Thanks to my journalist friend Tracey Barnett who did a big investigation into the evils of BPA in plastic,  I’ve been out this morning and spent $45 on three BPA drink bottles. One each.
If anyone has been similarly affected by Tracey’s writings  Kathmandu has a sale this week (posted Aug 26, 2010) on BPA-free drink bottles. Two of its normally overpriced BPA-free bottles are now $29.98, which is an acceptable price. I convinced the store to let me have the third bottle for half price as well.

The awful thing is that I feel that I should upgrade all of my old plastic and my Bargain Betty alter ego is in shock.  Why can’t ASB or BNZ or Vodafone or someone start distributing branded BPA-free bottles to customers? I’d advertise the organisation by carrying around the bottles if they sent some freebies my way. Most of my kids water bottles up until now have been branded corporate freebies. Now thanks to Tracey I’m having to spend real money on plastic bottles.

Finally had the baked bean cassoulet last night, that was recommended by Virgil Evetts over at Foodlovers.co.nz

for my pantry project. You can read more about my experiences of not shopping for four weeks here: http://www.bargainbetty.co.nz/2010/07/16/how-to-cut-your-grocery-bill-1/

It was a budget meal to say the least. Only expensive ingredients were bacon and four small chorizo.  I do have to say that chorizos are pretty reasonably priced in the deli at Third World Devonport.

The dish was a real hit. Even with me – the great baked bean hater.  Definitely worth doing again. And I might cook some regular cassoulets in the near future. Bean-based meals usually go down reasonably well in this household.

A couple of years back an old flame from my sophisticated London days appeared out of the blue in my inbox. We ended up chatting over the phone (Skype to be precise). Somewhere in the conversation I mentioned to  my sophisticate friend with the income to match that I needed a camera case for my new digital camera.  “Get a Lowe, they’re the best” was his reply. He’s a man who only ever buys the best quality of anything.  Having metamorphised into Bargain Betty since I last saw him I nearly replied: “I don’t buy anything new if I don’t have to”.  But I decided not to go there.

Being myself I popped down to the Devonport Op Shop to get something to do the job. Lo and behold there was a Lowe camera case there for $3 which I bought. Although I’m an op shopper I always buy the best brands as well. Just at much cheaper prices than new.

As an aside, I held a committee meeting for Toastmasters at my house one night. One of my fellow members who’d heard many a bargain hunting tale in my speeches was astounded to find that my house was minimalist and what there was, didn’t look like it came from a junk shop.

I’ve just discovered the Feeding our Families website.  Lots of great ideas for cheap, healthy meals.  I loved the one with grated vegetables added to pot noodles for an afternoon tea snack:

http://www.feedingourfamilies.org.nz/

There is a real Kiwi/Pacific flavour to these recipes.

I was just over at Foodlovers.co.nz and saw a wonderful tip.  That was to use empty tuna tins, with both ends cut out, as crumpet rings.

So often there’s a free alternative to buying expensive equipment. This is a great one.  I’ve got some silicone rings that I picked up in a garage sale. But the tuna tin idea is even better, being free.

A couple of economists have written a piece in the NZ Herald about rip-offs. It’s an interesting read:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10665062

The Herald is also preparing another big read on the subject – to be published sometime soon.

Here’s a tip.  My local Foodtown sells cow’s feta in the deli section for $14.50 a kilogramme.  I’m always astounded at the price of feta in New Zealand’s supermarkets.  We’ve done a bit of cheese making at home and feta is one of the easiest and quickest cheeses there is to make. Much quicker and cheaper to make than cheddar. Yet our supermarkets charge a premium for it. I’ve often thought about this because I buy feta for $9.99 at times from the Indian shop that lives in what to be Sandringham’s old cinema. That’s more like the price it should be everywhere. It’s not a premium cheese.

I won’t get onto the price of cheddar, but Chris Barton wrote an interesting article on the topic in 2008, which can be found here: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10510662

Standing on the side of the midgets soccer pitch last week I commented to another mother that her boy had new soccer boots. (Something to pass the time). Oh yes, she said.  She’d got a real “bargain” apparently. They were reduced to $100 she told me.  My eyebrow nearly popped through my hairline, but I said nothing.

I pay $2-$5 for a pair of soccer boots – the same Nike brand as her son’s.  They do exactly the same job.  I usually buy a couple of pairs in the same size so my son can choose between them.  The source? School fairs or garage sales. What’s more, I’m fussy. I only buy boots that are showing no wear.

One day my boy will demand new ones. But until then, I’m not spending any money unless I have to. He’s chuffed with the boots he gets.

I treat rewards points as a contact sport. If I’m giving my data away to banks and other organisations I make sure I’m getting best value. I was thinking of this today because I chanced upon this Open Letter To The BNZ.

Here are my thoughts on Rewards Points, which I wrote a couple of years back:

Rewards points are one great big con. Most people give away their data for very little in return. Have you ever noticed how long it takes to build up enough points to buy a worthless widget?

I got to thinking about rewards points following a discussion over Sunday lunch. Someone at the table had driven across Auckland to participate in a Colmar Brunton consumer panel.

It transpired that she’d done it for reward points, which when we looked into it added up to about $17. It barely covered the cost of her petrol, let alone time.

Rewards points, and air miles type deals can have all sorts of catches. Sometimes you need to pay an annual fee, other times there’s a minimum spending limit, or there may be a time limit within which the points must be used.

It is unfair, I had to admit, to say that all rewards points are a waste of time. But buying something because it has double rewards doesn’t make sense if you could get it somewhere else cheaper. Driving a little further to a petrol station to get a few measly points just doesn’t cut it.

Using your rewards cards effectively makes a lot of sense. I have three: Fly Buys, AA Rewards, and TrueRewards from my bank, and make a point of checking with retailers when I buy something if they take any of them. I also have my mobile phone, electricity account and a few other bills registered with the relevant rewards card provider. That way the points are clocking up without me thinking .

Redemption comes in two ways: either buying goods from a catalogue, or receiving vouchers. The latter makes a lot more sense.

If the vouchers can be used at stores you shop at anyway, then they’re as good as cash in the hand. In my case I usually take Mobil or Farmers vouchers, which I know I’ll use sooner or later

In the case of AA Rewards, the points can be used as a discount off the annual membership. This is great because it doesn’t require me to do anything except tick a box.

Personally I hate the Fly Buys rewards. When I looked this week at the items on offer, there were few I would want anyway. Even if I did want a BBQ Electronic Fork, LCD Keyring, or a copy of Nothing to Lose, by Lee Child, I’d either look on Trade Me or wait until they were on sale. By using my Fly Buys I’m redeeming my points for full price merchandise – something I never do myself.

I can and do spend the Farmers vouchers from my True Rewards during Red Dot sales, knowing that I’ve got a bargain and haven’t even paid for it. It makes me feel a whole lot better about rewards points providers snooping on my shopping habits because at least I feel I’m getting a good deal.

To make the best use of rewards points:

• It is a good idea to ensure that you make a mental note of those stores that accept them. Some can be quite obscure: such as Lollipop’s Playland, which takes AA Rewards.
• Get extra cards for everyone who lives with you.
• Ensure you’re signed up to collect points on your utility bills and insurance. Fly Buys, for example, gives points on your Telecom, Contact Energy and State Insurance spending.
• If you’re going to buy something anyway and the price is the same, then tax advantage of double or triple points. But never choose a stor3e on this alone.
• Read the fine print and make sure that your rewards or air miles don’t expire.
• Identify your ‘Points Personalities’ – organisations take advantage of certain types of shoppers to get involed in their rewards schemes.

Finally, Kiwi rewards cards providers have a long way to go. In the UK where I used to live Tesco would send me computer generated money-off vouchers for the types of goods that I bought anyway. By doing this, the company provided me with a real value add. Tesco also gives points if you re-use your shopping bags. Boots the chemist had a machine in store that allowed you to enter your card and choose discount vouchers that were printed on the spot.

Do you collect other reward points?

I was just perusing Relationship Services’ website for an article and chanced upon this article about romance on a shoestring.

It reminded me of my own sneaky tips for cheap dates, which include:

Stargazing. Take a rug to sit on, blanket to cuddle up on if you’re lucky and a map of constellations. Apparently New Zealand is world-renowned as a great stargazing location.

Bike riding. Meet up at a popular biking route such as Tamaki Drive in Auckland or Oriental Parade in Wellington and cycle leisurely for an hour or two. Make sure to stop for a coffee or other refreshment so you can talk. You can also hire bikes at other destinations if you want to start your ride further afield.

Meet for an evening of card or board games. There are plenty of two-player games. Depending on your date, a bottle of wine and an evening of SingStar could be just the thing. Likewise a jigsaw puzzle can be fun with the right person.

Do a walking tour of your area or a nearby one. Every city’s tourist information office will have a self-guided walk brochure.

Try a new sport or activity together. It could be anything from a trendy sport such as futsal or something more mainstream such as a golf or a snowboard lesson. You could even learn poi together.

Cook a dinner together. Invite them to cook a meal with you. If you’re not at the stage of going to each other’s houses, use one of the many public barbecues that are springing up in parks everywhere.

Wine tastings. Check out your local wine shops for free or cheap tastings. In many parts of New Zealand you can also go to wineries. Volunteer to do something together. It could be a one-off such as a tree planting day.

Visit an art gallery or exhibition. This gives you lots of time to talk and to be relaxed together. But make sure you test the water with your date first. For example, I truly hate opera and wouldn’t go on a second date with a guy who took me for a surprise night at that form of entertainment. Find out what’s on in your area.

Join a pub quiz. It’s great fun and a nice way to get to know the guy or girl you’re out with. The downfall is that it’s a group activity.

For more, take a look at my blog on MSN.co.nz

Or check out this article (not by me):

How to Be Frugal and Still Be Asked on Dates

There are ways to broadcast your financial values without coming off as a tightwad or a gold digger.