Are you ever embarassed by your money-saving ways?

LittleBit_2

_Layla_ wrote: »

I can remember being absolutely humiliated 15 years ago when the first Lidl opened in my home town and my dad actually SHOPPED there! He brought the shopping home in THOSE carrier bags and my friends were at my house!!! I was mortified to the point of tears and tantrums.
Well, here I am, aged 28 with my own little family. . and I personally find Lidl over-priced now! haha!

Me too!! :rotfl: I bet my kids will be just the same :T

zippychick

Norman_Bean wrote: »

Thanks Zippychick - they seem to be a mix of plain and flavoured i.e ham cheese spread.
Good idea about pasta, was also thinking perhaps on a JP? Failing that can also put it on toast as a snack for the kids
Norman x

I would just mix the ham with the cheese, and use it with pasta! Toast or JP sound good too :money:They are probably the kind of thing that keeps for ages anyway

tomtombeanie

rhubarbcottage wrote: »

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Mirror, mirror, on the wall. I am my mother after all!

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i LOVE this, rhubarbcottage! me too...

culpepper

For those feeling awful about not being able to donate to friends at works presents, try to bring in something (homemeade) on the day and/or make or buy a card with your best wishes included(or just a note card with a friendly message), really the recipient is happy to just know everyone is thinking of them. I think work blows all these gift giving times way out of proportion. I still have my 21st birthday card signed by everyone at work,no present was given or expected and if it had been it most likely wouldn't be around today. Also I have a lovely letter that was given to me by a young man at work who couldn't come to our wedding, full of good wishes for our future.
When we were children my father was a compulsive gambler and mum never ever gave to any of the charity collections at school,it was quite embarrasing to be the only person in the class not to donate and sometimes I would give in my bus money and walk home all week then I realised, I could just tell the truth about there not being spare cash for that sort of thing ,give a shrug and forget it.

Reverbe

I went to one of my book clubs the other month which is held in a cafe. Someone there had done her usual trick of ordering about 3 different dishes on the menu. (dont know how she affords this as she was talking only the other week about freecycler and getting things from the dump. IN this place a cuppa tea costs £2.75!!)She took one forkful of this side dish which she had ordered cos the waiter said he liked it and decided she didnt. I would have normally been too ashamed to say yes when she offered it arounf but I thought it looks ok, I'm sat next to her and I'm ruddy hungry. Cant afford anything on the menu as I suspect that gaff would charge a huge amount for even tap water so took it and tucked in and ruddy good it was too.

Today I was in the doorway of Boots waiting for the torrential rain to die down and saw that on the leaflet stand next to me someone had left an open bag of 3 Greggs large yum yums with 2 in. I took it. I'm not proud. I have also recently found a fully packaged and closed Greggs chicken and bacon sandwich in the street. All good but I do feel a bit embarrassed to admit it and would never tell anyone.I have also been known to use free samples for my meals which makes me feel kinda scuzzy.

hot.chick

Don't feel scuzzy about grabbing every opportunity to keep in control of your finances.

FEEL PROUD - every free bit of food you can make use off is money in your pocket, and less food wasted in the wastefull world we live in.

Walk with your head heald high but your eyes firmly on the look out for other opportunities :j

Good for you - I'd have taken the cheese

Patchwork_Quilt

We went out for a 'treat' meal recently and ordered three starters between four, followed by three mains and four portions of rice. I thought I saw a faint sniffiness in the lady's face but bore with it. We had a huge amount, despite economising on portions. The bill, however, was £80! I nearly fainted, and I had been trying to keep track all along. I really wasn't worried about having ordered three of everything after that.

In the end, I suppose it was better to go out and have a smaller order than for the restaurant to have no-one there at all.

That particular place, however, has been crossed off the list for birthdays and anniversaries. I'm afraid we've changed, as a family, and whilst it does feel rather embarrassing to pull out a voucher after our meal at Pizza Express, the staff are really nice (because everyone else is doing it) and it saves us an awful lot of money

phizzimum

I've been reading this thread with interest, as sometimes I do feel embarrassed depending on who I'm with or the reaction of staff in restaurants etc.

I've been wondering though, I presume restaurants have to pay to have their waste food taken away. so aren't we doing them a favour by reducing the amount they throw away?

I was too embarrassed to ask our butcher for pigs trotters, but DH did and the butcher says that he has to pay a fortune to have meat removed that he can't sell so he was grateful to get rid of the trotters.

pupsicola

Im not embarrassed at all. I just get on with life in my own way. Most people I know aren't even aware of how carefull I am with my money. Its just a quiet, practised part of my routine.

I have been in your situation once and decided from then on to not say a word to anyone. If they want to be careful they will be, if they dont thats their choice.

pupsicola

Talking about charity shops, if any of you live near reigate in surrey you are sooo lucky. The stuff you can pick up in charity shops there is amazing. All the labels, often stuff that someone has worn once and thrown out.