Book: Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag in NZ

Reviewed by Amy Hubbard on behalf of Good Returns Bookstore:

The authors of this revised expanded edition of Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag, hope to convince people that becoming an Oily Ragger is not a shameful exercise. In fact it should be fun, good for your health and great for your pocket.

Having not read the original from 1991 I read this book with some trepidation. Was I going to discover just how shamefully extravagant I am? Or will I be made to feel bad for not recycling everything I can in my house? How wrong I was! This book has attitude in spades, the authors’ personalities shine through and their humour is infectious.

The intro chapter aims to debunk the myths surrounding Oily Ragging, explaining that extensive research backs up the theory that most Oily Raggers do not do it out of necessity, rather choice. The various types of Oily Ragger is very amusing and quite insightful. Staggeringly I discovered I fit the ‘Nouveau Oily Ragger’ type so was rather pleased to realise I’m not as wasteful as I thought.

The next few chapters go into detail regarding putting a roof over your head; covering every aspect from renting, getting a mortgage, renovating and maintenance. How to motor off the smell of an oily rag details the various forms of transport available and why they will save you money, through to a car buyers checklist so you don’t end up buying an oily wreck; how to drive more efficiently and of course, what type of insurance you should consider. The chapters are dotted with humourous illustrations and anecdotes and I frequently found myself giggling aloud at the ironic situations presented.

How to take the shock out of your power bill was one particular chapter I found useful and highly illuminating (excuse the pun!) The Appliance Energy costs table also enlightened me as to what exactly it is I keep paying for each month. Towards the end of this book the authors get slightly more serious when explaining how to make sense of your dollars. There is literally an A-Z of how to make your money work for you rather than against you.

Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag is a fabulous book that can either be dipped into for ideas and tips or pored over to help you make your money go that extra mile. I thoroughly enjoyed it and every household in New Zealand should add this gem to their collection.

Click here to download the first chapter absolutely free: Chapter 1

Living off the Smell of an Oily Rag $24.95 is available through the Good Returns Bookstore or call us on 0800 345675.