beating the supermarket

beachbeth

I agree with all the tips such as not shopping when you are hungry and looking at the back of shelves for the newest date items.

However, the way I have found to save lots of money is to shop online. I have my shopping delivered from Sainsburys on a Thursday because this is one of their free delivery days. When I shop online I am not tempted in the way I would be if walking around the shop. I can click on the page that brings up all the offers and BOGOF items. Also, if at the end of it my shopping total is a little high I can go back and remove some of the non-essential items from my final list before I go to check-out.

I find this works for me as there is no temptation and I can make sure I spend up to a certain amount each week and with free delivery I can't lose! I just wish Asda delivered in my area!

Chipps

the only snag about shopping online is that they never have everything in stock, and the things you need most are always the ones that don't arrive. Then you still have to spend the same amount on petrol that you would have done to get the whole lot in one go >:( >:(
and get tempted to buy the stuff you didn't want to look at which was the reason you ordered online in the first place >:(
Aaaargh!
Can you tell I've tried this online shopping thing a few times????

beachbeth

I usually get 5 or 6 subs and think it can give you a chance to try something a bit different or a different brand. One week they substituted McCain oven chips for Sainsburys own brand and found they had a much nicer taste! So now I regularly get the cheaper Sainsbury ones instead and am so glad I tried them & didn't send them back!

Any other items I buy from our local CoOp or Spar so that Im not tempted by actually going to Sainsburys.

filigree_2

I'm worried that Sainsbury's have cottoned on to the BOGOF loophole

I tried to buy two meat pies today.  Full price £2.99, reduced price £1.79 and BOGOF.  1.79+1.79-2.99= 59 pence for two meat pies!

Unfortunately, the till just rang up 1.79+1.79-1.79.  I tried to complain at customer services but they were insistent that the price charged at the till was correct.  I asked for a refund on principle!

They did honour another offer, which combined "buy two packs, save £2" with BOGOF.  Not such a generous bargain, though.  I'll try again with other products, just in case this was a temporary glitch.

I shouldn't complain really.  Sainsbury's are in business to make money and I can't expect free sausages indefinitely!  It's just a shame to see a crafty bargain tip disappear.

EDIT: Go shopping on the Monday or Tuesday after a really wet weekend. Lots of barbecue meats on special offer!

System

Also, [glow=red,2,300]always make a list before shopping wherever possible![/glow]

...and you will leave the supermarket with what you did want and not what you didn't want.

Extra items not on your list can then be considered on their individual merits (e.g. Reduced items/BOGOF) and taking the time to make a list takes out a whole load of pressure form the shopping expereince. I don't have kids, but when I went to the supermarket with my dad, he always had a list which served 3 purposes: he got the food he wanted; the list meant he could better control his childrens' "impulse buys" and he also got me and my brother to run around the supermarket fetching the items to keep us occupied and out of mischief!

It should also help you avoid those clever marketing people in the Supermarket HQs persuading your subconcious to buy some of their more dubious offers...the one that comes to mind is one that Martin has just mentioned, where certain ,multi-buys are actually more expensive than buying the items individually.In this case, if I am unsure if the supermarket is trying to dupe me I always use the calculator on my mobile to check the maths before making the multi-buy purchase! ;D

empty_purse_3

My shopping problem is taking my husband. ::)
Being retired we now always shop togeher.
He insists we need certain items and I 'm sure we don't.
Then end up with duplicate items almost every week.
Plus extra goodies like chocolate biscuits.
Perhaps shopping on line would be the answer. ::)

[img][/img]

cathy_3

I wont take mine shopping  (much to his delight)cos he insists on buying two of everything!!

when im at the checkout I see two lots of binbags  two bottles of bleach, two pcts of bickys of every sort!!
 two of everything!! so he stays home

Travelqueen

Good organic home delivery veg / fruit in London & home counties is Abel and Cole - always seemed to be pretty good produce when my housemate bought it...

http://www.abel-cole.co.uk/

TQ

Seakay

student100 wrote:

It's probably to do with where you live how good farm shops and the like are. At home, in a small Cheshire village, there is a farm shop which is fantastic - sells lots of veg and other stuff quite cheap - you can buy 25kg sacks of potatoes in the winter for about £4 (they're grown on the farm, unwashed and unsized though so I reckon about half a kilo of what you buy is mud!). Anyhow it is a fantastic shop, in a converted shed in the farm's yard (although some of the veg does come from other farms it's all reasonably local).

Down here in Bristol, I would have no idea where to get veg if not from a supermarket or the odd greengrocer which are few and far between.

So if you're lucky enough to live somewhere rural then great, but lots of city types will be stuck with the supermarket!

You might find these a start:

http://www.venue.co.uk/student/specialityfoods.htm

http://www.pickyourown.org/uka2c.htm

http://www.sheepdrove.com/article.asp?art_id=55

mah_jong

I always check the till receipt..... I now refuse to shop in supermarket after umpteen errors ( eg its been priced ready for TOMORROW's offer, but it goes through till at todays prices!!)

Why on earth should I shop there when they dont learn from their errors. After queuing to get served, then queue at customer services nah...just not on! Rather shop at small, nearby supermarket!