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

the_optimist

the_optimist wrote:

I think it's a great idea and I will cut down on supermarket shopping - but won't go 'cold turkey' yet, can't afford to, sorry.

As kscour suggested, here is my update. I said the above quote on 06/02, and how did I change!
Thanks to this thread and the Tesco programme a while ago (which gave me a sleepless night - unheard of for me!) I have almost stopped going into supermarkets. I completely avoid Tesco and Sainsburys and only if I REALLY have to (looks like once a week, instead of daily) I go to a smaller supermarket.
I certainly intend to continue being a supermarket rebel.:j

Anybody going back to supermarkets ???

withalj

the_optimist wrote:

Thanks to this thread and the Tesco programme a while ago (which gave me a sleepless night - unheard of for me!) I have almost stopped going into supermarkets. I completely avoid Tesco and Sainsburys and only if I REALLY have to (looks like once a week, instead of daily) I go to a smaller supermarket.
I certainly intend to continue being a supermarket rebel.:j

Anybody going back to supermarkets ???

Well done!!! It's true that the longest journey begins with a single step... wouldn't it be great if this thread overcame the supermarket-addiction brought on by habit and brain-washing... how much better off would we all be?

I LOVE this site!!!! (except I could spend all day here and never get anything done!)

hazzie123

I wont be going back!!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

welcome aimeelister......you are rebel no.......26....welcome aboard.....:T


well guys i am still very fragile from the weekend.....so my brain is still not in gear.....:cool:

well my month is officially up.........and here is my summary....


its easier than you think...........i have adapted my shopping basket and my menus to suit the things i can get from local independant traders....... there is one item:mad: and i still got to go the supermarket for.... which costs £1.43 in the co-op.....

so did i win my challenge or did i lose because i still had to use a supermarket....

well i feel as though i have won hands down:T as for a few reasons....
tescos now dont get a single penny of my money....where my weekly shopping ranged from £86 to £141.:eek:

my weekly shopping spend is cheaper.....ok i am not getting as much shopping for my money... but.... and this is the big but.....i am getting better quality food.... practically 0 impluse buys..... and suprisingly... that supermarkets are not the cheapest on goods... that they make us believe they are....

i have less packaging.... which is a good green issue....

i have def.... saved on petrol........so again more money in my purse.......

if you cant find or get a certain product locally you can find it somewhere on line... ok it might be more expensive...but with all items you buy some are going to be a lot more expensive than the supermarket... but you got to look at your overall spend......

this challenge has def.. opened my eyes to the wonderfull shops and traders in the local communities.....(and online)

we can never stop the likes of tescos in their tracks.... as now they are sooooo big..... and there is a generation now that only know supermarket shopping..... but....we can stop local independant shops/traders closing down by supporting the ones that derserve supporting( there are some shops that dont help themselves )

plus i now feel sooooo relaxed when i come home from my shopping trips.... no hassle no trolly rage......etc.....and also i dont do all my weeks shopping at once .... i buy it when i need it......so itsw little and often ....

even though my month is up.... i have been converted to shop outside of the supermarkets......

for peeps lurking ....reading this thread..... have a go.... even if you just start going to the bakers for your bread....or newsagent for your daily papers.. rather than the supermarket.....

right now i am thinking ahead to christmas.. to see how i can manage with pressies:rolleyes:

alec_eiffel

Hi,

I've been following this thread with great interest as we have recently stopped going to Asda, Sainsburys and Tesco (despite our evangelical family members that work there!) and have started shopping at a local supermarket - Booths.

Prior to this we would go there for treats but thought we couldn't do our weekly shop there as it would be too expensive. So we bit the bullet and have done our shopping there for the last 2 months and it has been great.

We try to buy local and some organic produce and we are still coming in under budget. The one thing we have noticed is that we are far more calm and the whole thing is less overwhelming. We aren't presented with rows and rows of the same product yet there is enough choice. We still get special offers on things we want to buy which is great and we have very little wastage.

We have been to Asda once in the past 6 weeks for some passata as it is a lot cheaper there and we use our local Asian grocer for dried foods same as always. We've also started to use our local pet shop rather than pets at home for bunny stuff and that's great too.

Not that I ever had any deeply unpleasant experiences in Asda but I think the best thing of all from changing where we shop is the friendly, good quality service we've had from everyone. Love it!

catznine

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote:

so did i win my challenge or did i lose because i still had to use a supermarket....

Definately won! :T Not only are you converted but so are a goodly amount of rebels!;)

i have less packaging.... which is a good green issue....

My oh just commented this morning on the fact that our bin is only half full now!

Bargain_Rzl

When I have finished giving up supermarkets for Lent, I WILL be returning for a few selected items:

Pasta (big 3kg bags from Tesco or Asda - £1)
Washing detergents, loo roll and toiletries when on BOGOF or similar
Organic milk, unless I can find a small supplier that sells it anywhere near cost-effective - at the Neal's Yard Dairy it's almost TWICE as expensive as the supermarket, and I do try to drink plenty of milk due to overwhelming family history of osteoporosis. Consequently I have been cheating slightly on the no supermarkets rule by buying it from the M&S food hall.
Asda stir-through pesto - yum

I will certainly continue to shop at M&S for selected items - I don't tend to impulse-buy there the way I do at Tesco/Asda/Morrisons. I usually think "right, I need milk" and just walk in, buy it, and leave with just the milk.

I would also shop at Waitrose if there was one near me. South-East London doesn't have any - even in the posh bits like Dulwich/Greenwich/Blackheath...

Bargain_Rzl

Oh, one more question - does anybody know where I can buy some old-fashioned string shopping bags? Last week I went to the market for fruit and veg and ended up with FIVE carrier bags :eek: - now I've got my shopping trolley, I still don't want fruit and veg rolling about loose in the bottom, so want some proper reusable bags. String ones seem like a good option. Any thoughts?

catznine

Explored my local market today and found a butchers (spent £8.80 here on 30 chicken thighs, 1 lb pork and leek sausages, 2lb bacon offcuts, cheese and butter stall, healthfood stall where I can get most grains and dried fruits, Thai food stall £1 for a lg bottle soya sauce, great fruit and veg stall but long queue so guess it must be good, magazine and book stall 3 mags (out of date but good cond) for £1.50. Also gardening stall with good array of seeds etc., and a kitchen supplies stall (cheaper than lakeland). Must try to get into the habit of visiting weekly.

I too will only go back to supermarket for very few things after this.

catznine

Sorry Rzl no good at links but try the gardenersshop.co.uk I think they have them there.