What gives?

newlywed

I’m another fussy ground coffee drinker…. But switched to decaf filter so it absolutely has to be good. Currently found my favourite is on offer reduced by £1 and so will be stocking up. Started weighing the coffee too… my scoops are way too generous because I like coffee strong…. Have decided to reduce weight and slightly reduce water amount so that I can make it cost less but not feel too deprived!

the trouble with buying cheaper coffee is that it can be a total waste of money if it’s bad and immediately makes me want to revert to my preferred brand 

next time I’m in Aldi I will look for their decaf as I used to quite like that, but rarely go to Aldi now.  I walk pretty much everywhere (longest walk last year was just over 20 miles) so barely use the car and am fitter and hopefully healthier than in the past.

Am also fussy with my chocolate and like seriously high cocoa content chocolate, so will need to work out a plan for that too…

currently using trolley.co.uk to get email notifications for price changes on my brand preferences, so I know when to stock up.

definitly being more price conscious and also more electricity conscious. Using the oven less and the slow cooker and hob more. I was in the habit of putting the oven on most days to roast some veg.  Will roast extra things tomorrow though as dinner is an oven based meal, but that’s the first time it will have been on all week, possibly longer.

anonmoose

Yes I like my 70% plus chocolate too!  I currently buy aldi moser Roth, but the orange mousse one I really like is very expensive.

Waitrose of all places used to do a good value dark bar but not been in there for ages. It was 70% but in a chunky bar (I think 200g or 250g) so weight for weight it worked out a better buy than the 100g bars. Prices have probably gone up though.

I will have a look at trolley.co.uk as I have never used that.

-taff

Sainsburys used to do a really good fairtrade columbian coffee [grounds], ina green topped packet. I'm afraid I'm another coffee snob, it's lavazza gold for me, or if I can find it, that columbian coffee..

maman

anonmoose said:

Yes I like my 70% plus chocolate too!  I currently buy aldi moser Roth, but the orange mousse one I really like is very expensive.

Waitrose of all places used to do a good value dark bar but not been in there for ages. It was 70% but in a chunky bar (I think 200g or 250g) so weight for weight it worked out a better buy than the 100g bars. Prices have probably gone up though.

I will have a look at trolley.co.uk as I have never used that.

We like the Aldi Moser Roth 70% too and I think the 5 separate bars has an advantage over a single, chunky bar in that most people (🤔) would stick to a single 25g bar and not be encouraged to overeat whether for health or money saving reasons.

anonmoose

Yes that's true about the single chocolate bars. At least you don't absent-mindedly keep eating!

I will try lavazza gold as I don't think I have ever tried it. I don't think much of the red one so never thought to try the gold. Illy is the most expensive I think and I don't like the wastage of the metal tins so would like alternative options. Then if there are a few you brands you like you can just go by what is on offer. I don't live anywhere near a sainsbury but if I am near one I will look for the Colombian one.

Floss

anonmoose said:

Fuel is a big business spend of mine and no getting away from it.  I will have to see how long I can avoid passing the cost onto my clients...

Do you not charge your mileage to them as expenses?

anonmoose

Sadly not. I work as a dogwalker so it's just a set walk price. I am rural so do a lot of travel picking up and dropping off dogs. 

Thankfully I did increase my rates at the end of last year so that has helped. Although to be fair I should have done a price increase much sooner as my rates have been the same for over 10yrs!!

Obviously I can't increase them again so soon after last time I just hope prices stabilise or it will become an issue and I will have to start thinking about asking for some sort of petrol contribution from those who live a distance away. 

People think it's good money but I hardly make minimum wage when you factor in my time and costs.

Floss

Maybe consider adding a flat fee for mileage over a certain distance, agreed upon sign-up?

Siebrie

I mix miss-bought coffee with nice coffee; it's usually fine.

The fuel crisis has given me the push to cycle to work again. It's 10km one-way, with 1 steep incline. It's the reason we bought a cheap electric bike, which's battery I recharge at work (how do you like my non-native English? )

I have dug out my tried and tested recipe books again, and will make sure I have the ingredients in the house. Quite a few feature 'studenty' meals, so the basics are tins and dried goods.

jennystarpepper

We used 1 unit of gas in the last 30 days, (readings taken last night), we do have a big multifuel stove and get free logs / wood, the burner has been used a couple of times in the last few weeks. We have a gas shower and cooker (burners), halogen oven used to cook everything else as it is cheaper. Stove is being removed this week for house renovations and will not go back on until October.
I must admit the 8 legged energy company rattled my cage when they put my DD up from £56 to £133, I have put this down to £80 and have a credit of £45.  I did buy coal for 3 months but for the price and the size of our burner it works better / warmer house than using the gas.  We have 1 car, cycle to work and grow lot's of veg / flowers / fruit to offset this.

Shower is a quick rinse off, and it's gas so I am in and out, Mr Pepper has no hair so that saves time!

Buy essentials in bulk when on offer, deodorant Mr uses is half price at S.drug so bought enough to last 12 months.  I do this with wash powder and a number of other things.

Treats are only bought if they are half price or less, so if your favourite chocolate, crisps or cake is not on offer you miss out. 

Use the freezer, bought 4 packs of diced beef for pies for half price last week thanks to YS, I will make a big batch of steak n kidney (half to half as kidney is cheaper) pies to freeze and I will use lard as it is cheaper and my pastry is a winner so I'm told.  

Brands have gone out of the window apart from a few things, my shampoo and conditioner (just bulk bought as half price) Hein3e tom for Mr and full fat coke.  

Phone charged at work, naughty maybe but they are not paying extra for business cover for car insurance and pence per mile will not be and has not been increased in years so to quote princess Anne, they can naff 0ff.