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

ZTD

For those who like farmers' markets - this may be of interest.

lil_me

For battery caged eggs, this is number 3, for barn eggs 2, for free-range 1 and for organic 0.

I was conned this week with eggs aswell. I used a butcher for eggs on local high street instead of the veg lady as I missed her this week. He had a huge sign up saying Free Range Eggs, he said sorry they are expensive but they are free range as he passed them to me. They are bloomin' 3s. I was fuming. Anyway off down there next week to tell him what I think.

Also interesting http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article1533795.ece

Washing powder, I have used eBay twice now, last lot was cheaper than shop near me but £1.49 a box cheaper than ASDA by 50p even with the postage on.

competitionscafe

Too much choice?

"Supermarkets offer a wide choice of goods at low prices. Ergo, they must be good.... [But] we also have an impoverished idea of the consumer, imagining a creature who wants to buy as many goods as possible as quickly and cheaply as possible. This consumer-lite has little interest in fresh, locally grown produce, in unusual cuts of meat or fish, in talking to someone who knows what he or she is selling and can offer advice on how to cook it, or in buying any fruit or vegetable that doesn't come, surrounded by packaging, in a quantity that would feed a family of eight for a fortnight."
Full article: http://timesonline.typepad.com/consumer/2007/04/is_it_possible_.html


6p a T-shirt. 30p an hour for shelling cashews. Supermarkets accused of exploiting women: http://www.guardian.co.uk/supermarkets/story/0,,2063413,00.html?gusrc=ticker-103704

UK supermarkets are 'driving down wages of world's poorest workers'
By Susie Mesure, Retail Correspondent
Published: 23 April 2007

The low prices enjoyed by shoppers at British supermarkets are paid for by poor wages, job insecurity and a denial of basic human rights for workers in some of the world's poorest countries, a report has concluded.
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/article2474467.ece

newbiemum05

I just want to say thank you for all your wonderful advice.
I HATE going to the supermarket !
I remember how much I use d to enjoy shopping with my granma, we popped into the Alan's (the butcher) who we knew as well as any other friend - he used to keep back kidneys for us as a treat, then to Brain Honey's for the papers (and granmas cigarettes), Pickles the bakers for meat and potato pie for lunch, bread and a cake each, the greengrocers, and to the co-op for coffee, tea etc (this was all after going to the post office to collect pensions, pay bills etc)

These are the experiences i want my children to have - not one in a neon-light filled warehouse like T's

Thanks for reminding what food, shopping and small businesses and communities are all about !!

Psykicpup

newbiemum05 wrote: »

I just want to say thank you for all your wonderful advice.
I HATE going to the supermarket !
I remember how much I use d to enjoy shopping with my granma, we popped into the Alan's (the butcher) who we knew as well as any other friend - he used to keep back kidneys for us as a treat, then to Brain Honey's for the papers (and granmas cigarettes), Pickles the bakers for meat and potato pie for lunch, bread and a cake each, the greengrocers, and to the co-op for coffee, tea etc (this was all after going to the post office to collect pensions, pay bills etc)

These are the experiences i want my children to have - not one in a neon-light filled warehouse like T's

Thanks for reminding what food, shopping and small businesses and communities are all about !!

much nicer than at the Supermarket where the only know your name if you DONT pay in cash lol

LilMissEmmylou

oh is it too late to join this? I have to say i do like tesco for some things due to the discount codes i use for the delivery service but will be a challenge. Re free range eggs, my local veg shop sells a box of 6 for 69p bargain! tend to get them there than tescos due to saving - oh and the milk is 69p for 2ltrs in the veg shop too!! If anyone else is just starting this it would be fun to have somebody to do it with?

Psykicpup

Well I'm not just starting lol but quite a few of us have decided to continue so you wont be on your own at all!

COOLTRIKERCHICK

LilMissEmmylou wrote: »

oh is it too late to join this? I have to say i do like tesco for some things due to the discount codes i use for the delivery service but will be a challenge. Re free range eggs, my local veg shop sells a box of 6 for 69p bargain! tend to get them there than tescos due to saving - oh and the milk is 69p for 2ltrs in the veg shop too!! If anyone else is just starting this it would be fun to have somebody to do it with?

hi......:hello:

even though most of us have done the month.... we are still shopping this way.....as psykicpup.... rightly said...... you will not be on your own.....and dont think of it as a challenge.....think of it as a new eye opening way of shopping.....

as prob.. as you have read posts in this thread.... most of us have been suprised at what you can get... and also at the prices......

somethings will be a lot cheaper than the supermarket.... and some things will be a more expensive..... but with me overall my weekly spend has gone down.... so i am saving...by shopping this way.....

ok.... i am getting less for my money..... but no impulse buys.... plus the quality.... is far....far... better.....and also it makes you appreciate food more.....if that make4s sense..

good luck.....and keep us updated.... as new people joinging in and making new comments.. does keep us forcused......

LilMissEmmylou

I do enjoy using my local veg shop and it is cheaper than tesco by far. Im just lazy and end up using tesco.com to save going to several places for my bits. But ive told OH we are doing it for a month to see how it works out as we always spend far too much in tesco - good for club card points, rubbish for the bank balance lol

Queen.Bess

I have to say I've been a bit bad this month. We've done 2 internet shops (so strictly speaking I've not set foot inside a supermarket!), and MIL paid for them both, so we were very grateful and have now sticked up for some time! By which time, more fruit and veg will be in season and so will be cheaper! It's just meat that's the problem as it can be quite expensive from butchers or farmers markets. I suppose I just need to cut down on meat!

But in May I will make another attempt at a non-supermarket month. March was very successful and the cupboards were quite bare by the end of it!