Why buy?

lilac_lady

When I see people buying ready made jellies in little pots at 38p-54p each, :eek: I want to tell them they're wasting their money. What do you see in other customers' trolleys that make you want to do the same?

Caterina

"Taste The Difference"-type stuff, why bother, the basics stuff costs a fraction of the price and do the job just as well!

Crisps - if they disappeared from the earth I would not miss them - what's wrong with good quality homemade fried potatoes?

Squash (esp. the Taste The Difference type!) - get some cheap fruit juice, add water, much cheaper and healthier. Or squeeze your own!

Could go on and on and on, as trolley-watching (and secret, inside sneering) is a favourite sport of mine!

Caterina

thriftlady_2

I have to avert my eyes. I know just what you mean.

Sometimes though when someone pulls a big value pack of whatever off the shelves I do point out that the smaller non-value pack works out cheaper (if it does work out cheaper obviously) bagged apples are a good example. I often weigh the bag in order to work out the unit cost and compare it with loose apples -the loose ones are always cheaper.

But those individual pots :rolleyes: never a bargain, and so much more packaging.

Penelope_Penguin

lilac_lady wrote: »

When I see people buying ready made jellies in little pots at 38p-54p each, :eek: I want to tell them they're wasting their money. What do you see in other customers' trolleys that make you want to do the same?

In answer to the thread title - because some people aren't as lucky or as confident as us Old Stylers, and haven't been given the skills to cook from scratch.

Why not take a leaf from Jamie Oliver's new campaign, and assist someone you know, who can't cook, with some of the basics that we were taught by our parents, when we were children or have had the confidence to teach ourselves.

Penny. x

Amanda65

Penny is of course absolutely right but I don't know if I would have the guts to go up to someone in a supermarket :eek: .

The one thing I cannot believe that people buy is packet pancake mix. All the one's I've seen say 'just add egg and milk' - so basically you are buying a packet of flour with a pinch of salt

milliemonster

Ice cubes!!!!!!

Also, those trays of ready prepared vegetables

I am sure theres loads of other things that don't immediately spring to mind

Essex-girl_2

I have a confession to make - when I do go to a supermarket I do buy DD a couple of those little Jam pots. Also we keep the pots and plan to use them for next years seedlings.

I hate the stuff and I cant even bring myself to make it so thats my excuse. I think actually that I may have a jelly phobia :rotfl:

Anyway Ive never seen anyone buy this but I guess they must - frozen jacket potato!!!

Also I saw on Market kitchen that a supermarket is selling ready boiled & peeled eggs, only excuse for that is I guess if you live in a house with no cooker, microwave.............

peb

Hi all

As PP says, I have passed the message on and most of my friends/family are like minded - my work colleagues tolerate me and some of my friends call me "Ow mutch"!

I once told a couple in sainsbury's who were looking at reduced to clear (so like minded!) that the reason they were stickered was that a similar product was on BOGOFF and they thanked me - I don't know what they bought but it gave me confidence to tell others. I can't however tell folk how much cheaper it is to makt things but I can and do let them know if a different product is cheaper.

I got a knock back though in ASDA, I was considering some mince (reduced but on the main shelf) and, noticing a young man looking at mince I offered him one of the reduced packets saying that I would feel greedy taking both. He looked at me as though I had crawled up from a hole in the ground and walked off with a full price packet. I am therefore sometimes a bit apprehensive about telling folk about reduced to clear.

On the other hand I have to be careful - I was so close to buying a Pizza Express Pizza that was reduced to clear telling myself it would do dinner for after college one nigh (I don't get home until 9.30 on a college night) and then lunch. I then firmly reminded myself I had plenty of casserole left in the fridge and could open a tin of Tuna for sanwiches. £2 saved.

I have noticed of recent times more people are looking at the reduced to clear so the message is getting out there - I still wouldn't pay £2 on a reduced to clear sandwich though - no more than 30 p is my rule!

OrkneyStar

[strike]
peeled carrot batons- all dried out and yucky and much more expensive that carrots you have to peel.
I am all for helping people and agree with Penny's post- but surely most people would know how to peel a carrot ?
[/strike]
Edited to say, I have read a later post regarding people who struggle with using implements (due to arthritis maybe for example)- of course these people would be excused from buying partly prepared things as it must make life more manageable. I did not mean to offend anybody and sorry if I did. I suppose it is easy to forget that not everyone can do everything they would like! Also I have recently spoken to my mum and this also made me think! (here is the later post!)

troll35

frozen mashed potato....it's not rocket science to make is it?
I always look at the people buying these things. Do they look like they may have a reason for buying ready prepared stuff? or do they look plain lazy;)

LumpyCustard_2

For me it's grated cheese - how much culinary expertise or even just time does it take to grate some yourself?