Creating a Store Cupboard to see me through a lean patch

JGB1955

I always grab jars of my two favourite instant coffees if they are on special offer. Generally obtainable at more than £3 discount for a 200g jar.

sammy_kaye18

I was going to say as well - maybe sign up for a loyalty card with any and all places that you shop or go to. Even if it earns you some points or saves you a few pennies.

I know it also sounds daft but have a penny jar/pot/bottle/tub. The pennies soon add up and if you cash them all in at once then you can sometimes get a good few pound etc or a mini shop with them. We use to save all ours up throughout the year in a big glass bottle and come christmas with vouchers we had saved it would pay for a good chunk of the food shop - I now have a cake tin in the cupboard which has all the shrapnel in and anything I find in pockets when Im doing the washing. Also if I find anything on my walks - it goes in there too.

With the aldi giftcard - wilkinsons also do their own giftcard too that you can top up every time your in store. You could put a few pound aside - or top it to £25 etc and have it aside for things like your washing powder, pet food, personal care etc. Plus they do seasonal bits too to help cover you.

Also charity shops have some great bits and pieces for gift giving if your creative and make hampers etc.

Plus if you take the time and email / write to some manufacturers - dont have to complain - you can compliment the product too - some will send money off vouchers and samples.

sammy_kaye18

I just completely forgot to add as well.

Have a look on poundshop . com

It is basically the poundhop online and you get a lot of deals on there too. I have just put an order in and most of them are multiple packs so you could put some aside for later.

I think if you spend over £50 then delivery is free and it comes within 3-5 working days but you have the option to pay for quicker delivery. Theres food bits, household stuff and allsorts on there. Gifts as well.

Also for things like gifts and presents - Ebay or vinted are good to look on as well.

Spendless

Katiehound said:

Floss said:

Katiehound said:

The Aldi gift cards are on a display at the end of the aisle near the tills- maybe near where they have birthday cards? but I couldn't see them so asked a member of staff!!

2 of the checkouts were replaced by 6? 7? 8? self scan tills some months ago. Very much quicker IF they are all working!!

Not all Aldi stores are the same layout or stock everything - I can go to any one of 6 depending which way I come home from work, they are all different sizes & only 2 have self scan checkouts.

No, I wouldn't expect them to be!
However I would assume that they all stock the gift cards. I would also assume that they are displayed somewhere near the till.

Nor do I expect that they all have self scan tills:  these were a new addition quite recently. Makes quite a difference, if working: last week half of them were out of action......

Thank you so much for this. I saw them today. When you said by the greetings cards, I thought, don't think mine do them either but they do. They are opposite one of the tills that I don't tend to use or are less likely to be open on an end where I don't pick up anything from those aisles either, which is why I've missed them. Didn't get one today because I was trying to stick to a budget for groceries, but I will do in the foreseeable future. 

matty_bram

As you have some time I would recommend making a plan for what you want to buy, they systematically check those things for when they come on sale. For example, we use the same washing powder all the time, so when there is a good/fiarly good sale price I will stock up on that. 

If you have a freezer it could also be worth bulk buying things like frozen veg and meat. It is cheaper to buy in bulk and obviously keeps for a long time in the freezer. Although it is also easy to forget about things in the freezer, so they can get ice-burnt before you use them...overcome this by setting reminders to use it at a certain time. 

Siebrie

"Especially as 2 are dedicated carnivores plus I was rumbled this week with lentils in the spag Bol! They ate it though."

My husband and 2 dds insist on meat in the spag bol, and no other veg than tomato sauce... So, I cook small TVP chunks in water with a cheap beef stock cube (I cook the whole bag, then freeze in small portions; I hate the smell). Throw away the water. Fry the ground meat with some TVP, remove from pan. Fry onion, leek, cellery, paprika, garlic, carrot, spinach, whatever you find in the fridge. Add tomato sauce (passata, whatever is cheapest), leave on heat until the sauce gets a nice smell. Add handful of red lentils and some water; boil softly for 10 minutes. Blend with handblender until sauce is only smooth and red; re-add meat and reheat.

You need only about half the meat you would usually use this way.

kboss2010

I would also say that it’s important to make sure any stockpiling is well-protected. All it takes is a mouse to find its way into your stash and anything in a packet will be chewed! Use glass jars, tins and plastic boxes for rice and cereals.

I sometimes buy seasonal reduced items from Poundland/Home Bargains/B&M’s etc., especially treat items e.g. I got 10 boxes of Cadbury’s festive friends biscuits for 50p each and the same of 75p Cadbury fingers boxes after Xmas and put them in a box in the pantry and we’re still going with them! It works after Easter, Valentine’s, school holidays etc. too with chocolate and other treats. I’ve seen a bit of reduced Coronation-branded biscuits & drinks recently, for example.

CapricornLass

Not plastic.  The mice and rats made short work of the plastic containers at my mum's house.  And don't forget they will eat soap and candles too.

Talking of which, you might want to check the candle/nightlight/matches situation too while you still have the higher income, so you have something if the power goes down for any reason during the winter..