What's the best Christmas eve Supermarket Sweep bargain strategy?

jap200

11 days 'till Christmas - so 10 days 'till Christmas Eve Supermarket Sweep!

Happened to pop in to my local Tesco on Christmas Eve last year for the essentials that I had overlooked and picked up a huge trolley load of bargains as well:

Tesco Finest fresh turkey less than £2
Big tray of mushrooms - about £1 (fantastic for soup!)
Big chocolate gateaux - a few pence
Whole side of salmon - about £2 I think (great one to freeze)
Big bag of sprouts for 1p - rather regretted that one!
Loads of other stuff that I can't remember

Anyway, I can't remember what time it was that I went in, but would like to try and plan to bag some bargains this year. Does anyone have any experience of doing this before? I obviously don't want to go too early before they start reducing stuff, or leave it until the last minute - when all the other MSEs have beaten me to it!

Any suggestions as to the best strategy - and any particular things to look out for in addition to the ones above?

computersaysdoh

I would start by checking what time they close - maybe aim for 45 mins before then

BargainJunky

It varies a lot. Some Supermarkets reduce mid morning to ensure they have nothing left, some leave it really late hoping to catch the last few desperate shoppers who will buy anything if they cant get what they really want.

I'll have my two year old to take with me this year so doubt I will get any bargains as he hates shopping but I will probably aim to go early to get exactly what I have forgotten and then late to bag some bargains if there are any left.

One tip I have is watch your trolley (both full priced stuff and reduced) as at our Asda one Christmas people were taking stuff out of trolleys if they couldnt find it on the shelf.

I found New Year at Asda to be much better as they had lots of Christmas stuff that was short dated that needed to go. Hubby was eating chicken sandwiches for weeks (well at 20p a packet what could I do).

Ivan_Konstantinov

its all the crap nobody else wants:money:

cabra1

the meat & fish are the best ones to
aim for first,instore bakery everything
has to go.

The fruit & veg section,including any xmas
themed floral items,bouquets,plants.
bags of washed pre-cut veg in packets.

look at the pots of fruit salad especially
near the sandwiches.Any cream cakes
cheese cakes,xmas logs in the fresh food section.

Also go in a day or so before
check out the sell by dates,if anything
has 23th/24th/25th on it these go a day earlier
no one buys stuff that ends that early.

look around what have they over ordered on ?
that could be slashed in price later.
I can remember one local supermarket here
having baskets of mixed nuts all over the
place on display and thinking that it was
amazing that they expected to sell that
many sure enough christmas eve they were
50p each,not everyones obvious choice
but made nice extra presents for everyone
looked even nicer with a bow on the top

Zagu

computersaysdoh wrote:

I would start by checking what time they close - maybe aim for 45 mins before then

Good point. 4:00pm this year, as Christmas Eve is a Sunday. Which means that I have to move my Christmas shopping forward by at least an hour. :mad:

firework

Thanks for that post Zagu - beleive it or not i hadn't actually considered the shopping implications of the fact that Christmas Eve lands on a Sunday! Think i will be aiming for a "get it all by saturday at the latest" policy and then IF i fancy a mooch for bargains on Sunday i can.

poppy_the_cat

don't hassle the person reducing items (meat) be friendly and we have found they will give you first refusal before it goes on the trolley. ive seen them disappear to the backroom because they've been mobbed. we would also be a step ahead look at the BBE dates and have an armfull before they get to it. they will then reduce it for you when they get there. Last year too ASDA were giving away milk and oranges as we left the store.
BE PATIENT and keep your eyes open you can get some bargains. We had a large pork joint that should have been reduced the day before for only 49p.:T

victory

no the times are 11 to 5pm so beware of that, my sis did it last year at Asda and said she was getting sausages, meat, bread at the ridiculous prices of 10p, I don't know what the exact time would be to go to bag a bargain but will be very interested if anyone else knows as I am going on xmas eve forthat reason only!! xxx

jap200

BargainJunky wrote:

One tip I have is watch your trolley (both full priced stuff and reduced) as at our Asda one Christmas people were taking stuff out of trolleys if they couldnt find it on the shelf.

That's amazing - I can't believe people would actually do that! I will probably take one of my kid along to watch the trolley for me so I can concentrate on bargains.

I'm off to Tesco later, so will find out about opening/closing hours then.

dwood90

tescos open 10 till 4 sunday trading hours. but my store opens at 930 for browsing.