Finance

We thought it was time to dig deep into the oily rag mail bag and share some of the marvellous ideas sent in by oily raggers.

Since 2003 the Department of Human Nutrition at Otago University has been publishing a healthy diet weekly food cost report.

Theory has it that the New Year is a time to reflect and make highly admirable resolutions for the year ahead. In the hope that some of those good intentions may include the joys of frugality we thought we should reflect on some "oily rag" mottos.

Last week we received an emergency phone call. It was the lovely lady at NZ Post. Desperate, she was - "Can you PLEASE come and clear your mail box. Oily Rag mail has overflowed onto the floor and is piled up to the ceiling!"

Its holiday time, which for many is about sharing, caring, and food. Food usually plays a major part in the festive conviviality's and social engagements so our thoughts once again turned to ways to entertain family and friends with frugality and fun.

It's quiz time. How do your oily rag skills rate? Here's your chance to find out, by taking the oily rag test. Answer these simple questions, then see how you rate.

It is traditional in January to make promises for the year ahead. For many, these resolutions are more about aspiration than they are fact, but oily rag folk like aspiration so we thought it would be worth reflecting on penny-pinching resolutions, mottos

Surveys, surveys, surveys. There have been lots recently so we thought we would recap on what they tell us about our spending habits. How do you rate on the Christmas spendometer?

It's Christmas again (already) so we thought it appropriate to reflect on some of the best Christmas tips. The oily rag trick is to be generous, but frugal. Being a creative lot, oily raggers do this in many ways.

Christmas seems like a good time of the year to talk about budgeting. Fortunately the oily rag community have lots to say about budgets. Here are some of their suggestions.