Can you help me reduce my weekly shop?

slummymummyof3

sillygirl73 wrote: »

As for luxuries, off the top of my head, please don't shout at me.............:o

• cans of diet coke (need to stop drinking this as did Martins demotivator and we are spending about £40 per month on this:eek:) Wow!!!! OH tends to drink diet coke/diet pepsi - I buy 2 litre bottles of diet pepsi when they are on offer in Lidl and stock up; they regularly have cans on offer to (but it may be more cost effective buying 2L bottles)
• DH has a chocolate habit......going to try to fob him off with cheap choc biccies for his packed lunch! Lidl regularly has offers like caramel or chocolate Rocky bars (16 pack) for £1
• Am really bad for buying my little one treats......apple rice cakes, fruit pots etc - I can see this would add quite substantially to your shopping bill.
• I often forget lunch for me, and am then starving when out so grab a ready made sandwich (DH has a packed lunch). So not great for budget or my diet.........trying to lose all my baby weight! Make yourself a packed lunch at the same time as DH lunch is made and try and get yourself back in to the routine of eating at a set time.
• I buy fresh fruit like raspberries/blueberries....they cost a fortune, so am going to vow to buy fruit that is in season, although my baby LOVES them. Try frozen ones - really reasonably priced in Aldi (they do raspberries, forest fruits etc)
• A cardinal sin is that I buy prepacked salads and then end up chucking awat hakf as it goes slimy.......I am a bad girl I know!! You could try growing your own lettuce this year or alternatively Lidl and Aldi do 'living' salads for approx 99p

Some further suggestions for you in red. You have identified your problem areas really - well done!

JulieGeorgiana

sillygirl73 wrote: »

• Am really bad for buying my little one treats......apple rice cakes, fruit pots etc

I used to buy my son fruit pots when he was a toddler! Now he's 8 and he still eats them, only I make them myself whenever we have leftover apples.

And in August when my MIL eating apple tree is full... we get bags and bags and bags and I make as much as I can and jar it.

My last batch worked out at 1.5 apples per pot

Let me know if you would like the recipe.

Ps. if you want to kick your fizzy drink habbit... google 'aspartame'

Linda32

sillygirl73 wrote: »

Am really bad for buying my little one treats.....apple rice cakes, fruit pots etc

I often forget lunch for me, and am then starving when out so grab a ready made sandwich (DH has a packed lunch). So not great for budget or my diet

Hiya, Welcome to OS,

Just wanted to add a view bits to your comments above if thats okay.

In the summer I make little pots of jelly with fruit in. I was lucky enough to find some little glass dishes (about yogurt pot size) in a charity shop. Although I'm sure you could use anything.

Pop some tinned fruit in each pot and top up with jelly, one tablet fills about 8 of these pots, wondered if that would replace the fruit pots.

Also, I either make some cakes or buy cerial bars, (yes I know not exactly OS or Money Saving) but what I then do, is always make sure I have one of these in my bag so that I don't buy things when out. I know thats no good for lunch, but its an idea.

sillygirl73

JulieGeorgiana wrote: »

I used to buy my son fruit pots when he was a toddler! Now he's 8 and he still eats them, only I make them myself whenever we have leftover apples.

And in August when my MIL eating apple tree is full... we get bags and bags and bags and I make as much as I can and jar it.

My last batch worked out at 1.5 apples per pot

Let me know if you would like the recipe. Yes please:)

Ps. if you want to kick your fizzy drink habbit... google 'aspartame'

Thank you all for your great suggestions..:T.......it really helps to know that there is an alternative way to do things and that those ways are doable!! Will keep on popping back for more suggestions as and when if thats ok:)

JulieGeorgiana

You will need:

Apples (Any you have, eating apples require less sugar)
Water
Sugar
Glass Jars with Lids

Instructions:

Wash, Peel, Core and Slice the Apples

Place in a pan with a small amount water and cook on a medium heat for an hour (I use the PC and use so little they are not covered as it doesn't evaporate and you don't want much water when you make the final product)

Stir occasionally until your apples are done (soft)
It is ready when it breaks down when stired and turns into a kind of applesauce (add water if it's too thick, if too thin keep cooking)

Add sugar and cinnamon to taste.

Now you can can your applesauce is sterilised jars.

In Germany my Oma made this and we ate it with pancakes or waffels or just on it's own.

I normally peel core and slice leftover apples and freeze and make a larger batch to outweigh the cost of cooking on the hob. Or I wait until my MIL tree gives a HUGE glut of apples!

I am saving my jars like mad this year, don't want to end up short like last year and then having to eat half a pan in a matter of a week :cool: