One stop shop or a bit from each store?

victoriaplum1

Was in ASDA other day and grumbling about the prices as they seem to have risen quite dramatically (I don't shop in Asda much as don't like how busy it it) but thought I would try it as everyone keeps saying how expensive Sainsburys is (I've always found it quite good tbh) - and got me thinking if I were to shop at Home Bargains for toiletries and the food/drinks odd and ends you can get there, then at Aldi or Lidl and then at Sainsburys or Asda for anything I couldn't get at the others would I save significant amounts? Also what about meat from a butcher v supermarket meat...I'm not keen on supermarket meat esp ASDAs. Petrol wouldn't be an issue as where I live all these stores are within a mile of each other - would anyone who does this like to share their thoughts with me? Thanks.

computerfixer

Personally I go to home bargains for tins, special offers, some houshold and toiletry stuff, also use poundland and wilkinson for these as often on offer and generally cheaper.

favourite italian tinned tomatoes from home bargains for 29p also do large jars of passatta for 59p i think, not in every week so just grab what I can carry when visiting on train

go to either aldi or lidl depending what on offer and what i need veg wise and sometimes meat wise, though have been doing well getting stuff reduced and freezing from local co-op

Definately worth having a small shop in each of the shops if they are local and get used to pricing of items you buy, I am sure i must save about 30% atleast (maybe 50% on some items) by shopping different places for my houshold and tinned storecupboard items etc

HTH

ALIBOBSY

I am another vote for the bits from everywhere.
I use poundstretcher/b & m bargains (ie pound shop type stores), to stock up on stock cubes cleaning stuff etc. Go in probably once or twice a month and see what good offers are on-crisps are usually cheap as well. I am lucky they are right next to each other as well as a lidl on the same block so i do the 3 for offers at the same time.

I use a local meat farmshop for the meat (in a different league to the quality at the supermarkets and much better value-in many cases cheaper or the same price for much better quality).

Ditto for another local farmshop who do veg/fruit/cheese.

I also use aldi for cereals/nappies and other stuff.

I occasionally go in asda/morrisons for other stuff not available in the above and any of the big 4 for really good offers (but those have been few and far between recently).

6 of us manage on around £50-£80 a week.

Ali x

Edwardia

I work it out like this..

A £50 Internet shop at Waitrose might cost me £4 more for same products in Tesco. Waitrose delivery costs nothing at any time. Tesco costs. Therefore doing the shop at Waitrose saves money. If I take a bus to Tesco £2 and buy the cheaper products I'm only saving if I save more than £2 on the Waitrose price.

If going to another supermarket takes me out of my way, unless the supermarket is very close, I have to factor in the petrol or bus/train fares as a cost I have to cover by saving in the supermarket. Otherwise going there is costing me money.

I get OH to pick up Co-op offers from the supermarket near his office and when my mother comes to visit me she will nip into supermarkets en route for me. Likewise if I see Quorn or Goodfellas marguerita pizzas or Persil on offer in Lidl or ASDA I buy them for her.

So that's the how.. the where is 99p Stores for kitchen towel and dog food, Poundland for dogfood and garden stuff, Lidl for veg, tinned tomatoes, passata, fresh & dried herbs, cold meats, milk, cheese, ASDA for top up on shopping list. Foodari for game. Waitrose for Internet delivery. Morrison's for fish. Sainsbury's for a change. Tesco Express if I run out of a real basic (wall to wall carbs ugh) or Co-op convenience store. Spar for eggs, cheap stationery.

In_Martin_We_Trust

I think asda is awesome especially that its 24 hour and just down the road. Sainsburies is more expensive and my local tesco is a metro so never has any of the offers on here which annoys me. The morrisons is too far away since i don't drive and its also not handy going by bus either. Wilkos is handy for gardening and I like checking out the lidl offers especially there xxl ones. Don't have an aldi or netto anymore (not that i thought they were any good) but I do have a waitrose and unless you know your prices and what your looking for it aint worth it. Coop is expensive for the quality you get same for spar. Never even seen a home bargains store or kwik save let alone shopped in one. Iceland from what I've seen isn't much good and I think thats about all the stores.

cagsd

Up till about a year ago I always just bought everything from Tesco's but now I tend to spend a bit longer going round a few shops. I still get the bulk of my shopping from Tesco's as it's my closest supermarket but now I also get a portion of my shopping from Iceland (bread, milk and a few frozen offers) and Home & Bargain (tissues, Pepsi Max, toiletries, kitchen/toilet rolls, bleach, and other grocery stuff such as lunchbox stuff for kids - mini packs of biscuits, drinks, crisps - also curry sauce, naans, teabags, eggs etc)
I'd say my shopping is now split about 60% Tesco's, 30% H&B, 10% Iceland and I reckon I'm better off by about £20+ a week

lmp0507

I tend to do my big shop at aldi every week, Saves lots of money and often the unbranded products are as good as the branded, particularly the cleaning products,
But as they don't have any branded products (mainly coffee)
I nip to the coop near us to grab the branded products I couldn't find there.
Probably only spend about £45/£50 a week!

JamesK10

I'm in Edwardia's position; all the big Tesco branches in my area are out of my way if I don't happen to have a bus pass for the week. So I tend to wait until I've got a Daily Mail voucher to keep the cost down and go to a big branch once a month for longer-lasting items that aren't necessarily food.

For everything else I've got a mid-sized and large Sainsbury both within walking distance and then Co-Op, Iceland and Asda in town.

So even though a lack of car makes me a one-stopper, it won't always be at the same supermarket, especially now the points are meaningless and I just look at the bill.

meg72

I have not for a long time just done one big shop, I buy on offer when i see it and stockpile. Have no loyalty to any one SM in fact would rather avoid them ifI can.

Derivative

I am not sure that Home Bargains is actually cheaper for toiletries.

It is cheaper for branded stuff yes, but it would be easier to just go for value brand toiletries - soap is soap, shampoo is shampoo, and detergent is detergent in my view. I can't taste the difference, anyway.

I am lucky enough to have a Sainsbury and Tesco right next door to each other close to my home - unfortunately the Sainsbury has downsized a little recently and stocks less of the value ranges. So Tesco usually ends up top for everything.

HiroProtagonist

I get virtually everything from Aldi these days - far, far cheaper than Tesco / Asda for what I want, the store is closer to home, and generally speaking, less busy [unless I pop in on Saturday]. I nip into Tesco occasionally for stock cubes [they don't seem to sell 'em in my Aldi] and Asda every now and then, for the "Big" Yorkshire Puddings.