Oily Rag: TV takes our message to the masses

With smart savings, you can improve your financial life.

Fair Go ran an interesting segment about a couple (Mike and Kirsten) who were having money worries, despite earning more than $100,000 between them -- the sort of household that some politicians call "rich". Trouble was, Mike and Kirsten were not rich and like many, were working hard but not getting ahead. They had a $410,000 mortgage which, at the current repayment rate, was going to take 25 years to repay.

The good news is they made a commitment to get the problem sorted and sought the advice of an expert . The results were outstanding and remarkable.

The great thing we like about the advice they received was that it was expressed in a way that was easy to understand.

According to their adviser, Hannah McQueen, most people fritter away about 15-20 per cent of their income. We agree, which is why we think it's so easy for people to transform their lives by being frugal.

Apparently, $50,000 a year of Mike and Kirsten's money was "going walkabout", frittered away on things that weren't really necessary or needed -- so a plan was put in place to spend less and their mortgage was reorganised.

Their objective was to save $13,000 in three months. They blitzed that by saving $26,000! By putting those savings and some extra income that they were earning into the repayment of their mortgage, they cut the repayment terms from 25 years to six! Image that -- being debt free 19 years earlier by taking control of your money!

There were spending $500 a week on food, but that was cut back to $200 by planning meals and only buying what they needed (in other words, suppressing those impulse buying urges that the supermarkets are tempting shoppers with). Mike now takes a cut lunch to work, which saves him between $10 and $15 a day. They also upped their income via Mike increasing his overtime hours and Kirsten doing some work as a teacher's aid.

Hannah made the point that a plan needs to be effortless, otherwise you won't stick at it. We have a few additional pointers of our own:

There needs to be a compelling target or reason to save. What better reason than becoming mortgage-free and what better way to measure it than by knowing the month and year you are going to become debt free!

It needs to be a family effort. Having a common goal, like repaying the mortgage, is a team effort and everyone in the household should be part of the winning team -- it brings families closer.

Kirsten says that it doesn't feel like they're living any differently -- there are no huge sacrifices being made.

People who live off the smell of an oily rag often say that. There's no sacrifice in frugality, only benefits: when your money is under control, life is in control, and that means less worry, stress and arguments at home.

Well done, Fair Go. To see the segment online, go to the TVNZ website and look for Fair Go's "enable us" clip on April 15. It's well worth a look. The show asked viewers to send in their tips for saving -- here's a tip: Visit oilyrag.co.nz!

As it happens the site is undergoing an oily rag reconstruction. Doing it off the smell of an oily rag means we are not spending money on experts -- we are doing it ourselves and learning as we go!

So ... the site will be a bit wonky and forms a bit cranky, bear with us and send your tips via email (tips@oilyrag.co.nz) rather than the website until we get things in order. Thank you for your questions and tips -- keep them coming!

Send your ideas and join the mailing list by emailing-- tips@oilyrag.co.nz, or by writing to us at Living Off the Smell of an Oily Rag, PO Box 984, Whangarei.

* Frank and Muriel Newman are the authors of Living Off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ. Read our wealth of tips at www.oilyrag.co.nz