WHY are these families not buying hypermarket house brands?

This puzzles me. The 12 families in the Ringgit & Sense project could have managed their food bill better.

From the survey, it is obvious that purchasing of house brands is almost non-existent. This is probably because of the belief that house brands are somewhat inferior.

We need to challenge the belief that branded goods are superior as lower- priced goods may be of similar quality but not so heavily advertised.

In Malaysia, house brand purchases constitute only eight per cent of the total sales, whereas in developed countries, it is up to 40 per cent.
Families may save up to 40 per cent on groceries if they opt for house brands.

Given the tougher financial situation now, readers can learn from the experience of participants.

One of the good habits is comparing prices. The Azli family had been comparing prices at various hypermarkets and made a conscious decision to shop where goods are cheaper.

Others such as the Lim family buy from several outlets, probably to get the best deal possible.

They are also a good example of careful and prudent spending.

Lim's wife plans her purchasing, brings along a calculator to compare prices and purposely does her shopping at off-peak times so there is minimal distraction.

For day-to-day shopping, preparing a list and sticking to it would be very helpful.

Based on income and family size, some families seem to be overspending.

One family even indicated that sometimes they need to borrow money from moneylenders to make ends meet, even for purchasing food.

The more limited a family's resources, the more critical it becomes for them to plan how they are going to allocate their finances.

We need to be especially careful about using credit cards, for this can easily cause runaway debts leading to all kinds of financial problems.

Families also need to practise home farming.

Of the 12 families, only the Kasab family is growing vegetables.

But I am happy to note that the Jamaludin family, as a result of this project, has started to grow vegetables and rear chickens.

Whether you are staying in a terraced house or a flat, every family should attempt to grow some vegetables or fruits around or in their homes.

Choose vegetables that grow easily, such as curry and onion leaves.

Other measures for prudent spending can be eating more at home and packing food for children to take to school.

The Lim family is an excellent example of the husband taking food from home to work.

The Loh family tries hard to save on their electricity bill. This is good.

The Ganesa family should also be applauded for their efforts in educating the children about managing finances and spending wisely, while Lee's wife attempts to do the same by taking her children marketing.

More families should do this as such education is best started young.

Paul Selva Raj is chief executive officer of Consumer Research and Resource Centre