Help needed for cheaper shopping Bills

Hiya

There's some good starter advice in our welcome sticky which is at the top of the Old Style forum listing - or you can click on the link in my signature below.

I've seen some threads on special diets needs lately and there are a couple (or more) threads that night help you in the Cooking section of the MEGA Index sticky which is also at the top of the Old Style forum listing.

And then... any second now... there'll be a whole bunch of other ideas coming along

...And here's one!

Plan your shopping before you go. I have a spreadsheet set up at work with my usual items on it + prices, also a list of meals/recipes that I usually do. Every week, instead of working, I can plan my next week's meals down to the last item and know how much it will cost.

Try to stick to this and eat before you go. My shopping bill came down from £110 a week for 2 adults and a 2 year sold to £60 p/w so far. It's only that high because I buy lots of organic fruit for my lil un.

Good luck!

And here's another good tip........

Smudge32 wrote:

...And here's one!

Plan your shopping before you go. I have a spreadsheet set up at work with my usual items on it + prices, also a list of meals/recipes that I usually do. Every week, instead of working, I can plan my next week's meals down to the last item and know how much it will cost.

LOL :rotfl: Do any OS who work actually do any work or are we too busy surfing for bargains? I know I am ....... pesky bosses think i should be typing no, i don't understand either......

Hi,

I'm not coeliac, but I do have problems with wheat & gluten.

Tesco's free from range of pasta is the cheapest I've found, the health food shop ones are normally horrifically priced.

Sometimes especially if I'm entertaining, I cook a small amount of the gluten free stuff separately, but if it's only for two the hastle of cooking two amounts outweighs the savings, probably the energy costs and detergent costs also make savings marginal.

Most of the time I use rice (we normally have about 6 different types in the house, and also make our own mixes), potatoes and polenta (you can buy it cheaply in large quantities in health food shops, it's maize based so I think OK for you). I try to take rice salads and potatoe salads with me when I need packed lunches. I think quinoa is also gluten free, but you need to double check that - again from healthfood shops, I've not tried using that yet.

Breakfasts, you can make your own muesli mix if you like, just substituting a 'grain' you like for the oats, possibilities are rice flakes, soya & millet I think (but again check with your allowed list). Again bulk buy the ingredients from healthfood shops or supermarkets, which ever is cheapest, I tried a 'gluten free' muesli and it was dire as well as being very expensive.

I've tried special gluten free breads and cakes, but without success so far, but going to have another go when I get a bread maker (the family love all continental olive based breads - which smell delicious).

The one thing I HATE is rice cakes :eek:

With not buying the special products too much, it's not been too much of a problem for me to keep within 'normal' spends. I also tend to cook things from 'scratch' - so know there's no wheat or gluten in. So you can do most of the old style recipes anyway.

Not sure if this will help or not it is a bit pricey to start with but I don't know how long the things last as it may work out they last longer as are in bigger sizes than what you already buy. Did that make sense ?. This is their gluten free range http://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/sect/IG.html they do have other ranges for other dietry needs as well. Also do you do your shopping online? If so do you use the discount codes from the vouchers section? If not maybe you should start as maybe the temptation of things wont jump out at you as much.