Five of New Zealand's smartest people

18/10/2005

FOUND: Five of New Zealand's smartest people

18 October: 15,000 bargain tips, 5,000 national entries and 200 semi-finalists later, the five national finalists in The Warehouse hunt for New Zealand's Bargain Champion have been selected.

The five New Zealanders who have been identified as being amongst the savviest are: Moana Kerr from Hokitika, Kara Dawson from Hamilton, David Graham from Te Awamutu, Leanne Brooks from Christchurch and Diane Davidson from Auckland.

The five bargain hunters headed off competition from 200 Regional Finalists to secure a place at the National Final on the weekend of 28-30 October, and a chance to compete for the title of 'New Zealand's Bargain Champion' and a $50,000 one-year spending spree at The Warehouse.

Although the top prize is a one-year $50,000 spending spree at The Warehouse, the four runners-up will also walk away with a $5,000 spree.

In order to get this far, the Bargain Champion finalists had to prove they were smart and savvy shoppers, living life to the full on a budget.

They were hand-picked by the team of Bargain Champion judges - Mary Lambie, former host of 'Good Morning' and 'Money Doctor'; Sophie Gray, the Destitute Gourmet; Stephen Tindall, founder of The Warehouse and the ultimate bargain hunter; and Raewyn Fox, Executive Officer of the New Zealand Federation of Family Budgeting Services.

Mary Lambie said, "These five proved to us that with careful planning and a bit of creative flair you can live stylishly and well without breaking the budget."

Raewyn Fox said, "The five finalists clearly demonstrated how they use budgeting strategies to help them get the most out of life" and Sophie Gray congratulated the five for "using smart thinking and clever ideas to ensure they can still have fun and enjoy life's little indulgences."

The winner will be announced on Saturday, 29 October.

ENDS

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