Markets don't rule them out!!

marketsalltheway
marketsalltheway Posts: 1 Newbie
edited 19 May 2009 at 7:10PM in England
Well my family have been hit with the credit crunch. We sat in our cozy little life going to Asda every week (day out) buying stuff we didn't really need. Now I'm going on the markets in Manchester buying my fruit ad veg and meat at discount prices (go later on in the day and they are selling it off). I've really learnt how to budget and getting really good deals. Some stuff like crisps and packet stuff have a shelf life for the next month but I need it now so no worries. Just saying to everybody try it make an effort and go round the markets. Six soft toilet rolls with flowers on for a quid you wouldn't get that in the supermarkets. CONRAN ST Manchester its brill.

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Comments

  • greenface
    greenface Posts: 4,871
    Mortgage-free Glee!
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    thanks MARKETS ALL THE WAY
    :cool: hard as nails on the internet . wimp in the real world :cool:
  • Bongedone
    Bongedone Posts: 2,457
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    I just got 10x Granny Smith's for £1 today at the market. They are 29p each in ASDA.
  • troubrs
    troubrs Posts: 110
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    My Mum & Dad have run market stalls for years (well, since they lost their business in the last recession!!). Their stuff is cheaper and fresher than supermarket - much of it is home made as they're a bakery - things you just can't buy in a supermarket anyway. Markets aren't always the cheap & cheerful end of the market.. although they're usually great for that too! I always buy birthday cards & paper from markets, so much cheaper than the supermarkets.
  • blue_monkey_2
    blue_monkey_2 Posts: 11,435 Forumite
    Have to say I disagree with some of this, I was a market stall holder for a long time and the fruit and veg I bought was usually off by the next day as it cannot be stored in the same way Supermarkets store them. Strawberries from Tesco will last 4 days (sometimes longer) in my fridge, from the market they are mouldy the next day as they have not been kept in refridgerated conditions but on a hot trailer or in the sun.

    Yes, some stuff is stuff is cheaper but please beware of what you are buying. And if you are buying from these stalls that sell ex-argos/electrical stuff a lot of it is broken, check it before you leave the market and make sure it works. As a stall holder I could take it back the next week (and most of what I bought had to be returned so in the end I stopped buying it as my husband was getting annoyed that everything was 'crap') but if you have to make a journey to return something then it is a waste of money!!

    However, there are some stalls where you can get a good deal and there are some stalls where you don't. Make sure you are near enough to return something if you are not happy with it.
  • Ammie
    Ammie Posts: 395 Forumite
    While I do my main shopping in Tesco, I love my local market, (Brixton), it's huge and I grew up shopping there. I always get my fruit, veg, toiletries, flowers, incense the list goes on from the market. Plus there's tons of butchers where you can get good quality meat. I've yet to find a 4 pack of Dove soap for £1.00 in Tesco.

    The vibe is fantastic, there's so many different shops/stalls selling produce from all over the world. It's also nice to see the same friendly faces that I've seen since I was a child greeting me with a "'ello treacle"

    In fact I'm going today to get some flowers and a huge leg of lamb for our Sunday roast Mmmmm! :j
  • pjw123_2
    pjw123_2 Posts: 28 Forumite
    Yay, Brixton Market rocks! A pound of fish for one pound, enough chicken for a big party £5, a weeks worth of fruit and veg for less than £10, and Nour Cash and Carry is the best supermarket in South London, and Wing Tai the best and cheapest chinese supermarket outside of Chinatown.
  • property.advert
    property.advert Posts: 4,086
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    Foreign markets (abroad) are great but most markets I've known or used in the UK have been poor value overall, though they may be better in certain areas.

    I totally agree with the storage and the shelf life of things bought from the markets. Also, prices are often poor when compared with the supermarkets. In fact, the market near me prices its vegetables to match Asda but their quality is suspect and if it is bad, you've no comeback.

    Pound shops for brand goods are good value, some things at the market may also be good value but if you watch the prices at the supermarket and avoid obvious rip offs (which they do because they brainwash you into thinking everything is cheaper), then they win hands down. Volume buying is the way forward.
  • natc
    natc Posts: 593
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    We used to shop at ASDA every week. Started going to the market for fruit and veg, mainly because we were fed up of all the packaging it comes in, and hated going to do "the shop" each week, horrible. Find supermarkets stressful! And also we wanted to help local business, and to hopefully help our pockets at the same time, that would be an added bonus. I must say that we both really enjoy going to the market, its nice, the owners talk to you and ask what ya upto over the wkend etc, we are very happy with the meat we get, good price too. Seemed to be more exp at first, but when we looked at it, actually its cheaper, and he always rounds the cost for us, and knocks bit off. The fruit and veg is also good price, but i have to agree with post above, noticed that it goes off a lot quicker than supermarkets which is a real shame. Fed up with it actually. Got some cherries from ASDA a few weeks ago (sometimes we have to shop at supermarket if we cant get to the market on a sat, both work full time, otherwise would go during week, but thats not often) and they lasted over a week in fridge, they were lovely. Got some from the market week after, they looked gorgeous, but were soft and gooey, not good, and had mold and furry bits on by the next day! Definately not good!
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