From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

greenbee

My supermarket use is quite low (I prefer farm/local shops and if not a lot of what I consume is easier to get online than in supermarkets) but my local (other than the Asda petrol station which I use occasionally and is good for F&V reductions on Sundays) is Waitrose. Vouchers are consistently for things I buy regularly. It takes a few weeks for them to catch up on changes in habits, but this week was Greek yogurt, aubergine, and tomatoes. Last week was BNS, chicken wings, and cat treats. All useful, although the cats don’t need treats every two weeks, and I’m stopping the chicken wings as I’m eating less and less meat and the cats prefer venison.

kayannie

I rarely shop at the coop, it's 10 miles in the wrong direction as well as being costly. Their targeted money off discounts for me this week include gluten free items. The last time I purchased those was over 2 years ago when I was buying them for someone else!

KAx

Greying_Pilgrim

Ah, regretfully we're in a MrW desert here greenbee - it's a treat for me if there is a store when we're away on holiday 😁 As that's not always a given, it wouldn't be any use me having a loyalty card to them ☹️

kayannie - a long time ago there used to be a medium sized c0oP in the town centre. It used to be very good for ys'd stuff - they used to discount in the morning too. But the store closed down, and I haven't found the local 'express' style stores to be in anyway useful to shop in - even their YS'd stuff is more than I would pay for stuff in other shops ☹️ They did provide milk for us recently - and I know from EH's thread that members regularly receive discounts on milk, but it isn't worth the effort (for me) of shopping there.

Anyway, I've come on to admit to being a prize parsnip ☹️ I had got it in my head that the remaining NT voucher I had ran out today. Even though, the offer (quite clearly!) lasts until 6th March. Next Friday. The saving grace is that this dawned on me before I tossed the voucher, as there might be a chance we could visit a NT property this weekend as a family. YAY!

There is no way I can hang out a wash today - it's far too soggy. So I've put a wash on with the full intention of dehu-ing it 😬 Plus I intend to use the stove top and the oven today 😬 What was I saying about 'saving' energy the other day 😬

Right, ingredients and cooking stints are calling me.

Greying X

rtandon27

Needs must my dear - and clean dry cloths trump falling behind!

KajiKita

If you're a prize parsnip, I'm a torrid turnip - I'm finally going shopping today in agricultural city centre near us, as I have been trying to do since November last year … That prompted me to review my MnS CC moneyback vouchers as I need quite a few clothes - a £10 value one had to be ripped up this morning as it expired 26.11.25! Pretty frustrated with myself … 😢

KK

badmemory

I realised I haven't seen a Waitflower place since I moved up north from Bucks over 35 years ago.

edinburgher

Cucumber? Where will I get my horrible green water vegetable now?! Just kidding, quite like cucumber 😁I am in awe of your grocery budget Greying, your total target is the amount I've managed to save from our budget over the month, give or take a few ££.

rtandon27

With all this talk of vouchers I checked our MrT ones a few minutes ago & saved 3.50 from expiry tomorrow! Have ordered a voucher to put towards a lunch at PizzaX - a favorite of my work colleagues - I think it is far to expensive for something that can be made so easily at home! Took 6 in vouchers and let the remaning 1.5 go back in the pot - 21.50 sitting in the kitty - will have a think about what we actually need in the house - last time we did a big spend it was cutlery and cookie sheets from D3D3nby - we needed both and getting it for the price of shipping was smuggly satisfying!

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, expired vouchers are SO annoying- I missed a £5 Mr M one recently 😬 I did manage to use my free NT pass today though - just me rather than a whole family of people, but it saved me that would have been about £17 entry fee (I did spend in the cafe though 🤭)

rtandon27

Just for fun I had a look at today's MrS vouchers…

Broccoli - I rarely buy it!
Quiche - bought last year on yellow sticker - probably Sept or Oct
Handwash refill - found it cheaper elsewhere on
Whole milk & Semi milk - we don't drink dairy - OH drinks soy & I drink
Bananas - that one is ok - usually in a top-up
Pudding rice - I bought it once with the bold ambition of making OH rice pudding - it's still in the stores, turns out he likes the canned stuff
Sandwich - that same one, it's been 4 months since i bought it!
Blueberries - that one is ok - again top-up shop or with my lunch
Carrots - bought in the xmas price wars
Cucumber - that one is ok too - top-up shop usually includes it
Bananas - a different kind - I swap between them depending which is on sale - again top-up shop

So a mix of useful and not useful but not worth a special trip out, though now that we have a paid for delivery service (courtesy of OH) I could do a small 15 pound shop and add those items in just to collect the points.