How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

Hippeechiq

rachbc wrote: »

Gailey I don't do a mian shop anymore, I use mysupermarket and get whats on offer in each place - mainly asda/ aldi or ocado with money off vouchers for me though

Gailey I do the same as Rach really. Used to do 2 main online shops a month with A$da, but so often Te$co have some offers on that are too good to miss. So now I do one online shop, roughly ¼ of my budget with A$da, and the rest is split between Te$co & £idls, but I appreciate that I'm lucky in that I have the last 2 within walking distance to me, plus I don't have small children and I'm not 9 months pregnant!

Everyone shops for different things, but for bulky/heavy store cupboard type goods that I buy in my online shop, personally, A$da still works out cheaper for me. I get all my meat bar sausages from £idls though, as it works out cheaper than all the main 4 SMs.

maryb

At the moment I am using Sainsbugs because I keep getting till spits for £4 off £40 spend. If you are going to do a big shop there it is sometimes worth buying a little bit of stuff first and seeing if you get a till spit. Don't think Mr T will send me anything for a while since I managed to get £17 off a £60 spend by doubling up some coupons they sent me to use in February with one of their own till spits and using a Sainsbugs voucher as well (they accept competitors' minimum spend vouchers) and getting a 5p/litre off fuel voucher at the end of it

It does feel good when you know you've topped up your storecupboard very cost effectively. They still claim to be market leaders or whatever based on the headline sales figure but that's OK by me as long as I don't actually pay full price

jackieglasgow

Gintot try any Asian supermarket for your coconut essence - its funny she can't find it there. Or she could make her own, its not that difficult. Are you all packed yet? x

bertiebots

I still find sainsbugs the best all round for value..dispite the (still) popular misconception that its expensive. I never spend more than £50 a week and often do top ups every other week at lid!s for about £30 and get my flour sugar etc. I manage to keep my food budget down to £200 per month or less.
Gailey its not going to be long before that baby arrives..I hope you are looking after yourself!
Hello everyone else..sorry I am rubbish at remembering everyones names but I have just caught up and now have to dash of to collect ds2! He is doing a cooking club at school which he was quite excited about this morning. I think they are doing some food for parents evening tomorrow!
Then its off to work again..bonus so far of extra job is- a very firm bottom (I walk home very quickly in the dark and its toned me up lol!) Who needs a gym?
Was looking at smaller cars online this morning but figure by the time I have saved up to buy a new (to me) car to save on petrol I wont actually save anything..a bit of a catch 22. Has anyone heard anything more about the governments mention of a fuel price escalator (is that what it was called???) ...forgive me I am tired today!!!

Edit: Maybe it is a fuel price stabilizer?

gailey_2

brandeberryj wrote: »

Will try it but will use a laminated A4 with lines or something and try and find something that wipes of to write list out. Only occasionally do batch cook nearly always game meals (as mostly free. If Mr Rabbit wants to eat my flowers he has to face the consequences. Went mad on apple crumbles made about 70 as I have "access" to loads of Bramley trees. Got everything as cheap as possible before hand IE flour, white sugar, butter (not much variation in price) and brown sugar (again no bargains around). Cooked them in used ready made meal dishes. Suitable for the oven and reheating in the microwave. Been saving them for years about time I used them

Wow 70crumbles:Dmusthave huge freezer.
One thing I tried last year with apples and foraged fruits were stewing the fruit then freezing in small pots.
Then defrost,add crumble topping then cook.
Did buy some foiltrays with carboard lids for desserts.

For batch cooking poundstretcher sells pack of 6 500g clear tubs with lids,the750g and 1litre sadly only come in4packs they pound a pack. I like them as just remove from freezer and blast in micro.
downside is they go quite brittle and snap after 2/3uses in freezer so not a long term investment.

Itry tidy freezer twice a month aswith a chest things get easily/lost forgotton.
In reality the fridge is rarly full.

Ordinarly would go over retailpark then get bus home with few bags but havent got the energy at the moment plus my 18month olds developed serious aversion to shopping!

sainsburys is nearest and do like shopping there.
lidls is opposite.
farmfoods miles away so send hubby.
spent clubcard vouchers in tesco metro other week.
havent been in co-op in weeks might go in sunday see if any reductions.

So if I spend40quid in mr s then total it will I get a voucher as thats been problem we done big shop then get voucher and no chance to use it by its date as normally like spendover 70quid.

I have written meal plans before need to start writing again as most of its in my head when go round shopping imputting meals together ect.

Its my storecupboard thats seriously depleted need flour,sugar,cereals,herbs,spices,tinned tomatoes,passatta ect.
Run out of lots household too.

its hard finding time to shop around.I know its worth it just logistically not always easy.

brandberryj-whats rabbit like?fancy trying but no idea where to buy it hugh of rc says tastes like chicken.

Having a:eek:momentwith sick18monthold she napped in buggy on school run ,she refused nap earlier shes so grumpy and tearful 5year older sister keeps waking her. got her in her cot with milk hoping she driftsoff . Just shouted at eldest for screaming upstairs.
not sure if can get her to sleep or if will pay for it later if she wakes in evening!

feeling so tired.just about to start making pancakes.
hubbys away.
feeling bit fed up youngest is full of cold/cough and not sleeping and eldest is tired and naughty not wanting to sleep or be quiet.

feeling little stressed as achieved very little today,slowly losing will to live and thinking wouldlove go bed myself andits only half past 4.

BitterAndTwisted

Gailey, I know it's easy to say and hard to do but please do try and not get too stressed. From what you post on here you sound like Superwoman to me so cut yourself some slack, woman.

Pitlanepiglet

Gailey have you thought about doing an online shop? I find the lack of temptation saves me the delivery fee, plus if it's hard work getting to and from AND dragging the girls around the store I'd have thought that it's worth the cost? If you do Sainsburys midweek and spend over £100 then it's free delivery - I do this on a six weekly basis so I spend £100 and then just top up bits and pieces from Lidl or the nasty Tesco.

Once you've got your favourites set up then it's quick to go through and order and then someone else does the hard work!

My Ex OH was really anti online grocery shopping but he wasn't the one who had to drag around the supermarket which I find really tedious - I stitched him right up by taking him to Tesco at Eastville at 6pm on a Friday night - saying "right, we're going to do a months shopping as I'm not coming back to do it again" - we got about three aisles in with him saying "let's just get what we need for this weekend" and me insisting we did a months worth - then he gave in and we ordered online after that

lostinrates

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Lostinrates: how is your mother getting on?

Thanks for this. She's ok. shes gone home....where its warmer and she is capable now. Mainly, as she admit when here, she's depressed and all the caring for her post operatively I can't help her with that. I'm going over there tomorrow to spring prune for her and tidy up the garden a bit. She was n her very best behaviour when here, which I really appreciated. She's not using ANY mobility equipment now (but my dad told me today he doesn't think she go up yesterday).

I feel desperately sad that she's sad, but also listening to DH who keeps telling me I can't make her better or force her to seek help for that.

blackandwhitebunny

I'm coming out of lurking mode to say I'm pleased that I'm not the only one who finds Sainsbugs the best value. I do lots of shopping for food classes at school and find the basics range very good and find that I can generally get basics veggies and fruits all the time. When I've tried Mr T (which I hate for lots of other reasons) I find that the price on the shelf for the basics equivalent veggies might be cheaper but they never have any stock so I'm forced to pay more for the next option.

mardatha

I like the Basics range of foods but their fruit & veg is a bit expensive. Lidls has much cheaper veg but is too hard for me to get to. Is hard that just when we need to shop around, that petrol is so dear !!