Define "saving"!

katieclampet

I always stock up on stuff I use regularily, when it is on sale or at a cheap price. Especially soap powder, toothpaste, toilet rolls, washing up liquid, etc, that sort of stuff. I look on it as spending "more now" to save "more later". Last time asda had a big household stuff on offer, (just after xmas I think) I stocked up on loads.Havent had to buy any since then, and probably will have enough to last until next big offer, So definitely a BIG saving.


katiex

Larumbelle

Another thing to consider is to make sure you would use that brand anyway (I know from your post you would, I'm being a bit more general here). If you normally buy brand X at 50p, then buy brand Y BOGOF for £1.50 it's really NOT saving money, you're spending 50p more than you would have .. but I know people who do just this and say that they've 'saved' £1.50!!!

Similarly if you make something yourself and get sucked into buying it instead because it's on offer, that's not moneysaving either. I make my own soap powder and it would have to be really reduced to be cheaper than my own - so I never buy, it wouldn't actually 'save' me anything even if it was cheaper than soap powder usually is.

katholicos

silvercharming wrote: »

I make my own soap powder and it would have to be really reduced to be cheaper than my own - so I never buy, it wouldn't actually 'save' me anything even if it was cheaper than soap powder usually is.

I've got quite a lot of washing gel/liquid saved up from when it was all on offer, but when it's all done with i am going to make my own.

OP, surely it is logical that if you only have to pay 25 pence for a product you ordinarily use that ou usually pay £2.75 for, you've made yourself a canny saving?

I personally think it's a 'no brainer' for those of us who can afford to take advantage of such offers. In addition to the savings side of thing, it is very convenient when you run out of something, to know that you have another put away.

Emm-in-a-pickle

Tesco `3 for 2` on household essentials, I found a DEFINITE money saving just recently. I like Persil small & mighty, after trying other brand occasionally I always go back to this. I only ever buy it when it`s on offer or a hefty percent extra free. I get a bit uneasy when I`m getting down my last-but-one bottle, but try to stick it out. In the last ten days I`ve stockpiled NINE large bottles of the stuff. That`s 3 free bottles, £6.80 something each. That`s over twenty quid saved.
My biggest failure, saving-wise, is bread. DS and DGD, both carb-a-holics, can demolish a sliced loaf between them at one sitting, if in the mood feeding themselves while I`m at work, if there`s eggs/beans or bacon around - so I naturally try not to run out. Farmfoods and Iceland do a good deal on bread, but I sometimes over-stock, if my shift pattern at work means I`ll not be shopping for a few days. If bread doesn`t get used (like if they have hit the pasta) I usually end up giving my neighbour a full loaf (before it goes off ) if I know we won`t use it in time. She has 4 kids, and is always glad of another loaf! I COULD freeze bread, but I never have space for it as my freezer is always full of `whoopsies` or deliberate too good to waste cooked leftovers (I`d like to call it batch-cooking, but if I`m honest it`s just that one of my greatest simple old-style pleasures is when Im home to cook something nice, someone wanting seconds...so when there`s some left and we`re all STUFFED, it goes in the freezer.)

The_Thrilla

The difference between income and expenditure. It is usually measured in money, but need not be. For example, saving time may be to one's advantage.

flipperOSN

I have a real love hate relationship with BOGOFs. If it's something I really need and will use then great, but if I see an offer on something I really only want one of (carrots for example) then I'm suspicious that they've bumped up the price of the "one" to compensate a little.

lilac_lady

I'd rather pay half price than take BOGOF but we don't get that option.

Just_Plain_Jane

I save a lot of money by bulk buying.

OH insists on drinking posh coffee and there's no way I can get around it, he noticed when I tried to sub it with the cheaper stuff.

Anyhow, I wait until the one he likes is on BOGOF and buy as much of it as I have room to store. It has a long shelf life so won't go off quickly. This sometimes means a considerable outlay, but then I don't have to buy it each week at full price when the offer ends.

rachbc

I know what you mean op - sometimes the saving is def worth it - today apple juice was reduced in lidl so I got 12l - sure it was 4 quid I didn't need to spend as I have enough for the month in but it will last. However inspired by an other thread I want to make yogurt - so today shelled out £6 on a flask to make it in - for something relatively cheap to buy (smart price plain yog is only 45p a tub) its gonna be a while til I see any saving...

Soubrette

Stocking up on essentials is definitely something we've started to do in the last 18 months. I've also found a knock on effect is that I have a much better idea of what a good deal is - so for example if I can buy free range eggs at under 23p then I'll stock up on them. The big savings though seem to be on things like cheese - I am a total price rather than brand !!!!!! - my average cheese spend is usually below £6.00 per kg which saves approx £3-4 per kg as I like the strong stuff .

I think the only products that I don't save on by stocking up are things like chocolates, they just seem to get eaten faster

Sou