Creating a Store Cupboard to see me through a lean patch

ka7e

I always stockpile coffee and oat milk when it's cheaper and Amazon often works out cheaper if you subscribe for a few months. Have a stash of batteries and light bulbs. Buy cards, gift wrap and gifts for birthdays/anniversaries  that fall during that period.

Remember to set aside money for any big annual bills that occur during that time - insurance, car tax, TV licence, Amazon subs etc.

Try and save for a contingency fund - it's Sod's Law that a major appliance will fail or the car will break down when funds are tight!

Spendless

Katiehound said:

islandhoppa said:

 

Thanks @comeandgo I think Morrisons and Asda still do the saver card but I tend to shop in Aldi/Lidl and don’t think they do

If you are feeling slightly flush you could put some money on an Aldi gift card  and top it up each week / month with whatever you can spare- then, come the lean times you would have some money squirrelled away.  (You can only use the card at a manned till not the self scan)

I realise this is not quite the same as the saver card scheme- because the store gives a small reward- but this way you could save a bit.

I wasn't aware that Aldi did a gift card? Is that at all stores? Or is it a typo and you mean an Asda gift card? 

Spendless

What about veg/.sunflower/olive oil? I thought of it yesterday when I went to my cupboards. I bought a few to keep in stock when the prices started rising. My parents with garage space to keep it in bought one of the 5L bottles and just decant 

YoungBlueEyes

Aldi do do a gift card. Himself and all the folks at his work got one with £100 on it as their christmas bonus. Previous years it was an extra week's wages.... 

Katiehound

It is absolutely an Aldi gift card.
I assume they are available at all their stores.
I don't shop in Asda. Aldi is in town (unlike Asda, Tesco. Sains etc)
You can top up with any amount you want.
The staff told me that some people top the card up during the year to use for their Christmas spend.

The one proviso is that you have to use the manned till   rather than the self scan check out when you use it.

CarolynCh

(slightly off topic but...) to help you through the lean times, get the Olio app now & see what people have near to you. The aim of Olio is to save food from going to waste (it's not aimed at charity). People offer any if their own surplus and volunteers also collect from various shops. There is a lot of food available.

London_1

I did a large shop just before Christmas as I always do because if the weather turns bad I don't venture out I use a stick to walk with and icy pavements aren't great when you get older. Just after Christmas I was ill and in hospital for three weeks and when I came home my appetite had all but vanished so I still have a lot of tinned stuff and tea bags, coffee, UHT milk etc to get through. I am still eating my way through the stockpile now and its 1st May  I always have a good stash of herbs and spices which brighten up most meals I'm not a great lover of pasta but like curries ,chillis and shepherd's pies etc.Tinned fish is good pichards or sardines as they can put a bit of zing into almost any meal.I suppose because I live alone its easier for me rather than if I had a family to feed. Cereals  or porridge is a good standby for breakfasts though and a good filler upper and not too expensive depending on what you like I prefer bran flakes as I don't like sugary cereals and bran flakes smashed up added to diced fruit and plain own brand  yogurt make a nice crunchy pudding or even breakfast

Nelliegrace

Let family know now that it will be Christmas on a budget, and that you are stopping all tit-for-tat present buying. 

Nelliegrace

If you are counting pennies, get some interest instead of savings cards.  

Keep a list of food in the freezer or store cupboard. It is annoying to waste food because it got forgotten. 

islandhoppa

Lots of reassuring replies, thanks everyone. @london_1 great tip on UHT milk I actually had completely overlooked that I could stock up on that, I never usually buy it but drink it in brews at work so don’t mind it at all. I always have a good stock of tea bags as I live for tea! I like porridge but nobody else here does 😩 yes families do complicate this challenge! Especially as 2 are dedicated carnivores plus I was rumbled this week with lentils in the spag Bol! They ate it though.

I’m definitely going to use the Aldi gift cards and do the £50 on each one idea - that way I can challenge myself to make each one last as long as possible. I’ve tried olio in the past but there wasn’t much, but may be different now, and I could always consider getting involved myself if there is still nobody in my area. Plus I’m also planning to do the Xmas eve shop trawl to fill my freezers with reductions (hopefully!).  All tips from this forum ☺️