a month without supermarket - new challenge for 2011 starts at post 1013

COOLTRIKERCHICK

hi.. skint_catt.......well done.. little steps is the best way.. and you will be very suprised... keep us updated......

kscour..........i have phoned a fruit/veg wholesaler in swansea centre..... leys..... and they sell it at £1.80 for 1 gallon i think thats 5 ltres......i also noticed that there were other wholesalers in haverfordwest......fishguard..... dont know how far these are frrom you.. but it might be worth you phoning......if you need the tel..no.....just let me know..... these places normally sell to the general public as well.. so might be worth checking out the fruit/veg prices......

so i dont know if thats a good price or not......even though i have now started using white vinegar to clean my windows..... i still have loads of other diff stuff under the sink .....so i am using it up... save wasting.......

edit.....
sandieb........you are rebel no.....20......welcome
aboard......i will add you to the list of rebels..... dont forget to add it to your sig......

TKP_3

Is Waitrose considered a "big Gun" supermarket? I believe it is owned by the employees - so they are not after big profits like the others. Was just wondering?

the_optimist

catznine wrote:

I'm a big fan of Shirley Goode, have all her books and read her blog often. If you can find copies of her books they are worth buying especially Goode for one in which she has shopping lists and uses local shops as well as supermarkets.

I am sure I read somewhere in another thread that she does indeed pop on here sometimes. Wouldn't it be lovely if she joined?

There was a thread about her a while ago and her grandson (who is a member) replied.

Anyway, I have just done something really hard and I feel like an alcoholic who's thrown booze away (not that I am, or ever had to do that )
I got my Tesco vouchers today and shredded the ' 20 extra points' etc coupons, so that I'm not tempted to go to Tescos. Phew, that was hard :eek: I felt as if I had thrown money away (oh, I did keep the freeby one 25 free points, sorry - don't know whether I use it or not)
Not sure what to do with my money off vouchers, see if I can use them for a suitable deal or maybe laterin the year just buy another top-up phone voucher.

I also put my Tesco cedit card away. I used it to get the points, but will use my egg card instead (get cash back, probably better anyway :doh: )

diamondcatz

Hi dont post often but just want to say that imo opinion I have to avoid the main supermarkets as yes the bill can be inexpensive but invariably gets bumped up with bogofs and just let me look at the reduced section. There it sits in the freezer never to be seen sgain and bought next week because I forgot I alrewady have it and thats with a list-grey cell matter must be dying off. We are not big meat eaters but when I visit the butchers hes always quick to point out the deals and I can plan round them. I have a large family so the slow cookers never off as I workand its easier. The local asian shops are brilliant for rice, spices, fresh herbs etc and meat.[curries mean the kids can just dip in when "starving" after sports activities. I use riverfords in the winter and then we have a brill pick your own which also sells ready picked for those wet muddy days and opens up again in March. I also got a brand new unopened breadmaker in the summer at a carboot for 3.50:j We also have farmers markets and ordinary markets locally and can get toiletries,loo rolls etc cheaply there. So job done. Well done for starting this thread and getting people to think outside the box and if I can do it with 8 kids -3 who youd never guess have left home and the grandkids who seem to be resident:rotfl: I think baby steps are possible-so good luck to all and I think I qualify for a number please:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

the_optimist

diamondcatz wrote:

Hi dont post often but just want to say that imo opinion I have to avoid the main supermarkets as yes the bill can be inexpensive but invariably gets bumped up with bogofs and just let me look at the reduced section. There it sits in the freezer never to be seen sgain and bought next week because I forgot I alrewady have it and thats with a list-grey cell matter must be dying off.

:rotfl: You been checking up on me? That's me you're talking about :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

kscour

Thanks CTC!
Fishguard is a bit too far away (and the road is awful driving!) but I've found the greengrocers in Tenby also operates as a wholesaler and I think the one in Pembroke does too so I may try them first to try and keep the money on the high street. 500ml of white vinegar is 47p in Asdas so Leys price is very good (if the worst comes to the worst I could always combine it with a shopping trip to Swansea!) Hopefully even if my greengrocer puts a good mark up on it it'll still be less expensive than Asdas. I use it for fabric conditioner as it's the only fabric conditioner that DD2 doesn't get skin problems with.

Day of reckoning today as the tesco clubcard mailing arrived:eek:
extra points vouchers have been put on side ready for collection by my Mum (yet to be converted) and there are £23 of clubcard vouchers. Alot of that though was extra points for ordering online and the odd bit of wombling by my eagle eyed DD's but I still reckon that Tescos must have been having around £50 per week of my money (not just on groceries).
So that's roughly £2,500.00 a year!

Also found a fairly local veg box delivery

http://www.calonwen.co.uk/page1.htm

quite tempted but for now I'll try and buy the fruit & veg in local shop & town but it is nice to know there's something to fall back on. Nice site though and I'll be checking back for more of the receipes!

Penny-Pincher!!

Rebel number 13 here:D

OH went to our local shops this morning as we needed some essentials...well some werent essentials:p ...but at least they werent bought at a supermarket;)

I asked him to get some prices from the butchers and to see what he knew and just basic questions of where the meat/items came from, fresh, frozen etc etc and he was very very helpful. Spent about 20 mins with hubby answering questions and suggesting opetions to what he didnt have. Here are the prices:

Pork chops £2.20 for 1lb, or 7 for £5 or 15 for £10. All are bought within 30 miles of butchers and name of farm could be provided if I wanted.
Lamb Chops-6 large chump chops for £10.00-these were organic
Chicken Pieces-£5 for 10 quarters-not organic but local
Back Bacon-£2.99 for 1lb-OH bought some to "try":rotfl:
Sausages-£2.20 for 1lb (6-7 sausages)made on premises 90% meat
Mince lamb-Doesnt sell but said we can buy a tray of leg fillets for £5 and he would mince for free-should make a few meals.
Eggs FR-98p for 6
Steak Rump-3 large pieces for £10. OH said it looked nice and butcher said he could portion for us as thiswqould do 3 x 2 meals. Locally reared.
Steak & Kidney-£2.20 for 1lb-OH also bought some of this to "try" as he loves steak and kidney pud:rolleyes: Locally reared.
Leg of Lamb joint-£7-£10. Locally reared.

OH was very impressed and the butcher knew what he was talking about. He forgot to ask about mutton and we didnt get the price for minced beef as we dont eat it.

OH bought locally, 2 x butter, organic carrots, 8 apples, tin of tuna steak, 6 yogurts, coleslaw, eggs, 2 sausage cassarole mixes, ginger nuts, rich tea, digestives, 1lb of steak and kidney, 1lb of bacon, spuds and leek seeds. This came to a total of £15.25...I think this was pretty good and he walked there and back to get some fresh air.

He also went to the bakers and bought 4 large rolls for lunch with the bacon, iced finger for DD and scoffed a sausage roll on the way home-so another £1.90 there:rolleyes:

Yesterday we bought 2 bottles of milk from the milkman and think we will be ordering 3 pints of milk and a cream soda for OH each week. Not alot but it all helps. Only thing is that he doesnt deliver here till about 9am....oh well..will try!

Also bought off ebay yesterday lettuce seeds, beetroot seeds, spring onion seeds, mint seeds and radish seeds. Seller said they are easy to grow and look after with minimal effort and these are salad items that we spend alot on each week. Apparently if you can sow well, they will keep you with a good supply throughout the summer and autum. This cost £4.80 inc postage.

HTH

PP
xx

COOLTRIKERCHICK

hi... diamondcatz......you are rebel no.....21..... welcome aboard:T ...dont forget to add it to your sig.....

you are an inspiration..... to us all .....8 kids..... and not using supermarkets:T ...its sooooo true.... go into a supermarket.... with a list...... of about 10 items..... come out with a trolly full......

good find with the breadmaker........

kscour....... if you ever go to swansea for a day out let me know.. we could meet up..... and we can go to swansea market...........i very rarely go to swansea now.... but when i go i allways buy cockles from the market yummmmm........i didnt know you could use white vinegar as a clothes conditioner......silly question... but does the clothes then smell of vinegar

penny-pincher.......well done.... those prices sound about right ...... our butcher does offers and the loin choops we get.... is 7 for just over £5......

if your butcher is anything like ours.... his hm sausages will be really nice..... our butcher.. does lamb and mint..... pork and apple..... pork and leek....... welsh black... with black pepper........our butcher doesnt do mutton......
we have a huge country house estate...with forests etc.. in margam.... and every year... they cull some of their deer and wild boars.......and sell it off.......i think they do it in the autum..... so will be keeping an eye out for that.....cant get more local.. and free-range..... than that ....


TKP............i think tescos employees have shares in tescos as well.... so i personally would try and not to shop in waitrose if there was one near me........


if anyone.....gets their clubcard.. or any other loyalty scheme bonus through...... please use them.... as this is the reward for previous spends... so they have allready made their money out of you.....with my extra point vouchers that i will get through with my mailing....... ..dilema.......do i shread them....
or do i pass them on to someone who will use them....which could end up with tescos getting more sales..... .. what do you think peeps......

so. do i shread them....... sell them.......give them away.....you decide......

catznine

Thanks for the info PP! I had forgotten that a good butcher will portion up or mince meat to suit requirements. Great to also get all that background to where the meat comes from, whether organic, and how to deal with it. We really have lost a lot with the closure of so many. The prices look very good as well!

Penny-Pincher!!

OH was very impressed with the butcher. He answered all his questions and more. He is quite a small establishment but everything we need really.

OH is just making the bacon rolls now, so will report back in a while after we have our brew. DD is off school ATM with the lurgy and she has asked for one too and she is very fussy with bacon. For 1lb worth, we got 12 thickish slices. Should be enough for bacon and eggs on Saturday with beans if we dont eat it all by then. Anything left past that (which I dount) will be put into a quiche:D