. I often manage to get Champagne ham
or other really expensive stuff for a fraction of the normal
cost and have a wonderful, luxurious lunch! Same goes for
the meat section. - BuzzyBee,
Waiheke Island.
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Don't go shopping on an
empty stomach. Make a list of the meals you will eat during the
week and the ingredients needed for these. Only go down the aisles you need to go down. Make sure you compare value for
money- not simply on what is cheapest but look at volumes etc. A
smaller can may be cheaper, but a larger can may make two
meals...If on a very tight budget take a calculator so you stick
to it (or use supermarkets like Pak'N Save which have shop'n
go). - T.B., Palmerston
North.
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Go food shopping about half an hour before the supermarket
is due to close. You can pick up things like cooked chickens
for half price and use them for lunches during the week.
There are a lot of cut priced items on sale because the
store can't sell them the next day. - M.K. Australia.
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