Enough. We're walking away from supermarkets

gailey_2

Sounds like you doing well sam. must check in on your blog.

what was your budget.

yes delivery charges huge bug bear for me too.

batchcooking sounds like could be good idea with fresh stuff.

grocery long life items and anythingt that can be frozen.

we have huge freezer and its real help.

half contmeplayed buying whole lamb form butchers not sure i fit it in.

I brought pasta maker off selling group other day for £2

not made pasta yet as ideally need special flour called tip 1000.
think deli might sell it.

good luck with shopping quest.

Im not avoiding supernarkets but have used more independants where I can this week supported local florist.

gailey_2

Just caught up with your blog fab.

Had to chuckle at word artisan!

will tell hubby all his homemade meals are artisan from now on.

Its hard keeping up with blog I neglected mine as had 3poorly kids this week so not been anywhere exiting.

Next week half term and payday so hopefully go farmshop as been ages.

I have fond memories shopping with nan too went to cattle market to see animals, normal market on market day, green grocers, fishmongers, butchers, chemist for photos and makeup, florists market day really was fun adventure followed by coffee in local cafe not a chain run by italian welsh person still remember the coke floats.

sams247

gailey wrote: »

Just caught up with your blog fab.
still remember the coke floats.

Oooh coke floats! Yes, a rare treat! We had a small urban farm near us and the pigs were always running off, we had great fun watching them fleeing across the fields.

We are a complex lot to feed; I eat chicken, fish and seafood but no red meat, OH will eat fish but no meat, no seafood, DD is extremely health conscious and is extremely careful about what she will eat, DS eats everything but lives away, fed on regular visits. DD used to have eating disorder so we have total respect for what she will eat now, she eats lots of it, but it must be healthy, best if organic. So our food budget was £350 per month. My aim was to lower this to £300 a month. So far I am just scraping in at £310 ish. This month will be higher as I am bulk buying and this month I will also be doing to Costco top up on laundry and loo rolls. That lasts us several months.

I know people get by on a lower budget and I respect that but this suits our lot

I am stamping with frustration today as I took a special trip out to my local Loch Fyne to get the months fish (as I have been doing for three months now) and the chef wouldnt sell me any, said it was busy and he might need the fish. Grief, I am trying to support the local lot, but they work against me If they advertise themselves as fishmongers then order enough fish ?!!

Finefoot

tdf010604 wrote: »

I would love to join in this challenge, I
Would an Aldi visit just for yoghurts be cheating?

Have you tried making your own? In a flask?
Its really yummy!

sams247

I just bought a rice cooker, a pasta maker and a yoghurt maker. Oh how I love ebay! Now to sort out how to use them.........

sams247

I am a sad bunny Trying so hard to avoid those supermarkets......... but

Loch fyne - twice now have refused to sell me fish, I asked them to take the poster down advertising that they were 'local fishmongers'. They laughed. Ah well.

Plus my fav Deli forgot to pack some items I asked for as they 'got distracted', when I called them to say I was missing the items their 'really couldn't be ar**d' attitude was disappointing to say the least

Now my first ever order from Planet Organic has gone walkabout and is nowhere to be found.

Come on guys!!! I am trying here

Edwardia

I would talk to local Trading Standards about the refusal to sell fish.. they are calling themselves local fishmonger..twice refused to sell fish they are advertising they sell..hmm not sure what TS can do but it's worth asking..

I have had couriers just turn up and shove cards through the door (yes Yodel and DPD I mean you) and in my case because there's CCTV the courier company can't give excuses. Not had anyone swipe anything though - maybe because of CCTV?

After third time my neighbours opened a parcel (yeah I bought a blanket in a sale at Harrods 75% off and your problem is ?) I started putting on delivery instructions: ' Please do NOT leave with neighbours'. Opening other peoples' mail is an offence.

If you go to Royal Mail website you can sign up to scheme for a sticker to put on letterbox, because otherwise they will leave bulky mail/parcels with neighbours if you aren't in. I would suggest if you start doing this it gives courier companies/Royal Mail no wriggle room and they have to deal with you if they left it somewhere else.

I hope that you get to the bottom of it. Might be worth contacting local PCSO to find out if there have been a spate of these thefts ?

jeanmd

Ok, I'm in shock! I live thirteen miles from the market so don't normally shop there, but as my daughter is home from Uni for a few days we went into town. My daughter talked me into going to the fruit and veg stall for a few item and I can't believe the difference in price.
I bought:
400g Rhubarb - locally grown in the Rhubarb triangle. Asda price £3.00
225g Mushrooms - Locally grown. Asda - £0.67
Aubergine Roll back Asda - £0.50
450g Granny Smiths Apples Roll back Asda £0.84
375g Plums Asda £1.80
158g Red pepper Asda £0.80

Asda price - slaps back pocket £7.61
Market price - big grin £4.20

I make no wonder they slap their back pockets, it's not the customer that's saving money, just the big supermarkets controlling our thinking!

sams247

Jeanmd - excellent bit of shopping, and good savings. I make good use now of all the local markets and farmers markets, and its nice to chat to the sellers who generally know what is in season, what is a good buy and where everything came from.

Edwardia - good idea about the fish........ hmmm maybe they wont laugh at me next time!

On the good news front I have had my first order from Graig Farm and all looks very nice, and I get my second Abel & Cole on Monday.

sams247

See, its so easy to make me happy!

Quick update - called Planet Organic and they could not have been nicer. They are sending goods out again. What nice people. But its wrong that parcelforce lost order