It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

EssexHebridean

Any other Nationwide customers out there spotted the cashback deal for buying groceries using their debit card? 

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/current-accounts/cashback/

All I need to do now is remember that for the forseeable I need to remember to carry my physical bank card with me - I rarely do! (And actually I might be best just adding it to my phone for the moment, now I think about it!) 

Branded items - we do buy some, but it's all tried and tested on the things We're prepared to pay the extra for. MrEH's coffee is Nesc@fe, and he also prefers Ke11ogs crunchy nut having, in fairness to him, tried all the various other options. We only ever buy either on offer. We buy Pr1nces tuna as a rule because it works out best on price when bought on offer in F@rmf00ds, and I like B0ld washing liquid as it's 2 in 1 and those aren't easy to get - I don't use fabric softener. The other main thing is the mild green liquid fairies for washing up with - when we first moved in we tried every single store brand one after the other but our hard water means we end up using loads more of it - eventually we realised that a bottle of branded lasts at least three times as long! 

YorksLass

Today I've had a lovely walk to the pharmacy and back for my meds and it was so nice to be out and about.  Dry with blue, cloudless skies and sunshine with just a slight breeze.  Still a bit chilly though, so I was glad I hadn't ditched the scarf and gloves!  Daffodils and tulips are appearing but not yet ready to flower, as were bunches of catkins waving in the breeze - still lime green rather than yellow, but at least there are signs of Spring.  The only plants I saw in flower were a few clumps of cheerful snowdrops and the ever present dandelions - they must be as tough as old boots.  Anyhoo, meds all P&C.  

I wonder if it will be the same with my grocery delivery tomorrow?     Delivery pass auto renewed yesterday (I did get a reminder) but that's OK as I've been saving a little each month for it, so the cash was there to pay for it.

Later in the week I'll be popping into the Co-op to use this week's two membership offers - 40p off fresh fruit (will get a couple of bananas "free") and 50o off a jar of curry sauce that's already on promotion at £1.25 (normally £1.85).  I'll also take the bag of donations for the SA clothing bank to which I've added a pair of almost-new sturdy lace up shoes that I don't wear since they give me blisters on my heels.  It's a shame but at least someone else may be able to use them.

Tea tonight is a pilchard salad and I've made a tub of potato salad and another of pasta salad to go with it.  There was enough mash left over from yesterday to top one of the cottage pies that we'll have tomorrow and the other can be frozen, minus the mash. 

Auntycaz

I think it's important to try the unbranded stuff, and I do use quite a lot but like you @EssexHebridean I live in a hard water area and tend to stick with fairy liquid. I also use fairy non bio powder or bold if I want a biological as I have sensitive skin so stick to what doesn't aggravate my skin.
I find sainsburys beans quite a good alternative to heinz. I can get small tins for 21p which is handy for me as i'm on my own. I must admit though I haven't found a good alternative to lurpak yet. I've tried the lidl and Aldi ones and although they are ok for baking they don't hit the spot on a nice piece of toast but a tub lasts me ages and i've got plenty in the freezer which I bought when it was on offer.
Has anyone found a good alterative to Scotts jumbo porage oats. I have started stretching them by mixing them half and half with lidl scottish oats but there doesn't seem to be any budget jumbo oats out there not that I've found anyway.

EssexHebridean

The organic rip-off of flahavans branded oats from Al's are pretty good - last time I bought them I think they were £1.50 or thereabouts - that was a while ago though. 

Brambling

EssexHebridean said:

Any other Nationwide customers out there spotted the cashback deal for buying groceries using their debit card? 

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/current-accounts/cashback/

All I need to do now is remember that for the forseeable I need to remember to carry my physical bank card with me - I rarely do! (And actually I might be best just adding it to my phone for the moment, now I think about it!) 

I noticed as well that if you have a joint account you can both benefit from the 5% which will give you a maximum of £20 off a month.  As a single person I won't benefit from the full £10 a month as i don't spend £200 on groceries a month but every little helps 

I do buy the occasional branded item but usually due to the scent of some cleaning items cause me to wheeze and that includes some cheap dishwasher tablets or cleaners, I found out the hard way after needing to put my dishwasher on 3 times to remove the smell of a Wilko cleaner, where i can i now use white vinegar etc. 

I find i can't use most washing tablets/capsules/powder including the branded stuff but I have been able to use the M&S unscented laundry capsules for years.  Their capsules have been 12 for £2.50 and I would stock up when they were on offer but after not seeing them since before Christmas I noticed they have been rebranded and added some scented ones, they are now a bigger pack and are £6.50 for 20 which means they have gone up from 20.8p a wash to 32.5p.  Needless to say I have brought their liquid which was still about the same price but says is 50 washes 

YoungBlueEyes

I think I’ve said this before, but we’re the same here EssexHebridean. We have a “good list” where we’ll not compromise on those things (not necessarily branded), but they’re worth paying extra for and I’ll scrimp off others bits for the pennies to pay the price for them. Off the top of my head there’s M+S extra mature cheddar - the purple packet one, himself has decided mini cheddars are to go on the list, my coffee - the wee Beanies flavoured jars, the syrups you can add aren’t the same - Fairy Up liquid cos we’re hard water too, and Fairy washing pod things. I’ll stock up when I see these on offer cos their cheaper variants aren’t as good we don’t think. 

Oh and proper beeswax furniture polish, the others aren’t a patch on it! 

Auntycaz

I used to buy the Scotts porage oats from my local waitrose for £2 a pk or 2pks for £3.00 but now they're £2.95 a pk if they're not on offer. Unfortunately I don't have an Aldi anywhere near me.

Katiehound

EssexHebridean said:

The organic rip-off of flahavans branded oats from Al's are pretty good - last time I bought them I think they were £1.50 or thereabouts - that was a while ago though. 

Am I mis-reading this? Flahavans is a well known brand of oats produced in Ireland and widely available from different supermarkets including Sainsburys, Asda, Tesco, not an Aldi copy.  £2.40 a kg at S. 

Anybody intending to use the NW debit card deal - read the long thread on the banking board. The deal is only for 3  months (or until a specific figure is reached) and one of the exclusions is online supermarket orders

Slinky

I've been buying those Scotts Instant Oats things, box of 10 for £1 in Poundland. I saw that Tesco had them on special offer a couple of weeks back, 22 for £4. Not at all special.

Floss

EssexHebridean said:

Any other Nationwide customers out there spotted the cashback deal for buying groceries using their debit card? 

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/current-accounts/cashback/

All I need to do now is remember that for the forseeable I need to remember to carry my physical bank card with me - I rarely do! (And actually I might be best just adding it to my phone for the moment, now I think about it!) 

Yes, but I use Monzo for day to day spending & Nationwide receives my salary & pays my DDs.