where to shop on a tight budget?

meritaten

I do a shop at Aldi weekly and then 'top up' at Tesco. Sorry, no disrespect to your partner but Adsa just isnt up to the QUALITY of Aldi and Tesco.
Aldi Nappies are brilliant - both my DILs started off using the Huggles/Pamperrs nappies and changed to Aldi after using the ones I bought for the grandkids.
Washing powder - I use the Bio - and I am allergic to most 'branded' washing powders! yet I can use this no problem! they do non-bio too. and other types. its very economical to use (esp as I use half of recommended dose) and gives good results.
For fruit and veg my local store is wonderful - its all very fresh and the prices are amazing! beats the local market hands down!
I do have to say though - be savvy. if Adsa are having a promotion then with your OHs discount get it then! you may need to make a list of items and compare prices.

Monsternextdoor

Hello, you are the same as my DH and I, 2 Adults, 1 Baby and in this house 1 Pooch.

We shop at lot at aldi and all of my basics are asda smartprice, I have to get my LO's milk at asda as she is sensitive to lactose and I do buy there nappies but I will use aldi if they have the same offer on.

we spend on average inc milk and nappies £200 ish a month, sometimes more sometimes less, I tend to go for whats on offer when I'm in asda as sometimes the offers are less than the equivilant in the smartprice range.

Also look around at local butchers and shops as sometimes they can have a better product for cheaper than the big supermarkets, Just found out that my local butcher does venison burgers cheaper than tescos !!!

kittycatface

hiya good luck with the budgeting.

With washing powder i would say aldis own, or look out for coupons on supersavvyme then combine coupons with supermarket price reductions. ive got 3 large bottles of ariel gel this way from ts which cost me £6 total. use half of what the pack recommends per wash. you dont need softener just a capful of white vinegar. look on this os board for homemade cleaning tips: lemon, bicarb and vinegar are all you need including for wash up liquid. if you're worried about germs for little one, streilising tabs are really cheap at boots:

http://www.boots.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/EndecaSearchListerView?storeId=10052&searchTerm=10029773.P&ta=1&typeAhead=true&langId=-1&catalogId=10551#container

if you want to bulk buy approved food can be worth checking from time to time.

rosie383

Pink. wrote: »

Do you remember the days when we only had Stewarts and Crazy Prices? Actually, you're probably too young to remember that...

Wow! That conjures up memories! I even remember the first Stewarts (or was it Crazy Prices?) opening on the Antrim Road at the top of Alexandra Park Avenue in Belfast on the site of what used to be a cinema where I remember going to see the Jungle Book when it first came out

Another vote here for Aldi. Much cheaper than Lidl now. I have started shopping there most of the time now instead of Asda and can make my budget much easier. I still go to Asda or Sains if they have something which I can't get at Aldi and use local market stalls for fruit and veg.

maman

What I would advise would advise OP is to write your meal plan based on what you've already got in your fridge, freezer and cupboards. Write your shopping list from that. Go to Aldi and buy all you can from there and then finish off in Asda. If you have time you could price your shopping list in Asda on mysupermarket, knock off 10% then use this as a guide when you're in Aldi.

If you are able to go at yellow sticker time then even better and you may need to rethink your mealplan to accommodate your bargains if you can't freeze them.

I always use Smart Price washing powder. I think it's cheaper than Aldi or Lidl. Do let me know if I'm wrong.

louby40

My partner lost his job last week so we decided to change the way we shop. We used to average £100-£120 a week on shopping and always did an online Tesco shop (both fulltime workers).

We have 2 kids and my partner has 2 other children that visit every other weekend.

Last week we did a meal plan and went to Lidl, spent £61!! We used a lot of stuff out of the freezer/cupboards. My partner has been today and spent £39 at Lidl and a further £29 at Tesco. Sorted another meal plan and bulk bought stuff on offer.

Can't beleive the difference we have saved!

The meal planning is the key I think!

Louise

Monsternextdoor

I need to meal plan the only problem is when I plan in advance I normally change my mind at the last min.

I actually find that when I shop online I always end up getting more stuff and a better deal than when I actually go to the shop, altho the asda here has very dippy staff and everytime I do a big order online I always end up with free stuff I've never ordered !!

WantToBeSE

Hi Jones,
i would say that meal planning is the best thing you could do to reduce costs, along with not shopping in the 'Big 4', go to Aldi or Lidl instead.
I shop in Lidl at the moment, as i dont have an Aldi nearby, and agree that the quality is much better than Asda, and the prices are good too.

Lilyplonk

Where I live, any bargains to be had in Aldi and Lidl are gone really early in the day - especially fruit/veg - I doubt if they get large amounts of the 'bargain price stuff' in .

I think there must be some folks who check prices online really early and then drop in on the way to work (or possibly after taking kids to school). I've never yet managed to find fresh fruit/veg at a bargain price by lunchtime .

Maybe I'm just 'out of luck' .................. that's why I go to Asda, get yellow stickered veg then prep/freeze it OR make soup and freeze that.

sarah222

I went to Tesco last night as I said I always do on a Friday, got 4 trays of button mushrooms for 12p each, 2 bags of diced onions 8p (for both), 2 bags prepared savoy 15p each - these will easily do 2 meals per bag), 2 rosemary plants 13p each, 2 packs of 4 organic beetroot 26p each, bag of baby leaf lettuce 8p, 6 pack toms 10p, 4 baking apples for 25p, 1 pack streaky bacon for 54p and 4 porkchops for £1 - tonight we are having home made mushroom soap for starter, home made egg & bacon quiche and salad for main, then stewed apple and custard for desert. I try and meal plan in the week but the weekend is what I get on offer and therefore gives a change and a surprise lol