Where do we go from basics?

mardatha

This is an awesome thread, thanks everybody !

DebtFree2012

Something which I think touches alot of us on here - reading with interest, thank you op.

sky_bloo

To the person who wanted a scoop shop. There is one local to us called the food weigh house, my nan goes there all the time for sugar and cereals. I just googled and there seems to be a few dotted about the country if it is any help.

patchwork_cat

If you are really struggling there is a couple of things that people here could help with a) posting an average meal plan/ shopping list and people can suggest similar alternatives cheaper or cheaper shops and b) posting a statement of account possibly on debt free - even if you didn't have debts they are experts on sugesting saving in other areas thus leaving more for food etc.

Uniscots97

Try your local market for scoop shops, they usually have one or two. Stock up on cheaper items when you can. Be inventive, in my lasagne instead of all meat layers I now have one veg layer for every meat layer, it makes it go much further and use whatever veg is cheapest.

We are also doing more surveys, clicks etc and using this money to buy rice, potatoes, noodles etc and fill up the store cupboard.

Mrs_Arcanum

Visit the Fruit & Veg stall near the end of trading for some brilliant deals. Even if it is not up to much you could try making wine with it.

Also Poundstretchers & other 99p shops have some good buys if you are canny.

awaytogoyet

Softstuff wrote: »

I was debating the same thing looking at clothes in the charity shops, where the prices had gone sky high, and wondering if people can't afford charity shop clothes, what next?

I agree totally with Bluebag - Charity Shops are pretty much out for me now (they are quite often more expensive than Primark, Matalan & other retail shop sale items!). I find Jumble Sales & Car Boots best for clothes & most household items now. Poundland also for cleaning products, general household stuff & stationery (6 large reels of sellotape for £1) - I go there about once every 3/4 months (to save petrol) & stock up.

In the Supermarkets, as well as value ranges, whoopsies, bogof's etc., I'm stuck to the 'Grabbit' Board like glue (lots of great glitches, like DTD) + also coupons, which often enables me to stock up on premium brands for the smae price as 'value' or less.

I have a 'bulk buy/buy forward budget' & once I am absolutely convinced that an offer/deal or glitch is a real cracker (& it's something I use) - I stock up on a year's supply (if non-perishable obviously!) I find that makes a big difference.

Regarding 'growing your own' - I also swap with friends & neighbours when we have a glut & that way we get a wider range of produce. I am also an avid jam, marmalade & chutney/pickles maker - save the jars from shop-bought products, so minimum outlay. Might be worth looking for your local 'Exchange' (like LETS) group also, for swapping.
To keep growing your own as economical as possible, I collect rainwater, re-cycle household water & make compost.

If you have a local Market, they quite often sell off fruit & veg very cheap when about to pack up.

Start preparing for the Winter now. I'm buying a bag of value cooking salt almost every week + have gathered up a couple of bags full of sharp sand, to make my own mix to put on frozen paths etc (this commodity went sky high last year). Also foraging for wood & stockpiling (as have a real fire which relied on last year as domestic heating oil too expensive). Will get in a bit of coal + some heating oil in July/August before price goes up.
Need to buy a lot of things out of season.
Bought all Xmas cards & some pressies in the 75%/90% off sales - will make the rest. Also making soups now from own produce & freezing in concentrated form. Make sure have good supply of candles etc.

Trying to make some extra money & stashing it away for Winter. Can often pick up good quality quilts, blankets etc. from Jumble & Boot sales - wash now ready.
I never, ever go out without my own chilled (Tap) water, flasks, sandwiches, crisps, snax etc. - never buy them out - costs a fortune.

Good luck!

I think more & more planning is needed now to survive + the old wartime spirit of swapping, lending, recycling - basically helping each other out.

dom300186

grow your own/ make your own pasta/s cobs/breads/cakes/buiscuits.
buy tinned in bulk sometimes buying in a pack is cheaper than buying seperatly so take a calculator to the supermarket with you and see which is cheaper.
Buy things in bulk like loo roll, big bag of rice, sack of spuds, sack of onions. anything you use the most of buy in bulk it will save money down the line, if you can have access to a cash n carry/ costco check them out, buy meat from a butcher and freeze your meats and buy enough, so you have plenty but it will save you fuel from nipping out because youve ran out of something and thias will stop impulse buys.
make from absoloute scratch nearly every time or as much as you can, i do everyday an our food goes a long way any left overs are eaten a couple of days later or my other half takes to work for his lunch.

dom300186

blackandwhitebunny wrote: »

Depending where you live it might be worth looking at the shops in the Asian areas as they are often cheaper for veggies and things or if you have a market near you they can be cheaper for a few things. Other than that I can only second growing your own, even a few things like lettuces and beans can save you quite a bit.

also asian and ethnic areas mostly sell cheap meat as well, i got some right bargains a few weeks ago and i have enough meat to last 3 +months on £35. xxx

rigsby1967

Re the charity shops, i work in one of the bigger charity shops and even i am thinking twice before i buy from thier and that's with my 25% discount :eek:.

I have started having a few veggie meals per week which works out cheaper, also because i am a couple of stone overweight i could cut down the portion size to help loose weight and help keep costs of food down a little to.

rigs