Contest Offers Cash for Money-Saving Tips

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Looking to save money? Shower with your dog, live in a tent and confiscate your husband’s credit cards.

Those were some of the mostly tongue-in-cheek moneysaving tips given by contestants in a competition to find New Zealand’s thriftiest shopper, organizers said Tuesday.

The competition, run by a nationwide chain of bargain stores, asked contestants for their best tips for saving money. The prize is worth more than $35,000. The winner is to be announced Saturday.

One embittered contestant advised: “Do not give money to your wife. Do not give money to your wife. Do not give money to your wife. Get the hint!”

Another recommended that penny-pinchers cut their own hair – noting that the damage to their appearance also would cut down on costly social obligations.