What Am I Doing Wrong

lynzpower

welshie1973 wrote: »

do my shopping at Tesco as its on my route home from work - for the top up throughout the week use the local corner shop

my shooping usually:

*
- 2 + Bold Crushed Silk Powder 10 Wash/950g 5.00 ( try tescos own colours powder, its cheaper and fine)
- 1 + Huggies Pull Upscarry Pack Boy Large 15 4.98 ( have you tried getting toiletries like this from wilkinsons?_
- 1 + Tesco Luxury Soft Toilet Tissue White 12 Roll 4.36 ( try nouvelle from farmfoods, £2 for 9 and great for trhe environment too!)
- 1 + Mr Muscle All Purpose Cleaner Frozen Lime & Vinegar 750ml 1.98 ( you dont need this buy stardrops)
*
- 1 + Mr Muscle Shower Shine 500ml 1.28
* as above)
- 1 + Mr Muscle Window Cleaner Spray 500ml 1.35 ( vingear & water)
*
- 1 + Kelloggs Rice Krispies Multigrain 350g 1.32
*
- 1 + Kelloggs Rice Krispies 450g 1.89 ( why not have tescos own?)
- 1 + All Butter Croissant 6 Pack 0.99
- 1 + Tesco 4 Homebake Half Baguettes 1.20 (a BM will def work out cheaper for you)
- 1 + Tesco Cornish Ice Cream 2 Litres 1.35
*
- 1 + Birds Eye Steamfresh Broccoli Sweetcorn Peas & Rice 680g 1.98 ( as someone else has said, buy tescos own or frozen veg, its the same stuff!)
- 1 + Birds Eye Garden Peas 907g 1.49 buy tescos own they are half the price)
- 1 + Mccain Homefries 1.5kg 1.75 ( cant you make own chips out of pots- v easy!)
- 1 + Green Giant Niblets No Added Sugar Sweetcorn 198g 0.47 ( buy own brand or frozen, way cheaper)
- 1 + Princes Tuna Chunks In Brine 4x185g 3.18
we buy tescos own tuna its half the price & same quality
- 1 + Tesco Fusilli Pasta Twists 1kg 0.62
- 5 + Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes & Garlic 400g 2.35 ( go for value, seriously, theres little differnece, for cooking try passata its cheaper than these)
- 2 + Diet Coke 2 Ltr Bottle 2.92
- 2 + Tovali Orange Sugar Free Drink 1 Ltr 1.18 is this squash?
- 2 + Tesco Boil In The Bag Basmati Rice 4 X 125g 1.56 as othershave said tesco value basmati is 55p I think
- 1 + Tesco Fresh Double Cream 284ml 0.55
- 1 + Tesco Smoked Thick Cut Back Bacon 250g 1.99 have you tried MIddlke bacon? for some reason its way cheaper!
- 2 + Tesco Fresh Egg Tagliatelle 500g 2.18
why fresh pasta, couldnt you use dry for this? dried is about 45p
-1 + Welsh Lamb 4/6 Prime Loin Chops 6.59
- 1 + Tesco Fresh Whole Chicken Large 2.20-3.00kg 3.88 ( the medium ones are 2 for a fiver)
- 1 + Beef Lean Braising Steak Medium 300g - 500g 2.89
T Healthy Living Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets 580-800g 6.28
try using whole chicken instead, or drumsticks/ highs. or use turkey for stirfrys etc
- 2 + Finest Ground Beef Mince 440g 4.88
* why finest? Is the leanest one any different? I by the leanest and its half that
Tesco Finest Wiltshire Cured Ham 140g 3.98 ( as others have said a whole gammon would save you a fortune & stretch furter)
Flora Light Vegetable Low Fat Spread 500g 1.94
try tescos own
- 5 + Braces Xxx White Thick Bread 800g 4.40
*
- 1 + Tesco Healthy Eating Semi- Skimmed Milk 3.408ltr/6 Pints 1.68

- 2 + Nescafe Alta Rica Coffee 100g 5.96
* do you really drink that much coffee in a week?? try other brands, I only buy fairtrade and buendia is excellent & v similar to alta rica, round flavour and 1.99
Really Welsh Leeks 500g 1.99 try value leeks- they are UK grown!
- 6 + Tesco Onions Loose Class 2 0.96
*
Tesco Red Onions 3 Pack 1.17 ( the nets are about 80p- i boguht some the other day, but loose anyway, always cheaper)
Finest Asparagus 125g 1.99 ( how is finest asparagus, any better than normal?
Tesco Strawberries Class I 2.96
A Bag of Red Seedless Grapes Class 1 Loose (approx. 500g - 650g per bag) 3.84 ( v expensive fruit to buy, try something more seasonal)
William Pears (soft) Class 1 Loose 1.14
Kids Easy Peeler600g Pack 1.49 ( check these are the cheapest I believe there are others cheaper that are not kids branded, they are all easy peeling! clems etc)
Satsumas Pack 1.48
Closed Cup Mushrooms 500g 1.15

Tesco Carrots 1 Kg Pack Class 1 0.68
Really Welsh Cauliflower 0.74
Tesco Swede Each Class 1 0.79
Tesco Parsnips 500g 0.78
Baking 2.5kg Pack Potatoes 1.69 ( I buy tesco value pots and theres usually some good enough size for baking)
Maris Piper Potatoes 2.5kg Pack 3.56 ( as above)
Charlotte Potatoes 1 Kg 2.56
10 Bananas Loose 1.50
15 Braeburn Apples Class 1 Loose 3.00

Guide price £123.91

done this online so you can see roughly what I buy each week

thanks

In terms of your veg, you just need to downgrade to tesco value really. most value products are UK grown, and from the glut.

wackyjacobeany

hi i have just been to tescos. Blue stripe tuna chunks in brine 29p per tin. So 4x 29p would be 116p instead of 318 pence. therfore asaving of OMG £2.02 just on tuna alone. so how this could add up really quickly.

A suggestion try doing your ame shoping list online just say for one week trying all there own brand/value /blue stripe brands insted of your normal premium rate brands. So how much you could save. Then do a tasteing see what ones you like - get them again and the ones that you dont well you only lose a week. You could be onto a permanent winner with just a few changes.

charlies_mum

I have just taken an allotment and it is only going to cost me £50 a year , so if you had time, maybe it would be worth trying to grow your own fruit & veg.

I am starting everything from seed, and some things are growing really well - I cheated today and went to my local nursery and bought trays of caulis, sprouts, cabbage and leeds for £1.50 each with about 12 plants in them. Maybe you could section off a part of your garden, and have a go at growing your own.

If you don't have time, I agree with the comments about Aldi fruit & veg, much cheaper and just as good - also, Lidl quite often have half price offers, so it's worth buying when on offer, and cutting up and freezing.

I also bought 12 luxury toilet rolls from Netto last week for £2 something.

Careful_2

We changed the meals we eat - rather than the modern meals that we have today, using lots of imported and out of season foods, we switched to more traditional meals, using what is in season.

I also put my newer recipe books in the cupboard and got out my older (old fashioned) books instead, where they use less expensive ingredients - its been quite sentimental, and we now have lots of 'homemade wholesome food' like grandma used to make!


- we also immediately switched supermarkets, & buy our veg at a Sunday market, and although household products are still expensive, we now look at the active ingredients, and buy the cheapest product with the same active ingredients - to us, it still does the same job as the more expensive brand.


For us (myself & my husband) the key seems to be to make sure that we have a good supply of basic ingredients, such as spices, herbs, flour, potatoes (full size sack from market-much cheaper than buying small bags form the supermarket), & rice, then we can add pretty much anything else we have at the time, and have great meals.

I am also a stickler for keeping the previous months receipts and using this for my shopping list.

I was sceptical at the beginning of trying cheaper products in case they were a waste of money, but I decided that it could be a waste of money once - and have to make the best of it, but it could also prove to be an excellent alternative and save pounds and pounds on future purchases. We have only fallen over, so far, on tinned soups which I buy as back up. I've found the cheaper ones aren't worth it - by the time I've added all the seasonings, thickenings etc its not the quick meal I wanted it to be and wasnt worth the savings. This is the only exception this year, so I would definitely say give it a go.

Hope this helps

welshie1973

Many thanks for your suggestions and it has inspired me to check my sotre cupboards and freezer - don't think i'll go shopping this week apart from fruit, milk and bread got way too much in the freezer so its going to be guess whats tonight lol but have a meal plan ready for the remainder of the week.....
tuesday - chilli con carne
wednesday - tagliatelli with bacon and mushrooms
thursday - beef in ale with veg and mash
friday - tagliatelli
sat - homemade pizza
sunday - salmon peas and potatoes

So heres to this week and see if I make any savings on my shopping bill

Once again many thanks

welshie1973

I've just re looked trhough what i buy and boy do Iwaste a lot of money - will defiantley keep you posted on what savings I make

helping_hubby

I couldn't see if anyone had mentioned this....I see you spend 62p on fusilli (1kg). Bigger tesco and sainsburys do 3kg (of certainly penne and I think fusilli too) for £1.

poodlehorse

welshie1973 wrote: »

do my shopping at Tesco as its on my route home from work - for the top up throughout the week use the local corner shop

my shooping usually:

*
- 2 + Bold Crushed Silk Powder 10 Wash/950g 5.00 - are these tablets? very expensive, try the liquid or loose powder and don't use as much as they say. Or try adding soda crystals to the wash half and half
*
- 1 + Huggies Pull Upscarry Pack Boy Large 15 4.98I love my pampers but Tesco are jsut as good and I believe Boots are like Huggies
*
- 1 + Tesco Luxury Soft Toilet Tissue White 12 Roll 4.36ty buying the cheaper brand
*
- 1 + Mr Muscle All Purpose Cleaner Frozen Lime & Vinegar 750ml 1.98
*
- 1 + Mr Muscle Shower Shine 500ml 1.28
*
- 1 + Mr Muscle Window Cleaner Spray 500ml 1.35this is a lot of cleaner every week (ie last three items) Ithink you might be using too much but as others have said try vinegar or Stardrops instead
*
- 1 + Kelloggs Rice Krispies Multigrain 350g 1.32can't speak for Rice Krispies but every other cereal the own brand make you can't tell the difference or it is even nicer
*
- 1 + Kelloggs Rice Krispies 450g 1.89
*
- 1 + All Butter Croissant 6 Pack 0.99I would see these as a luxury item
*
- 1 + Tesco 4 Homebake Half Baguettes 1.20
*
- 1 + Tesco Cornish Ice Cream 2 Litres 1.35
*
- 1 + Birds Eye Steamfresh Broccoli Sweetcorn Peas & Rice 680g 1.98
*
- 1 + Birds Eye Garden Peas 907g 1.49do tesco do cheaper?
*
- 1 + Mccain Homefries 1.5kg 1.75potatoes and make your own
*
- 1 + Green Giant Niblets No Added Sugar Sweetcorn 198g 0.47
*
- 1 + Princes Tuna Chunks In Brine 4x185g 3.18
*
- 1 + Tesco Fusilli Pasta Twists 1kg 0.62buy in bulk, tesco usually do big bags or try MAkro/Costco
*
- 5 + Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes & Garlic 400g 2.35
*
- 2 + Diet Coke 2 Ltr Bottle 2.92can you have squash or own brand instead?
*
- 2 + Tovali Orange Sugar Free Drink 1 Ltr 1.18
*
- 2 + Tesco Boil In The Bag Basmati Rice 4 X 125gordinary basmati is much cheaper and if you buy in bulk even moreso. Makro/Costco/Asian supermarket will have sacks of the stuff 1.56
*
- 1 + Tesco Fresh Double Cream 284ml 0.59
*
- 1 + Tesco Smoked Thick Cut Back Bacon 250g 1.99
*
- 2 + Tesco Fresh Egg Tagliatelle 500g 2.18even Italians don't eat much fresh pasta, dried is cheaper and just as good
*
- 1 + Welsh Lamb 4/6 Prime Loin Chops 6.59
*
- 1 + Tesco Fresh Whole Chicken Large 2.20-3.00kg 3.88
*
- 1 + Beef Lean Braising Steak Medium 300g - 500g 2.89
*
- 1 + T Healthy Living Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets 580-800g 6.28
*
- 2 + Finest Ground Beef Mince 440g 4.88
*
- 2 + Tesco Finest Wiltshire Cured Ham 140g 3.98
*
- 2 + Flora Light Vegetable Low Fat Spread 500g 1.94
*
- 5 + Braces Xxx White Thick Bread 800g 4.40
*
- 1 + Tesco Healthy Eating Semi- Skimmed Milk 3.408ltr/6 Pints 1.68
*
- 2 + Nescafe Alta Rica Coffee 100g 5.96if you drink a lot of coffee as you obviously do then why not go to the cash and carry and buy a bulk tin, if you don't have a cash and carry near you try online eg office stationery suppliers often do these too, eg Viking Direct
*
- 1 + Really Welsh Leeks 500g 1.99
*
- 6 + Tesco Onions Loose Class 2 0.96
*
- 1 + Tesco Red Onions 3 Pack 1.17
*
- 1 + Finest Asparagus 125g 1.99try and see if there is veg box scheme in your area that will deliver, asparagus season only just started hence the high prices, only buy seasonal produce
*
- 2 + Tesco Strawberries Class I 2.96
*
- 3 + A Bag of Red Seedless Grapes Class 1 Loose (approx. 500g - 650g per bag) 3.84
*
- 6 + William Pears (soft) Class 1 Loose 1.14
*
- 1 + Kids Easy Peeler600g Pack 1.49
*
- 1 + Satsumas Pack 1.48
*
- 1 + Closed Cup Mushrooms 500g 1.15
*
- 1 + Tesco Carrots 1 Kg Pack Class 1 0.68
*
- 1 + Really Welsh Cauliflower 0.74
*
- 1 + Tesco Swede Each Class 1 0.79
*
- 1 + Tesco Parsnips 500g 0.78
*
- 1 + Baking 2.5kg Pack Potatoes 1.69
*
- 2 + Maris Piper Potatoes 2.5kg Pack 3.56for £4 I can get a huge sack of lovely potatoes from my local farm shop at the side of the road, much cheaper than supermarket where the varieties are often limited
*
- 2 + Charlotte Potatoes 1 Kg 2.56
*
- 10 Bananas Loose 1.50
*
15 Braeburn Apples Class 1 Loose 3.00

Guide price £123.91

done this online so you can see roughly what I buy each week

thanks

My only other observation is that there seems to be a lot of meat here, do you have meatfree dinners? Macaroni cheese is usually a hit with most kids and adults and is cheap and quick to make, Can you look at the amount of meat in each meal and maybe cut back a little bit or use cheaper cuts here and there and also see if you can order a bulk load for the freezer from a local butcher or again try the Costco type places. I tell you it is a lot easier doing this for someone else than it is for yourself, if I am brave enough I will put my receipt on and see what you all make of that, getting a fresh look on things will be good. You might want to take on some or all of the above changes but I am sure we can get you down from £120 per week. Also is there any way you could go other places for shopping eg I found Iceland/Farmfoods were cheaper for frozen veg etc and remember tinned fruit in juice is part of your 5 a day too.

thriftlady_2

Can I join in too ? Sorry if I'm repeating what others have said

welshie1973 wrote: »

do my shopping at Tesco as its on my route home from work - for the top up throughout the week use the local corner shop

my shooping usually:

*
- 2 + Bold Crushed Silk Powder 10 Wash/950g 5.00 own brands are cheaper
*
- 1 + Huggies Pull Upscarry Pack Boy Large 15 4.98 own brands
*
- 1 + Tesco Luxury Soft Toilet Tissue White 12 Roll 4.36 Value is fine
*
- 1 + Mr Muscle All Purpose Cleaner Frozen Lime & Vinegar 750ml 1.98 Use white vinegar and water in a spray bottle
* - 1 + Mr Muscle Shower Shine 500ml 1.28 use vinegar as above
*
- 1 + Mr Muscle Window Cleaner Spray 500ml again 1.35 vinegar again
*
- 1 + Kelloggs Rice Krispies Multigrain 350g 1.32 buy value oats (48p a kg)and make porridge - boxed cereals are overpriced for what you get - or serve wholemeal toast *
- 1 + Kelloggs Rice Krispies 450g 1.89 as above
*
- 1 + All Butter Croissant 6 Pack 0.99 serve toast
*
- 1 + Tesco 4 Homebake Half Baguettes 1.20 can you make bread ? *
- 1 + Tesco Cornish Ice Cream 2 Litres 1.35 full of rubbish and AIR *
- 1 + Birds Eye Steamfresh Broccoli Sweetcorn Peas & Rice 680g 1.98 buy fresh broccoli and add rice to frozen peas and corn *
- 1 + Birds Eye Garden Peas 907g 1.49 own brands are more than acceptable *
- 1 + Mccain Homefries 1.5kg 1.75 make your own- easy peasy *
- 1 + Green Giant Niblets No Added Sugar Sweetcorn 198g 0.47 own brands again
* - 1 + Princes Tuna Chunks In Brine 4x185g 3.18 own brand
*
- 1 + Tesco Fusilli Pasta Twists 1kg 0.62
*
- 5 + Tesco Italian Chopped Tomatoes & Garlic 400g plain tomatoes cheaper than ones with additions- add your own garlic and herbs *
- 2 + Diet Coke 2 Ltr Bottle 2.92 rubbish
*
- 2 + Tovali Orange Sugar Free Drink 1 Ltr 1.18 likewise- anything labelled as sugarfree is full of artificial sweetener instead - try Value orange juice. *
- 2 + Tesco Boil In The Bag Basmati Rice 4 X 125g 1.56 dry rice is much cheaper
*
- 1 + Tesco Fresh Double Cream 284ml 0.59
*
- 1 + Tesco Smoked Thick Cut Back Bacon 250g 1.99
*
- 2 + Tesco Fresh Egg Tagliatelle 500g 2.18 dried is just as good -it's what real Italians eat *
- 1 + Welsh Lamb 4/6 Prime Loin Chops 6.59
*
- 1 + Tesco Fresh Whole Chicken Large 2.20-3.00kg 3.88
*
- 1 + Beef Lean Braising Steak Medium 300g - 500g 2.89
*
- 1 + T Healthy Living Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets 580-800g 6.28
*
- 2 + Finest Ground Beef Mince 440g 4.88
*
- 2 + Tesco Finest Wiltshire Cured Ham 140g 3.98 investigate a butcher, may be cheaper for all your meat
*
- 2 + Flora Light Vegetable Low Fat Spread 500g 1.94 own brand *
- 5 + Braces Xxx White Thick Bread 800g 4.40 can you make it ?- costs me 25p to make a wholemeal loaf;) *
- 1 + Tesco Healthy Eating Semi- Skimmed Milk 3.408ltr/6 Pints 1.68
*
- 2 + Nescafe Alta Rica Coffee 100g 5.96
*
- 1 + Really Welsh Leeks 500g 1.99 I bet 'really Welsh ones are more than ordinary ones - I think I paid 99p a lb this morning
*
- 6 + Tesco Onions Loose Class 2 0.96
*
- 1 + Tesco Red Onions 3 Pack 1.17 buy loose it's cheaper *
- 1 + Finest Asparagus 125g 1.99 get in a few weeks from a farmshop where it will be homegrown and cheaper - seasonal treat *
- 2 + Tesco Strawberries Class I 2.96 as above but wait till June *
- 3 + A Bag of Red Seedless Grapes Class 1 Loose (approx. 500g - 650g per bag) 3.84
*
- 6 + William Pears (soft) Class 1 Loose 1.14
*
- 1 + Kids Easy Peeler600g Pack 1.49anything packaged especially for kids is more expensive -they can peel ordinary satsumas *
- 1 + Satsumas Pack 1.48
*
- 1 + Closed Cup Mushrooms 500g 1.15
*
- 1 + Tesco Carrots 1 Kg Pack Class 1 0.68 loose is cheaper *
- 1 + Really Welsh Cauliflower 0.74
*
- 1 + Tesco Swede Each Class 1 0.79
*
- 1 + Tesco Parsnips 500g 0.78
*
- 1 + Baking 2.5kg Pack Potatoes 1.69
*
- 2 + Maris Piper Potatoes 2.5kg Pack 3.56
*
- 2 + Charlotte Potatoes 1 Kg 2.56
*
- 10 Bananas Loose 1.50
*
15 Braeburn Apples Class 1 Loose 3.00

Guide price £123.91

done this online so you can see roughly what I buy each week

thanks

Hope you don't take this as critical of you:) , but these are easy ways to make savings. I find a farmshop cheaper, and I can make use of seasonal stuff. I prefer to wait for treats like aand strawberries. Tinned fruit in juice is fairly cheap and a combination of peaches, pineapple and mandarins makes a good fruit salad that will serve a family for a 2-3 days - add some fresh grapes or chopped apple.

Cheap and easy ways to get your 5 a day
a glass of orange juice at breakfast
an apple mid morning
carrot sticks with a sandwich for lunch
a serving of frozen peas and fresh broccoli for tea

mikki2d

Tinned fruits are really good and last so well. I also got a small chest freezer on Freecycle and use mainly frozen veg now which is much cheaper and so easy to microwave. Farmfoods is really good for this and really cheap. I also make loads of soup from frozen veg and if we have this before our main meal, we all eat smaller portions of meat etc. Slow cooker is also invaluable for reduced meat etc. Make up meals in advance and freeze.

Costco sell their own brand washing powder and it is as good as any I have used. They are also cheap for loo rolls etc. Vinegar and stardrops are effective cleaners for most things.