GOOD CONSUMER SENSE

Never assume that if one of the items you purchase is cheaper in a store, then the rest of their goods are also cheaper. I buy organic vinegar in my local Supersol Deal and pay NIS20 for it (I am rounding off all those 99 agorot) and in Eden Teva the identical product is (believe it or not) NIS27. However, raisins in my Supersol Deal are priced at almost NIS19 per 400 grams and at the same Eden Teva these are priced at NIS14 per 400 gram.

If you do not have a good memory for prices then I recommend writing down the price you pay for most of your normal day-to-day (or week by week) purchases. If you do not know what you are paying for something, then how can you complain that things are costing you more!

If the prices of tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables are particularly high at holiday time or between seasons, do note that during other periods of the year they are also quite cheap. The media only emphasizes prices when they are high, not low. I have noted over quite a few years that many of the food products I buy on a more or less regular basis have hardly changed in price, and I am not referring to those which are today under government control. Some examples from my kitchen: Quaker oats, canola oil, olive oil, mayonnaise, mustard, simple white cheeses, frozen uncooked meats, but you need to note when to buy and where. Most fruit and vegetables have remained more or less static in price, however you need to arrange your shopping according to their seasons, not yours. Unfortunately among the many milk and yogurt products, especially for children, advertising and prices have gone haywire and therefore I just stopped buying most of them. My grandchildren have stopped searching my fridge for these and don't love me any less!


DISCOUNT COUPONS IN CREDIT CARD FORMAT

Beware of computer errors when using your discount coupons in the credit card format. Twice recently I have been told the card is empty and I was asked if it could be thrown away. By chance on each occasion I took it back and when I took out a new discount credit card, I was not sure which was the empty one. On both occasions when the card was rechecked by the cashier at the Super, a certain sum was still found on what should have been the empty card; once it was only NIS55 and the last time it was NIS165!

A reminder: April and September are the months when these discount coupons are usually available at a slightly bigger discount than during the rest of the year,


CARING FOR STAINLESS STEEL CUTLERY

I purchased a beautiful set of stainless steel cutlery, and received the following instructions on how to care for same:

"Wash and dry the cutlery immediately after use. Avoid prolonged contact with salt, vinegar, egg and fruit and other acid foods ..." This translates into: do not keep in the dishwasher overnight before washing; do not soak for long periods.

Watermark stains can be removed by dipping in hot/boiling water and drying well immediately. I have heard there is a stainless steel polish on the market but have not found this yet. If you do know of this, let me know and I will try it and put it out on this column.

Regarding silver plated and sterling silver objects, I was advised that they should be washed separately from stainless steel as there can be a chemical reaction between them that can damage the silver.


OUR EYES

It is said that children eat with their eyes. Unfortunately today we buy with our eyes. Everything in the supermarket and elsewhere is packed and designed to catch our attention and our appetite. So, never go shopping when you are hungry. The hamburgers look sizzling hot on the grill, the mixed vegetables are pictured beautifully colorful and fresh on the plate, the pizzas are just waiting for you to bite into them.

I recently purchased a new Coca Cola on the market under the name of "Basics" which, at Supersol Deal, costs only NIS.2.85 for a 1.5 liter bottle. When I served this I was told it was too sweet, too gassy and even the wrong color. When I served it again on a different occasion and the bottle was nowhere in sight I was told that it was good that I was no longer using "Basics" and I politely agreed. I now also buy Diet Basics at the same price. No comment needed!v