October 2008 Grocery Challenge. Please read first two posts.

cw18

Just been for my morning "forage" of the local clearance sections, and gleaned some information I didn't know.

Got chatting to a member of staff in Somerfield who I got quite friendly with last year (I always seemed to be hovering as she did the final markdown of the day), and made some comment about one of todays not being good value. Normal price £2.69, 25% off at £2.01 -- but if you buy the full price ones they're on a 2 for £4 offer !!!! I also mentioned that sometimes they have stuff that's as good or a better deal at full price due to being on BOGOF.

She said they're not allowed to over-ride prices so that multi-saves work out cheaper from the clearance until the next official markdown time, but that the BOGOF offers do still work!!

So if something is £2 full price but also on BOGOF, and there are some on 50% off at £1 each -- then the clearance ones (provided they're available in the right multiple) will go through as BOGOF meaning you can have 2 for £1.

I'll now be checking BOGOF items in clearance more carefully

OrkneyStar

Afternoon all,
Thanks MrsM and Moniker for the reply to my post- I got some creme fraiche today as had to go out to Tesco for some other stuff anyway (DH wanted ricicles!)- will let you know how the recipe tastes!
Did not overspend, and stuck closely to the list I had in my head .

Originally Posted by cw18

Quote:Originally Posted by angelnikki
If that happens you should phone customer services as they will usually give you a partial refund / money off your next order sometimes they even refund the cost of the whole order for putting you out. (and let you keep the stuff that was delivered)

They refunded the delivery charge -- whoopey doo !!! And they had to refund my card for the missing items, so in the meatime I had to find the money to buy them "again", for which they gave me na-da :mad:

Got to say, I agree with angelnikki, that if anyone is not happy with their MrT order they should seek recompense. However I also want to add, although online shopping works well for some I do think it has its downsides, a big one being sometimes you may not get what you expected and may have to wait a little while until it is sorted out. If this really is a a big problem for anyone, then maybe online shopping is not for you ? (When I briefly worked in the coop we had to sometimes put orders together and I was in a quandry what to do when the exact item was not available-some people were/are harder to please than others!).
Re the tomatoes, TBH I buy the cheapest ones there are most of the time, but sometimes have to get dearer ones as that is all thats in stock- it does not really bother me, especially if it only happens now and then, as I have more things to worry about than tomatoes costing 20p, 30p or 50p! I love money saving but also know when not to sweat the small stuff! Sorry if this offends anyone but money saving is part of my life, not my whole life!
cw18- could you use a blender/chopper to cut the toms in bulk if you don't like cutting them up ? (just a thought )
OK, well done all of you money saving superstars.
Take care and bye for now :wave:

bullet_2

I am feeling very pleased as I can get away with spending very little the next few days. Don't need to buy anything today or tomorrow. Will need to buy milk on Sunday and some vegetables but that's it.

Barneysmom

Hello everyone.
I've spent £8.30 today, at the butchers.
He does a £5.00 pack which includes
2 x pork chops
2 x pieces of steak
1lb sausage
6 chicken drumsticks.
I also bought a 1lb bacon.
Now I have to come up with recipes to use it economically

Winky,_The_House_Elf

My down fall is popping into the shops on the way home from work. Still I managed to pick up some fair trade chocolate brownies reduced to 60p! I realised I was in a rush and had forgotten to put the panny on, so I bought bread and butter (really fancied hot buttered toast!). Its the first time I've bought bread this month!

We are going to my sisters later for a meal, and have only got until Monday as we go on holiday! (yeh!!!) so it looks like we will comfortably hit Octobers target.

Good luck everyone!

mumzyof2

spent another £2 on food today

rockie4

I went to Asda on the way home tonight - first time in a supermarket since last weekend:D I spent 10.24 on veg and cheese, and got a pizza for £1.35 and a bag of wedges for 57p........voila!! Quickie tea for less than £2:T :T

When I got home the Dominos van was outside next doors :rotfl: I bet that was more than two quid!!

I've still got enough stuff in to last most of this week, I will run out of cat food though as Asda STILL haven't got her food in :mad: *fussy little madam*
:think: might have to try a different branch.......

gtx

hi everyone,

we seem to be doing quite well only have 12 days left for our 'month' (pay day to pay day).

do need to do a shop tomorrow but have already meal planned and don't actually need a lot, whereas previously i would have done a weekly shop buying pretty much the same things as the week before. thanks to this site not only are we saving money but we're eating more varied and healthily, i've even lost weight - not much but enough for one of the girls at work to notice.

so a big thank you to everyone from us:kisses3:

Julimk

I would second what gtx has said, thanks to all ... this site has made so much difference ...

I did my main shop today (as I will be a bit busy over the weekend) and it came in under £20!! (OK £19.91, so only just) but that was totally inconceivable before. And it included a whole happy chicken & 3 organic beef steaks (whoopsied, of course!). Nearly missed them as the RTC chiller cabinet was at the end of the meat & was nearly all meat.

Mr T seems to move the RTC cabinet regularly (a deliberate ploy?) Both BB tomorrow so roast chicken tonight (remaining white meat & dark meat boxed separately & remains cooked up for stock & currently cooling) and 3 organic beef steaks, so steak dinner for me tomorrow – can’t remember last time!

However you look at it I am well on target & we have tonnes of food in & are eating well, for so much less than before!

ness_w

I haven't been budgetting very well lately and, as a result, spending too much on the shopping each month.

We live in a market town - no Lidls/Aldis etc, we have a small Tesco and a Somerfield plus the usual local shops. There are eight of us, two adults and then three girls aged 12, 10 and 4 plus three boys aged 6, 2 and 2, plus a dog. We're veggies. Ignoring nappies (nearly out of them) but including cleaning stuff etc, what would you think is a reasonable (not necessarily the bare minimum) but fairly frugal weekly budget? I tried to cut it right down, but found this so exasperating that I gave up all together. I do mostly cook from scratch but am stretched for time - as are we all - in the kitchen especially.

I definitely want to feed my family a healthy diet containing fruit and veg.

Thanks for any thoughts...I'll take the consensus on as a challenge for next week/month.