January 2012 Grocery Challenge

tessie_bear

hi...up early today...not quite sure why but might do a cupboard inventory to use the time effectively....i currently have the upper hand with the freezer as it has gone down a lot...i want to do a biggish shop in costco in feb half term so i will have some where to put it all
hm chicken pie today and ikea chrisymas ham tomorrow...might make some wedges with that

take care tess

SueP19

Fiasco55 wrote: »

I'm just back from Mr T with a stark reminder of why I never shop there anymore :mad:. Got my flavoured water - 4 bottles. There was an "offer" on buy 2 bottles for £1.80 or 99p each. The offer didn't go through and only noticed when checking my receipt on the way back to the car. I headed straight back in to cs to be told that it was closed and to go to a till.

Get to the till and the assistant starts sounding off about her having to do the work of cs. She is annoyed that she has to get up and go and look at the SEL. She returns and scans through a refund for 36p. I then point out DTD to which I am told this does not exist. I argue that it is and it is current policy under "our promise". She then calls another assistant over who says that the DTD promotion finished last year. Again I state this is not to be confused with the huge DTD promotion last year this is just the wrongly charged policy. I hit a wall and ask to speak to a manager. Both assistants say that he won't help me as there is no such promotion.

So I am now over at the CS desk again and after a wait the manager turns up. Denies the DTD policy exists - I point it out on the wall. He then says he can't access the tills. I highlight the amount again and he pulls a pound coin out of his pocket and says just take it from me as its just such a small amount :mad::mad::mad:. Talk about belittling the issue for me!

I refused and stated that this is policy I am only claiming what I am entitled to as stated on the CS wall. I want this to go through the till and to train all staff that this is what should happen. He then oddly enough can access this till and refunds DTD. I was left feeling belittled and an inconvenient, time waster. I spent the drive home in a total rant to my long suffering friend (who witnessed all of this).
Anyway total spend £5.38 in cash, total cost to my blood pressure ???

That's terrible, what a twerp :mad::mad::mad:
I would have thrown his pound at him

cheekychipmunk

Morning. Had a NSD on Friday, but did a big shop yesterday at W******e. Not too bad. Have all my meals planned and will just need to top up on milk and bread. Think I will probably overspend a bit this month, but not too disheartened as I had a week off with flu and dh went mad buying ready meals! Need to make sure I have more of a back up in freezer for future months!

aprilshower

Hi Everybody,

I am still keeping my spreadsheet going and have spent £89.05 up to now this month. This is really good for me as I used to spend that in one week. I know the freezer was full from christmas and that has helped but I have also found the coupon thread and that has really really helped.

I would complain to Tesco head office about the problem. I had a problem before christmas with the customer services and I sent an email. Last week I received a gift card for £10 as a gesture of goodwill.

Take care

Aprilshower

franby64

DD1 did some baking while I was out yesterday and nipped out to get some eggs.
How did I never get round to telling her to always go to the C*op (10 for £1.90) instead of T*sco (10 for £2.89)!? How could I have slipped up like this?! Need to hammer home the 'shop around' message.

Total is now £270.20/£380 with only one 'big' shop next Weds to go plus a few bits. Might even come in under...

Brassic_Park

Added £1.99 for some chocolate.

It was mine and OH's anniversary yest and we went out for dinner and drinks.. £100! It was lovely though, and not in the GC. We even asked for a doggy bag and will have the rest for lunch today.

Only have £75 for everything now till payday on 31st though, so things will be a bit tight but think we can do it.

cheekychipmunk

Fiasco55 wrote: »

I'm just back from Mr T with a stark reminder of why I never shop there anymore :mad:. Got my flavoured water - 4 bottles. There was an "offer" on buy 2 bottles for £1.80 or 99p each. The offer didn't go through and only noticed when checking my receipt on the way back to the car. I headed straight back in to cs to be told that it was closed and to go to a till.

Get to the till and the assistant starts sounding off about her having to do the work of cs. She is annoyed that she has to get up and go and look at the SEL. She returns and scans through a refund for 36p. I then point out DTD to which I am told this does not exist. I argue that it is and it is current policy under "our promise". She then calls another assistant over who says that the DTD promotion finished last year. Again I state this is not to be confused with the huge DTD promotion last year this is just the wrongly charged policy. I hit a wall and ask to speak to a manager. Both assistants say that he won't help me as there is no such promotion.

So I am now over at the CS desk again and after a wait the manager turns up. Denies the DTD policy exists - I point it out on the wall. He then says he can't access the tills. I highlight the amount again and he pulls a pound coin out of his pocket and says just take it from me as its just such a small amount :mad::mad::mad:. Talk about belittling the issue for me!

I refused and stated that this is policy I am only claiming what I am entitled to as stated on the CS wall. I want this to go through the till and to train all staff that this is what should happen. He then oddly enough can access this till and refunds DTD. I was left feeling belittled and an inconvenient, time waster. I spent the drive home in a total rant to my long suffering friend (who witnessed all of this).
Anyway total spend £5.38 in cash, total cost to my blood pressure ???

This is why I refuse to go in T's - the CS desk staff are damned rude, as are head office. I had a problem a couple of years ago, where I made the fatal mistake of parking in their car park and quickly visiting another local shop before doing my food shop in their store. The reason they knew I had not been in the shop, is that my car door was not shut properly (but still locked) so they put a message out on tannoy. When I returned to car, I had a ticket on the window saying please visit CS desk. I went up and it was explained to me what had happened and they had put a tannoy message out for the car reg. When no-one responded to the message, they assumed I was not using the store. At this point, I was still thinking the best and thought they were trying to help out a customer, but alas no. I showed the CS assistant my receipt from 10 minutes previously, but she just shook her head and said I was not allowed to visit any other store in the complex whilst using their car park. I was gobsmacked. I politely pointed out that the signs in the car park state that it is for Tesco customers only (of which I would have included myself) and does not clearly state that users of the car park should UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SET FOOT IN ANY OTHER SHOP. They refused to budge from their petty stance and when I wrote to the manager at the store to complain, I received no response.

And they wonder why customers are going elsewhere?:think:

Cool_Nanna

This GC business is getting addictive. Take away last night but that was classed as a night out so not out of the food budget but there is lots of rice left over so I have put it in the freezer.
Usually on Saturdays I get a couple of slices of nice ham from the butchers for a sandwich on Sunday, that costs around £2 but in Mr M's bacon joints were on offer so I got quite a large piece for just over £3 and put it in the slow cooker. We are having that tonight with oven chips, egg and mushrooms and there will be loads left over for DH lunch box.
There are some of the cakes and biscuits that I made yesterday for my Children and Grandchildren left over so he can take those as well.

wannabee_in_credit

I don't think I'll make my target this month.
I'm at £224.29 already and there's still another weekend before Feb (which is when I do my grocery shopping). However, I bulk bought a load of loo roll and granola so should now have plenty of both to last me way into March/April time.
Am certainly a lot more aware of what I'm buying and how much I'm throwing away, and I'm really pleased that I've managed to get the grocery bills down from £80 a week. Hopefully next month I'll get my £50 a week target.

The_Green_Man

Hi - can I join this challenge please.

Reading this thread is inspiration for me to reduce my grocery spend.

Just me to cover, so can I put £80 per month which runs from 6th to 5th. This will include any toiletries I buy at the supermarket such as toothpaste, personal hygiene, etc., but not alcohol as I have a separate budget for that.

I’m a returner to forum after a year or so away. I do budget but not nearly as strict as I need to be.

Thanks, B.