My Mum needs help getting her shopping bill down!

[Deleted User]

I have been on the GC since September and am still trying to eat my way through my freezer stock. I put my set amount £50.00(for myself) in a separate purse each month, and only use that for buying any essential food needed,milk,fresh vegatables ect.Apart from November when I went very slightly over budget as I had some entertaning to do I have come in under budget every month.
I had a sundden 'light-bulb' moment when I realised that I was shopping all most automatically and chucking the same things in the trolley almost weekly. Now I only actually go to the shops if I really need anything, yet I used to go three or four times a week.
get a little book and mark down what you really 'need' not what you think you may need.Plus of course shop from the cupboards and freezer.Thats money sitting there doing nothing so why not use it up. I made a list of stuff in my freezer and blu-tacked it to the outside of the door,now as stuff gets used it gets crossed off from the list. the same with the cupboards.I agree with the slow-cooker its amazing for using up odds and ends.
I treated myself to a 'Remoska' last week and intend to use that to its capacity as well as it will cut down on the cost of cooking in my huge oven
In these times of recession its apparently in 'fashion' to save your cash when cooking. I do it because I am fairly frugal, and like to spend my spare cash on my family to help them out,plus of course it give you a great sense of satisfaction