Wendy Knowler's Consumer Hacks: Boerewors vs. Braaiwors
Boerewors vs. braaiwors, sneaker shopping woes, receipt rescues, car recall surprises, and container conundrums - Wendy Knowler's latest Consumer Hacks cover it all
1. Beware: braaiwors is boerewors’ distant cousin
With Heritage Day coming up, we can expect a lot of boerewors marketing. But did you know that there’s a massive difference between boerewors and braaiwors? By law, boerewors must have a meat content - beef with lamb, pork or a mixture of the two - of no less than 90%. But braaiwors only has to contain 40% meat. So If you see the word “braaiwors” on a pack, don’t assume you’re getting a boerie bargain - it’s called braaiwors because it’s a lot less meaty.
2. Buying sneakers online? Proceed with huge caution
Every week I hear from consumers who had Googled the brand of sneakers they wanted, landed on a website, paid their money but never saw those lace-ups. So, check out the website URL very carefully before committing. Be very suspicious of the branded sneakers are heavily discounted and the website has no physical address. Also check our review sites such as HelloPeter before committing.
3. Keep your receipts!
If you can’t be bothered to keep your slips, be prepared to lose out. You need proof of purchase if something you’ve bought breaks or you change your mind about it and you want to take it back. If you can’t prove when and where you bought it, and what you paid, it will most likely be a hard no from the store.
4. You could be missing a recall on your car
Unfortunately, South Africa doesn’t have a centralised database of vehicle recalls, and if you’re not the first or the second owner of your car, you won’t receive any manufacturer safety recall notices which may apply to it. So: make a habit of going to your car manufacturer’s SA website, search for recalls and then enter your car’s VIN which will reveal any recalls related to your car.
5. Shipping container fraud - it’s a thing
Old shipping containers are in high demand for conversion into B&Bs, offices and shops. But if you do an online search to buy one, chances are good that you’ll land up on the website of a very convincing fraudster. So a visit to the website of “Container Fraud Prevention” is a must for anyone contemplating buying a container: www.containerfraud.co.za.
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