New Year is a time to reflect and make highly admirable resolutions for the year ahead - and forget about those that we promised but did not deliver a year earlier! Austerity is in the air so this year's resolution wishlist is likely to say something about finances.
The New Year is also a time for reflection so here are some oily rag mottos and sayings to help us along the way. We have also added a few of the most recent tips from our Oily Rag website sent in by readers.
"A fool and their money are soon parted" - Sandra. (But it is remarkable that a fool and money ever got together in the first place!)
"Use half as much and get the product at half price!" - old oily rag saying.
"The most important things in life are not things!" - VM, Levin.
"Eat it up. Wear it out. Make it do. Or do without." - Janice, Oamaru.
"Cheap is good, a bargain is better, and free is best of all." - SJB.
"It's never a bargain unless you need it." - SF.
"Without frugality none can be rich, and with it very few would be poor." - Samuel Johnson
"Waste not, want not." - DM, Katikati.
"Many banks have a new kind of Christmas club in operation. The new club helps you save money to pay for last year's gifts." - Anon.
And here are some of the latest tips from oily rag readers:
BF from Hastings says: "The cost of replacing a security coded car key can be substantial especially if the car security system needs to be recoded. I have placed a small tag on my key ring with my cellphone number on it and an offer of a reward to someone who finds and returns it. This has 'saved' me twice so far and the persons returning the keys refused to accept any reward."
HMK from Waipukurau says: "We have a decent-sized vegetable patch, with raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants under netting. We have a row of coppicing gum trees (which means they regrow after being cut at the base) for firewood, lemons, apples, plums, walnuts, which we trade for hazelnuts and almonds), sweet chestnuts, feijoas and peaches all help, and our three hens lay up to 10 eggs a week (which means a couple have a day off!]. Various herbs can be found amongst the flowering plants.
"With fuel costs rising we chanced on a little diesel Peugeot 205, and the way we drive we get about 59 miles to a gallon!
"One way to save money is to 'knock'. When measuring unspecified amounts of stuff (eg, tea, sugar, flour, etc) knock the spoon on the inside of the jar or packet. Any loose material falls back, so you don't spill it and you don't notice any less. Over time you will find you are not using so much or buying so often."
Frank and Muriel Newman are the authors of Living Off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ. Submit your oily rag tips online at www.oilyrag.co.nz