Reader Aaron from Auckland says you should keep an eye out for ham bones in the supermarket's deli section. "When the staff have sliced off as much as they can with the big industrial slicers they wrap it in cling film and generally sell it for under $4. I attack it with a small knife when I get home and can usually cut off enough ham for several dinners and quite a few sandwiches. In winter, I use the bone and fatty pieces of meat to make a stew."
Lynda writes, "At the delicatessen section of most supermarkets, buy the luncheon off-cuts instead of the almost double-priced standard slices. At my local, for example, 1kg of luncheon "off-cuts/rag-ends" costs $2.49 while nice looking standard slices cost $4.50 per kilogram."
Jaycee from Kawerau says, "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!"
Oily raggers have lots of shopping tips which they have shared over the years:
Filling the pantry up with bargain buys cherry-picked from a number of supermarket chains is still the best way to minimise your grocery bill. Cook whatever is in your pantry so you know you are getting meals at the very best value.
Don't shop when you are hungry. Those rotisserie chickens are just too tempting, and the cream donuts ... oh, they are irresistible!
Use cash ... not plastic to buy groceries -- that way you will not only see the money going out of your bank account, you will feel it slipping through your clutches like goo! And only have $100 notes in your purse -- most oily raggers will die before breaking a $100 note!
Think of your grocery bill in terms of hours of work. If your after tax pay is, say, $20 an hour then a $160 grocery shop is eight hours of torturous labour!
If you do buy fruit and vegetables (and why would you when you can grow your own!), then only buy in season.
Allow plenty of time to compare prices and find those hidden specials. This may involve complex calculations like dividing the price by the contents so take a calculator. Watch out for blocks of cheese discounted by $2.99 but still costing more than the big yellow supermarket down the road!
Check the discounted price isn't more expensive than the standard price of your usual brand.
Buying in bulk may actually be more expensive! Work it out on a weight basis to make sure you are getting the best buy. Small packs can be cheaper and it avoids the temptation to use more.
If you have a favourite recipe or oily rag tip that works well for your family, send it to us at www.oilyrag.co.nz, or by writing to Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag, PO Box 984, Whangarei, and we will relay it to the readers of this column.
