Went shopping yesterday...

winkle1 · 1 March 2005 at 4:51PM

And used the tips and advice on here.

I brought Ready Brek porridge instead of buying the sachets which was only 99p and will last me ages.

brought Mr Sheen in the can (33% extra free) instead of the usual wipes.

I know thats only 2 small things but its a lot for me - def used to go for convenience over money saving. Thanks for making me realise that every penny counts.

fazer6 · 1 March 2005 at 4:59PM

But most important you've got interested in money saving and each time you find another way to save a few pence it makes you happy. Whether the cash is going to pay debts off sooner or save up for something you feel happy that these regular savings are beating the system and helping you out. Sometimes half the battle is changing your habits but now you've done that you'll reach your goal so much faster.

Feels good doesnt it?

Becles · 1 March 2005 at 5:08PM

Went shopping today and bought Asda Smart Price ketchup for 30p and decanted it into the Heinz squeezy bottle. Wonder if the kids will notice?

I used to just chuck stuff in the trolley and pay for it at the end without really thinking about what I had bought. Over the last month I am more conscious about what I am spending and think before I put things in the trolley.

I also find writing a list and only going to the aisles where you need things helps too. Before I would wander around putting various things that took my fancy in the trolley, and spending far more than I intended to.

Magentasue · 1 March 2005 at 5:24PM

Becles wrote:

Went shopping today and bought Asda Smart Price ketchup for 30p and decanted it into the Heinz squeezy bottle. Wonder if the kids will notice?

My kids definitely notice! They'll eat Smart Price baked beans but ketchup has to be Heinz - Asda's own is OK but they don't like the Smart Price one. As they don't use it often, I don't mind so much. Whereas, I read someone on here saying they couldn't bring themselves to use Smart Price loo rolls - to me, that's one place where quality isn't a big factor! Same with tissues - since they haven't got that mother habit of keeping them up their sleeves but just use and bin, it's smart price again.

tiff · 1 March 2005 at 5:24PM

Sureeks, next time you can go one better and buy own label polish instead of Mr Sheen, I bought Tesco's own last week and cant see any difference. Instead of Cheerios and Sugar puffs I now buy Tesco's own corn flakes, weetabix and Ready Brek which the kids all love. They want sugar with the corn flakes as they've not really had them before but I found if I warm the milk it tastes sweeter and they dont notice the lack of sugar!

I have bought own label bleach due to a tip on here, cross and blackwell ketchup 54p(decanted into Heinz bottle) will maybe try value ketchup next time if there is one. I buy a lot less meat than I used to and try to be creative with what I have left. I am no great cook but when I want to use something up but have no recipe, I look on the net. Today I wanted to use the left over mashed potato from yesterday, so looked around for a fish cake recipe. Found one using tuna, onion, pepper. mashed potato, egg and breadcrumbs all of which I have in, so will experiment tonight and see how they go down with the kids. My two dont like bought fish cakes, so I'll call them something else! A good tip is when you're cooking veg to cook more than you need, then use it up in something else the next night.

As it probably shows, I'm feeling really pleased with myself that since Christmas we havent had one ready meal or convenience packet sauce etc and my kids have benefitted from that. The only thing I have used was a tin of Campbells soup as a sauce last night but I wanted to try out the recipe I found for using leftover Turkey.

hilstep2000 · 1 March 2005 at 5:36PM

The only "brand" things I do buy are Heinz Baked Beans,(partner and kids do notice!) and Kellogs corn flakes, (I notice!) but other than that it's always store's own, particularly "value" range. I watched a BBC programme where the family usually spent £150 a week on food shopping! (I don't spend that in a month!) and they were told to buy Value products. The bill came to £36!!! and apparently, no one noticed the difference. They also advocated making more meals from scratch, and not buying convenience stuff , how many times have we heard that?!
When money is tight, needs must, as they say, my lot don't seem to be suffering anyway!

Austin_Allegro · 1 March 2005 at 5:50PM

Well done Sureeks! You have taken the first steps on the long journey to 'frugality nirvana' !

Personally I wouldn't do things like put economy products into old brand name bottles etc though. It would make me feel that there was something to be ashamed of in using these products, whereas most of the time they are as good as the more expensive alternatives. Supermarkets promote this 'shame' by making the value products look as different as possible from the 'luxury' stuff.

And if my kids complained I'd tell them to buy their own brand name sauce with their pocket money! (As you can probably guess I don't have any children.

)

winkle1 · 1 March 2005 at 5:57PM

Wow thanks for the quick responses guys.

Next time I will def go for the own brand polish - I didnt even think of that! But hey, got my 33% extra free which is good, yeah?

Love this site so much, its brill. I'm aiming to get my shopping down to £10 a week in March. I live on my own and have the basics already so I'll only be doing 'top up shopping'.

I have also started making home made soup instead of throwing away fresh veg that is going off. Its great for lunches the next day at work.

frizz_head · 1 March 2005 at 6:00PM

Magentasue wrote:

I read someone on here saying they couldn't bring themselves to use Smart Price loo rolls - to me, that's one place where quality isn't a big factor!

Oooo no, I can't scrimp on toilet rolls. Too many years of school scratchy rolls have made me only buy Velvet Quilted soft ones now!! But I do get them at Costco when its £11.74 for 60 rolls (5x12)

MATH · 1 March 2005 at 6:55PM

Well done sureeks for taking the first step along Ol'Style Road. Try own brand instant oat cereal instead of readybrek next time. Own brand and value ranges are a bit of an adventure but if you only buy one of an item to test what's the worse that can happen? - you don't like it and you don't buy it again:) Some things you will like and will save squillions week after week by being price aware and not a brand junky.
I've never bought brand names of anything, ever:eek: I'm soooo glad my kidz don't know what heinz ketchup and baked beans taste like. In fact I'm not sure they know they exist:D

Becles · 1 March 2005 at 7:19PM

Austin_Allegro wrote:

Personally I wouldn't do things like put economy products into old brand name bottles etc though. It would make me feel that there was something to be ashamed of in using these products,

If I put the cheap ketchup on the table, they would refuse to eat it. If they think it's Heinz and I tell them afterwards, they can't turn round and say it's horrible. Also for ketchup a squeezy bottle is easier to manage than the traditional glass ones for children.

In half term week, my two came to Morrisons with me and we needed breakfast cereal. I picked up the Morrisons version of Coco Pops and my eldest complained and wanted real Coco Pops. I showed him the big difference in the prices and said we were getting the cheaper brand. He made such a fuss over how he wouldn't like the taste of them and he wasn't going to eat them if I bought them. He looked properly dropped upon when I informed him that he'd been eating the Morrisons brand all week and hadn't noticed the difference

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Went shopping yesterday...

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