trying to cut supermarket spending

Li0nhead

moonrakerz wrote: »

Where do you think they get the money from that they so generously give to you on these wondrous "points" schemes ?

A. from the Lottery
B. from the 3.30 at Epsom
C. by adding a bit to your bill

Why do you think Lidl, Aldi, Netto etc DON'T operate these phoney cash back schemes and are much cheaper than elsewhere ???

I will tell you where it comes from....The information you supply them with by using the schemes. They hold all your details, record your spending habits and give the companys a good idea of personal things such as income based on purchases. Thats worth a hell of a lot for any company. In exchange we get a Sub2% rebate in the form of points (0.5% for Nectar for example).
Looking at it that way the company gains more than the customer. What would our reaction on here if a company came out with "0.5% off all products sale, buy at our crazy, crazy prices!!" There would be threads on here laughing at it.
But we supply personal information and spending habits in exchange for just that.

judeee

Li0nhead wrote: »

The way to cut right down is to cook from scratch. Get on the Old school board and see some of them taking it all the way and spending something like £5 on a weekly shop .

The downside is most of us dont have time to make everything from scratch every day. So the Simple answer is to shop around.

If you had unlimited time you could go around every supermarket, pound shop, discounter and market going snapping up all the genuine deals, but chances are you don't. So keep a shopping list of what you really need and compare online on a week to week basis while not ignoring the likes of Aldi/Lidl.

You could have all the time in the world, but if like me you have no car and live in a semi rural area, going round all the shops and supermarkets will cost more in taxis and buses than it would the money you'd save.

Sooo....if you rely on online supermarket for anything heavy or bulky (tins/jars/pop/washing powder etc) a lot of the local family run shops closed down long ago (when the pit closed), your nearest market/farmers market is a £6.50 bus ride away and even then...nothing too heavy (or it's a £12 taxi back) and don't have a car to go shopping when items are being reduced, how can I save money on my weekly shopping?

moonrakerz

Li0nhead wrote: »

Looking at it that way the company gains more than the customer.

Who ever would have thought that !:rotfl::rotfl:

Pee

judeee wrote: »

You could have all the time in the world, but if like me you have no car and live in a semi rural area, going round all the shops and supermarkets will cost more in taxis and buses than it would the money you'd save.

Sooo....if you rely on online supermarket for anything heavy or bulky (tins/jars/pop/washing powder etc) a lot of the local family run shops closed down long ago (when the pit closed), your nearest market/farmers market is a £6.50 bus ride away and even then...nothing too heavy (or it's a £12 taxi back) and don't have a car to go shopping when items are being reduced, how can I save money on my weekly shopping?

Can you get online shopping delivered? I looked into this a couple of years ago and it wasn't an option, but they will now deliver even to me which means most of the country must have coverage.

Also have you seen the bulk buy website on Martins email sometimes? Good I think when you are able to buy in advance and store, esp freeze some of it.

judeee

Pee wrote: »

Can you get online shopping delivered? I looked into this a couple of years ago and it wasn't an option, but they will now deliver even to me which means most of the country must have coverage.

Also have you seen the bulk buy website on Martins email sometimes? Good I think when you are able to buy in advance and store, esp freeze some of it.

I can get the main ones delivered (though Ocado don't deliver in my area) but when people talk about farmers markets and catching the supermarkets reducing all the meat and stuff (heavy stuff!) and all the deals in Lidl or Aldi I always feel a little left out

Also, my freezer is dodgy (hence the saving up for new kitchen) so I feel a bit stuck in a loop!! Can't get the bargains, just what I can get online (no reduced stuff or stuff they don't have online!) and can't stock up on the good deals or make too much food in advance, so still spending too much on shopping, and taking all the longer to save up for a new fridge freezer so I can start saving money! Phew, it's all so exhausting :eek:

flippin36

Definitely look out on freecycle for a freezer - even if its just until you get your new kitchen then you can pass it on to someone else. I would struggle to keep my grocery shopping down without a good size freezer.

pelirocco

RHYSDAD wrote: »

A quick, easy tip to save money at the supermarket till:

When you've finished all your shop and are heading for the tills, stop and go through all your shopping asking yourself, 'do i really need this?' and do it for every item, discarding onto the shelf those items you picked up without realising. This is because supermarkets (and all retailers really) are masters at 'subliminal shopping'. That is to say making us buy things we never intended to and forgot we even picked up. This saves around a quarter off your bill every time!!

Hopefully you put the stuff back where you found it?

judeee

flippin36 wrote: »

Definitely look out on freecycle for a freezer - even if its just until you get your new kitchen then you can pass it on to someone else. I would struggle to keep my grocery shopping down without a good size freezer.

I've been looking on Freecycle, they hardly ever have any, got plenty people wanting one! Plus, the transport problem, I couldn't pick one up if they couldn't deliver. I do keep looking though. Argh no wonder I'm going grey :rotfl:

meg72

pelirocco wrote: »

Hopefully you put the stuff back where you found it?

If you shop in Asda it is not necessary to put things back,
they are quite happy to put them back for you.

minxie

I decided to try Aldi today and got loads for £40, the other stuff that I couldnt get,( quorn etc) I nipped into Tesco and spent another £40 on very little:mad:, only getting what I needed on the list. So didn't get dragged into naughty or unecessary things, (except for one bar of choccie as my weekly treat)
I was so chuffed with my self, thinking I would spend less this week but alas no.

I would like to get my food bill to under £50 for three people, so failed miserably this week