Price Book

liz.._4

I have kept a price book for a few months now and it is a real eye opener. Some things that appear to be bargains are in fact, not. I use an old address book and list frequently bought items in A-Z order. Across the top I list shops (such as Asda etc) and list the bottom price for each item. When I come across a reduced item, I look at the bottom price in the book and if it is cheaper I fill me boots! Obviously noting use by dates.

I got the idea from the tightwad gazette along with the idea of powdered milk. The two ideas have saved me a few bob over the course of the last few months, can't give you a figure but it is worth doing.

It takes a couple of weeks to set up as you note down prices as you do your shopping and it will need updating, check out the supermarket website to get you started on basics.

Good luck!

taplady

davidspd wrote:

Hi OSers,

My OH got me a copy of the complete Tightwad Gazette for Xmas and Amy D mentions having a price book for price comparison in supermarkets. Does anyone actually do this, or do you just use the internet price comparison sites? They seem to do the same things from what i can see.

Thanks

I treated myself to this book just before christmas and its a great read! wish I could be as good about being frugal as she is :rolleyes: but I am trying !;)

davidspd

liz.. wrote:

It takes a couple of weeks to set up as you note down prices as you do your shopping and it will need updating, check out the supermarket website to get you started on basics.

I was wondering about this as i've never done grocery shopping online, but do the supermarkets charge a premium for shopping over the internet, or do online prices accurately reflect instore prices?

COOLTRIKERCHICK

davidspd wrote:

I was wondering about this as i've never done grocery shopping online, but do the supermarkets charge a premium for shopping over the internet, or do online prices accurately reflect instore prices?

if you do internet shopping for groceries... or anything else.... join a cashback site like quidco... and before you buy anything on line... see if quidco deal with them... as if you go through quidco or a another cashback site... you will get cashback......i keep mentioning quidco as they about the best imo... for the amount you get back...take a look..

squeaky

Gingham_Ribbon wrote:

What's a PDA, Squeaky?

I'm going to start a new one when I'm up and about after my baby is born. I found it useful to carry a notebook to jot down price comparisons.

Personal Digital Assistant.

Essentially an electronic version of an organiser. Generally about the length of a phone and half as wide again.

Mine reads in letters that I scribble and types them in place on the screen, though it has a scratch pad too. I downloaded a free database for it, which is where I keep my shopping lists and price book.

vfairbrass

I get 10% off my shopping at Sainsburys' (was 15% over Christmas) as my daughter has a part time job and gets a staff discount card. Is there any point in me looking elsewhere for my shopping? Do the other main supermarkets differ by that much?

lil_me

vfairbrass - My Mum has worked for them for well over 10 years now and does most of her shopping elsewhere as the discount doesn't make it worth shopping there a lot of the time, she's always said it's good for the offers like the choccies over Xmas, but still worth shopping around.


http://www.mysupermarket.co.uk/GettingStarted/Home.aspx

There is more than that site but my favourite list has decided not to work tonight!

Dolly_Mixture

I tried to keep a price book when I first moved to this area (Rutland) 4 years ago. I found it took a long time to fill in and the prices changed frequently. I would decide "I'll buy that in Tesco as it is cheaper" and then find that Tesco prices had gone up to the same as Morrisons. I think the best thing to do is keep a good idea in your head or in a book of the lowest price for an item and if it is significantly more expensive at a different supermarket, hold out until you can get to the cheaper one again. If you see a bargain, stock up! Sometimes the difference in an item is only pence and if there is a distance between supermarkets (as there is round here) the cost in petrol and time outweighs the saving.

Hope this helps

AussieLass

I have kept a price book for a few years and found them invaluable. Especially when shops advertise a *special* and you look up what you can get them at your normal shop and realise it wasn't such a special after all.

The next price book I will make up will go one step further and calculate how much the product is costing per kg/oz etc? Sometimes it pays to buy in a bigger pkt but other times it's false economy. Like everything it takes time to set it up *sigh* and it's annoying when prices change cos it's update work :rolleyes:
(do prices in pencil) but I think it's worth it in the long run.

davidspd

davidspd wrote:

... but do the supermarkets charge a premium for shopping over the internet, or do online prices accurately reflect instore prices?

Bumping, as still wondering about this.

Thanks