Are you ever embarassed by your money-saving ways?

IlonaRN

valk_scot wrote: »

WHAT???? You can buy such things?????? How on earth can anyone be so *insert word of choice here* that they can't break an egg?

I would imagine that the eggs have been pasteurised, and so would be suitable for anything that required raw or not-quite-cooked egg, without the risk of salmonella poisoning, which can be fatal.

So I wouldn't buy eggs in cartons for anything that I knew would be cooked through, but for things like chocolate mousse or other non-cooked foods, I would look to buy them rather than use normal eggs.

MrsE_2

fabforty wrote: »

premium range food which cost and arm and a leg, £4 per day on starbucks, etc. I'm ashamed to admit that once (but only once, thank goodness) I even did a did my weekly grocery shop in Marks and Spencer - it's along story.
Now I'm shameless.

I would have taken the cheese too, I hate waste. But I do much of my shopping in Waitrose because I look the freshness & sheer quality of their food (& their ethics), I do use M&S a little too.
Its not wasteful to shop in these shops (I'm happy to use Tesco & Sainsburys for branded packaged stuff like washing powder, beans, breakfast cereal, etc) but I like Waitrose & M&S for meat/poultry & fruit/veg/salad. its cheaper for us as I'm a busy working wife & mother and I can only do a main shop once a week & Waitrose stuff stays fresh & can all be eaten.

charlies-aunt wrote: »

I'm not embarassed about charity shop purchases, buying 'Basics' branded products etc as I make no pretence of being well heeled and I aren't ashamed of being less well off than some.

Having said that, I do wish that Sainsbuys et al would re-design the labelling of their 'basics' range though.

If you make no pretence why would their packaging bother you?

THIRZAH

I've just got back from a two night holiday with my two sisters-three of us in £19 Travel Inn room.

We had breakfast in Wetherspoons each morning-half the price of the Travel Inn.They put two mini tubs of jam on each plate of toast and we only used one each so we brought the unused ones home. We went into every charity shop we passed and bought stocking -fillers for our children from Primark and TK Maxx.My sisters even managed to get their train fares cheap but I couldn't. We are already planning next years trip.

There used to be a pub in Manchester that specialised in bread and cheese lunches-you got about 8 oz of cheese on each plate-they had plastic bags on the counter with the salt, napkins etc

Bobbykins

THIRZAH wrote: »

There used to be a pub in Manchester that specialised in bread and cheese lunches-you got about 8 oz of cheese on each plate-they had plastic bags on the counter with the salt, napkins etc

OMG! That wouldn't have been "The Grapes" on Deansgate would it? Closed down donkey's years ago but I used to love it in my student days (or am I REALLY showing my age now!)

:o

minerva_windsong

Not at all. As others have said, if we pay for it then why on earth shouldn't we make the most of it? I regularly take home food from restaurants and am a bit of a pedant about lights being left on and suchlike, but I don't like seeing good money going down the drain.

On the taking home of food, I'm not ashamed to admit that I have on several occasions swiped those little packets of sauces, salt, pepper, sugar etc from service stations and pubs. To be fair though this was largely when I was going on family holidays and there was no point in buying a big pack of salt or sugar or whatever for a week! Although I did play some significant role in 'liberating' a large amount of condiments from Wetherspoon's which are now in the salad crisper of my boyfriend's fridge...

ETA: I also used to quite often get a free scoff when I worked on a hotel bar - chefs always make slightly too much for buffets and there was pretty much always food left at the end of the night.

Primrose

Yes, I would have taken the cheese. It has been paid for and will probably have ended up being taken home by the staff. I have relatives who are embarrassed by my love of charity shops. They would die rather than be seen dead in one however short of money they've been at times. They recycle their glass and newspapers so I don't understand why they regard the recycling of clothes and books as being any different. At home I re-use a tea bag until it's exhausted although I wouldn't do this when people visited.

shazrobo

i used to avoid charity shops, but have discoved them in the last couple of years, and had some great bargains, mainly books like new for myself, and branded sports wear for ds's.
food on the other hand has never been wasted, all leftovers are used the next day or frozen.
never taken food from a restaurant tho, i would find that embarrasing, maybe i should give it a go one day

culpepper

My embarrassments have been more because of the reactions of others.
I never overstock the fridge and buy only what I know we will eat in fruit and veg.
My MIL having peeked at my stores over my shoulder, was shocked when I asked if anyone wanted a banana after lunch, saying are you sure you can spare it? GRRR!
When my DD was in the reception class at school the children were herded into the hall before hometime , without their parents knowledge and shown a book sale with the comment tell mummy what you want and she will buy it.
DD wanted a £5 packet of notelets with kittens on and was inconsolable when I said I wasnt going to buy them as we would be going to the 99p shop at the weekend and she could get some there with her pocket money. The teacher was most bemused and I was very red faced but determined that I wasnt going to be made to spend money we dont have.

tescodave

shazrobo wrote: »

i used to avoid charity shops, but have discoved them in the last couple of years, and had some great bargains, mainly books like new for myself, and branded sports wear for ds's.
food on the other hand has never been wasted, all leftovers are used the next day or frozen.
never taken food from a restaurant tho, i would find that embarrasing, maybe i should give it a go one day

I've had some amazing bargains from charity shops. Not embrassed at all!:T

Apricot

As a new convert to money saving im not embarrassed by my moneysaving but my family do get a little bit shocked about somethings - for example, I was in my mums on Sunday and as she was about to throw away the left over veg & potatoes (from the serving dishes) I shouted at her to stop & that we could make bubble & squeak for the next day - she said we would just cook more veg tomorrow if I wanted that!
I love this site though and reading all the tips, my bf finds it highly amusing when I tell him another little fact i've discovered!