Buying tinned tuna - do yourself a “solid”
From buying tinned tuna to two truck advice, Wendy Knowler has five new Consumer Hacks for you.
1. Buying tinned tuna - do yourself a “solid”
A listener emailed me to complain that: “the shredded tins of tuna are nothing but mush and the can of chunks is twice the price.”
There’s a good reason for that. Canned tuna is regulated by the National Regulator of Compulsory Standards, so the descriptions are anything but random.
Shredded or flaked tuna is the most inferior, hence the price.
The best quality canned tuna is “solid”, which must, according to the regulations, turn out in a single portion. The chunks are somewhere in between those two in terms of tuna quality. So go for the solid if the price is right, but always check the tin weights first - sometimes the price of the tuna chunks and solid tuna tins is the same, but the solid tin is far lighter, so you’re getting less for your spend.
2. That “leather” lounge suite is not a bargain, it’s an eyesore waiting to happen
Back in the day, the price of leather lounge suites made them attainable only to the relatively wealthy. That’s no longer the case because the industry has found clever ways to slice, dice and bond hides for upholstery purposes. They’ll put the leather mark on it, and you may think you’re getting a bargain but sooner or later it will peel and split - usually after the warranty has expired. So unless you can afford a chair or suite upholstered with "full grain" leather - that is, the entire hide - you’re far better off choosing a fabulous fabric suite.
3. Tow
trucks - make sure you’re in control of who hooks up your car
Imagine you’ve just had an accident on a busy road. Your car needs to be towed
from the scene, and a tow truck driver or two is urging you to let them hook up
your car. What do you do in your panicked state? Here’s
what you should do: ignore them, go to your phone’s contacts, and call your
insurance company - they’ll send an accredited tow truck operator. Never let a
tow truck operator make that call for you. No insurance? Save the South African Towing & Recovery Association's
(Satra) 24-hour line on your cellphone 0861-072872 — on your cellphone and call them for
details of a Satra member in your area. The same goes for the United Towing
Association of SA (UTASA): 0861-188272.
4. Are you paying too much for that cash?
Many people are unwittingly paying far too much to move their cash
around. For example, a Capitec customer is charged 10 per R1000 to
withdraw cash from any South African bank’s ATM, but if they request cash
at a Pick n Pay, Shoprite, Checkers, or Boxer till point, they pay a flat R2 with
the added bonus of security.
5. Is your car really for “private” use only?
If your car is insured for personal use, allowing you to drive to and from your
regular place of work only, would you be covered if you were involved in an
accident on your way to a work-related conference?
If your policy has really strict terms, strictly applied, you might not be, as
ridiculous as it seems.
But don’t make assumptions - check your policy document to see what you are and
aren’t covered for.
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Contact Wendy Knowler:
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