Consumers slowly waking up to oily rag smarts

One of the major weekend papers recently had a story about cash-strapped consumers changing their shopping and eating habits. It was interesting to note that during the past year, two-thirds of all shoppers had switched to cheaper, unbranded products.
Some shoppers do not seem to realise that in many cases the very same products that are packaged under a plain "house" brand label also go into the attractively packaged and highly-priced premium brands.
People also don't seem to realise that one supplier may package their product under multiple brand names. Although this gives the impression of competing products, that may not be the case. They may instead simply be making it harder for a new competitor to enter the field.
There has also been a resurgence in baking. In March last year we wrote about the great family Sunday bake, and suggested some simple recipes for bread, muffins, scones, and other goodies that can be made at a fraction of the cost that such treats cost in stores.
There were also a few surprising comments in the article that can't pass without a mention. One couple living in the same rental accommodation for eight years and on a $100,000-plus household income were quoted as saying: "We buy a lot of Coke because it's so cheap. My health is terrible." Perhaps they could try water - it's free (or almost), and healthy!
They also said they would put in a vegetable garden - when they move into their own home. They shouldn't wait. All they need is some soil and containers for a patio garden or for a raised garden, some timber or old tyres to hold it in. When they do shift, they can take the garden with them.
Living off the smell of an oily rag is all about rolling up your sleeves and doing things for yourself. Here are a few new tips from oily raggers:
M. Hope from Hastings: I have lots of figs this year (if I can beat the birds and chooks). One of my favourite ways to eat them is cut in half, [topped with] honey and a small piece of blue vein cheese and grilled for about 10 minutes.
A.G. from Masterton suggests those with spare figs turn them into cash: "Pick a big basket, take to your local market and sell them there, or even just sell bags from your front gate."
Allie from Nelson has a couple of tips for using basil: "When you are harvesting basil, as well as making pesto, freeze some leaves in very small plastic bags. They will last all year in the freezer. Just take one out and crumble it (while it is still crunchy) into pasta dishes. It keeps all the fragrance and flavour of fresh basil. The basil in a pot that you can buy at the supermarket is not a single plant but a cluster of about 20 seedlings. Choose one with lots and plant them out in the tunnel house or a sheltered corner of the garden."
Bob from Wellington: "Be wary of the bulk bins at supermarkets - they are not always the cheapest. When buying nuts, I find that the pre-packed ones in the baking section are cheaper. My girlfriend used to make hummus using dried chickpeas. The tinned ones were way cheaper and didn't require all the cost of boiling them on the stove and the time to re-hydrate them."
Frank and Muriel Newman are the authors of Living Off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ. Readers can submit their oily rag tips online at www.oilyrag.co.nz