How to outperform any ISA - easy peasy

pineapple

So we've seen the figures that 'food inflation' is 5%. Only 5%? In whose reality? My favourite fresh coffee is up 50% on what it was just over a year ago. And what about basics like butter?
So.....
If you have any spare space convert some cash to long term staples. Things which will freeze or won't go off. In particular do some research on things which are set to rise - and rise - and rise.
It's better than money in the bank :j
Edit: For some of us oldies it's good anyway to stock up before winter. Plus you save on petrol. Win win all round.

margaretclare

On the surface this looks like a good idea. However, if you think about it in depth, what in fact you're doing is creating dead money that could otherwise be invested to stay ahead of inflation.

Apart from toilet rolls and washing tablets/powder/liquid, everything that a normal household uses is perishable UNLESS you have a commercial-standard freezer at - 60 degrees C.

Butter - we use very little and only need to do a shop every 1-2 weeks. We use very little of the jars-and-packets type items. Fresh veg won't keep. We buy meat etc at local farm shops.

Incidentally, my S&S ISA is doing very nicely thank you, as is DH's.

chesky369

I suppose the best way to shop and save money at the same time is to use your credit card and every time you shop, put the same amount in your savings account. Then you pay the credit card bill about six weeksd later and all that time the cash has been gaining interest - not much I agree, but better than nothing.

blossomhill_2

Stocking up on offers is one of the best ways to do this - my cupboards are bursting with non-foods such as washing up liquid and washing liquid and toiletries where I have taken advantage of glitches/coupons so I wont need to buy as the prices get hiked. Tried storing the washing liquid in a shed but the mice eat the labels!

But don't fall for the big supermarkets BOGOF offers - they usually hike the price just before "reducing" so keep an eye on the prices over a longer period so you can spot genuine bargains

Even if we don't usually use much packaged food we will still be stocking up before winter so we have some emergency staples in case of getting caught out like last year when severe weather affected the fresh food supply chain

My late Dad always said "it's money in the bank!" when he came home with bargains!

John_Pierpoint

margaretclare wrote: »

On the surface this looks like a good idea. However, if you think about it in depth, what in fact you're doing is creating dead money that could otherwise be invested to stay ahead of inflation.

The reality is that nothing can keep up with the deliberately created inflation, intended to make savers accounts pay for the bad loans, including the government ones.

The government is desperate to keep down the unemployment figures, for fear of more rioting in the streets. They don't give a stuff about savers.

Mind you these days you have to be careful about what you stockpile, as non perishables can become obsolete.
VHS tapes anyone?

It is difficult to say what will keep its value over a ten year period.

It is a standard joke that the Germans were still wearing replaceable stiff collars right through to the 1970's because some people had bought a life time's supply in the 1930's - desperate to spend their money before it became completely useless.

chipp

my elderly parents stockpile non-perishables while they're on special offer, sadly without giving thought to how much they already have. The now have enough laundry detergent to see them out and probably me too. If I used that particular brand). I don't relish the house clearance when the time comes.

daffodiltulip

I buy lots of non-perishables, including cat litter, making sure it amounts to the free delivery amount of the supermarket delivery service. There are always some standard special offers and money can be saved on bus fares or petrol - and more importantly, precious time.

kidmugsy

margaretclare wrote: »

Apart from toilet rolls and washing tablets/powder/liquid, everything that a normal household uses is perishable

You might also stock up on kitchen foil and bin bags, but you must ensure that the latter are stored in the dark.

surfsister

now come on folks this is moneysavers!! don't we all saver a fortune buying the food offers on here?? Well I certainly do.

I have a stockpile of sainsburys 29p olives (were 99p and a year on the date they changed the labels!). Also 6p asda mushy peas for pea soup.

Then there is the naked wines offer which made very god wine and port £3 a bottle. Following the sainsburys 25% off 6 bottles of wine and they were on half price at the time!! I also had £15 off first delivery and after 10 in the eve delivery is cheaper. The delivery driver even asked me how I got the wine so cheap and I pointed him to MSE!!

Need I go on??

Then there is the long long list of clearance food bargains in Sainsburys and asda. If you read the tips on here carefully you can save lots.Just buy what you or relatives will use eventually!!

Also lots of bogof offers for eating out here too!

zygurat789

Lets be a little bit careful here. A couple of years ago the price of basics like flour & rice went up alarmingly, now its (yes margaret) lean mince and also tesco's quiches. Same increase working its way through the food chain.
But. All these increases were fuelled by demand and the oil price.
demand, according to the figures I saw, has recently (despite the continued recession), just dropped off, the oil price is at its lowest for some time and Tesco's sales have dropped.
What goes up too rapidly usually corrects iteself, look at house prices, so we could be in for a period of fewer rises as manufacturers and retailers try to generate turnover

zygurat789

margaretclare wrote: »

Incidentally, my S&S ISA is doing very nicely thank you, as is DH's.

If your S & S ISA is doing that well you should share it on here