Exploiting Christmas at the supermarket?

jfh7gwa

For the second year in a row, we've decided not to really 'celebrate' Christmas - in the past we'd have done the whole buying treats, presents thing, but the older we get (and more stretched finances become) the more emphasis has been on catching up with friends, having a good few days together, rather than anything materialistic. I don't see this as a bad thing

However, my husband and I were talking this morning about woopsed items, and about how few woopsies you get at our local supermarkets (we usually shop at Asda, but stories of £1 chickens and 5p loafs of bread is clearly something our local store manager hasn't heard of ).

So I thought about Christmas. When is the best time to go and maybe.. i don't know.. exploit the Christmas season for the purposes of stocking up on food for the freezer?? :T
Our local Asda is open 24hrs a day but I'm sure it's closed Christmas Day. So I guess Christmas eve just before it closes there might be meats and other fresh produce to bag for a bargain?

It's not something we've ever really thought of before - we'd normally do our food shopping a few days before Christmas... but it seems silly not to attempt to get in the MSE mindset at that time (as we do in every other week of the year).

Has anyone got any tips or advice on this topic? :T

BabyBoots

I think there are loads of bargains to be had on Christmas Eve, if you have the time and inclination. My friend working on the fresh fish counter in Waitrose said they had ordered 30 huge whole salmons, which was far more than needed, and they marked these down hugely.

I think it gets to Xmas Eve and everyone's made their meal plans, the fridge and freezer are full, and it's not the time many people think "maybe I could use an extra huge salmon I wasn't planning to buy."

jfh7gwa

BabyBoots wrote: »

"maybe I could use an extra huge salmon I wasn't planning to buy."

True :rotfl:

My chest freezer will gladly utilise it though!

[Deleted User]

I think everyone worries that if they leave it till the last minute the stores will have run out of the christmas grocery items they need so they shop fairly early ... I did indeed leave my christmas food shopping till Christmas Eve one time and it was terrible - Everything OOS like cream , mince pies , meat etc but they seem to stock up more now and that was a while ago

Saying that I was silly enough to leave getting my lamb joint till Christmas Eve last year and ended up paying around 10 quid for it at a butchers which happened to be open ( I'd left it late in the DAY as well! lol )

Don't know where the time goes in the run up to Christmas and don't enjoy that last minute dash for things we may have forgotten etc and the shops are PACKED but will be worth it for you if you get some brilliant bargains on groceries!! ... I think I'll leave the last min dash this year , hopefully!

( There weren't any bargains to be had last year at Iceland on Christmas Eve and they were all out of lamb joints! LOL , so maybe not worth trying there , just the big 3 , hope you find some lovely food items the salmon sounds like a winner!! ) x

Ken68

My presents this year will be the usual energy light bulbs,free from the charity shop and wrapped in the weekly free newspaper.
It's the thought that counts.

elmer

For the last couple of years our Sainsbury's has opened on Boxing Day for a few hours (In Scotland) and if you go the bargains are unbelievable, they are always quiet.
I dont think many people know that they even open.

I shall be walking the dog past the door as usual this year.

elmer

Barneysmom

I never get my turkey till about 3 days before Christmas, it gives me a good bit of stress in case I can't get one though.

I said a few years ago I would never go to a supermarket on Christmas Eve due to the queues, getting out of the car park took me nearly an hour.
This time if I have to go I'll park round the corner and take a shopping trolley.

nearlyrich

I have had 5p cabbages, 1p bags of carrots etc on Christmas eve mid afternoon at Tesco, I don't ususally shop late but I met a friend who was still shopping to give her her son's present and I couldn't resists the bargains.

I_luv_cats

Some products might be worth buying now.

I've found in the past that tin biscuits/choc etc are cheaper a couple of months before. Some 1/2 price now are ending very very soon!!!!

If you are buying gifts look out for free vouchers. THERES the Argos £5 (£50 spend) and £10 free voucher (£100 spend) UNTIL 15th Nov!!!
And some 3 for 2 on gifts @ Argos.

meg72

I think this depends entirely on your circumstances if you have a family to provide for you do not want to leave it to the last minute as might not be anything left, if you are like me, on your own and really dont care if its sausage or whatever,then I would say yes just go late Christmas Eve.

Alternatively if you do have a family and can spare the time, then get what you need and go late to save a lot in January

pinkprincedss1980

I have to say last year we eat out for christmas dinner but decided to go bargain shopping on Christmas eve which was very fruitful. We started off at M&S as we had some vouchers to use and although we didn't get many bargains from here we did get lots of conditional spend voucher which Mr T were accepting at the time. We then moved on to Sainsburys and got some fantastic mark downs from there (can't remember everything we got unfortunately) then we went down the road to Tescos and got there just in time for them reducing lots of meat and fish. You needed courage to battle in to get what you wanted as it was like a sweep of vultures lol but I got in there with everyone else and had my mum waiting very close by with the trolley. We made a good team between us and got some absolute bargains like sliced salmon for 20p a pack meatballs for 20-30p a pack and lots more. We didn't keep it all for ourselves we did pass it round family and friends too.

So my advice is don't leave your christmas shopping until the last minute but if you can spare the time go and have a mooch round about an hour or so before closing.