From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Lucielle - I used to do that with n*ctar, but because they gave offers for stuff I rarely bought/had bought once YS'd or had bought once, specifically for the FB, I started to just activate offers that I might purchase, in an attempt to get more relevant offers. It hasn't worked…….. But users of the MrL app have said it's better targetted and/or gives more flexibility, so I'm looking forward to using it.

Cherryfudge - the MSE group brain is ace. There's no ego, and everyone just wants the best for each other. I know in RL there is nothing like it, I can access.

I've just been watching Bloo Pieter with LG, and the team had gone to Northern Ireland. Joel did a report from the tAyt0 factory to see crisps being made 😁They are such nice crisps - best thing hB ever did was to make them more readily available for those of us that don't live in Ireland 😁

Workwear wash is on. I don't think the weather is going to be quite as hot as yesterday - but it should dry the clothes OK, and for that I remain grateful.

Not too sure what is on the agenda for today. I had a NSD yesterday, and in theory could achieve another today.

I'm going to leave my first experience with the MrL app until I go shopping next week. I will be needing a highly curated list anyway (not much money left in the budget), or I will leave the shop until Thursday, and do a 'normal' shop and it will actually all be May useage anyway. But i shall need milk before Thursday, so I'm better off with a plan to follow.

Thanks for popping by, and for all your help and guidance. It's definitely helping me, and perhaps others too, eh?

Greying X

ladybird1106

GP when Mr S did that to me, I stopped shopping with them for a couple of weeks. They started to send me more appropriate offers to lure me back.

Love 🐞

Greying_Pilgrim

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81976707#Comment_81976707

That's the tactic I've tried 🐞 but it hasn't really worked - they swapped the offer of washing liquid (offered every week 😱) to a branded one I've never used, and even this week, they're offering (points I think) on the sponge cake I bought for the FBnk donation at Christmas 🙄They haven't offered (clothes) washing powder for an age (I'll need to buy some), and I certainly am not feeling 'wanted' as a customer at the mo. Although, I will be the first to say, I have had some success with n*ctar SEL prices (which of course are open to all), but that is a little less easy to get the best out of, for an in-store shop.

I had hoped that a pivot away would get a re-jig, but I don't think it's worked.

Greying X

kayannie

GP. Well done on deciding to go with the L!dl app, I'm sure you'll find it useful. I can't remember if others have said ( probably have), but the new offers come through on a Thursday morning, & are valid for 7 days.

When I shop & have hit the target for a freebie, it usually pings through in a few minutes. Thats when I nip back in to collect the freebie as I only shop every 7 - 9 days & might miss out otherwise.

KA x

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks for that kayannie - and I think it's indicative of how reasonable the app is that you can still make use of it, even without shopping frequently.

Thinking about it - I suppose it wasn't even a fortnight - but I didn't shop in MrS when we went on holiday (none in easy reachable distance), so vaguely ignoring MrS, and having very small/low spend shops subsequently hasn't made a difference. Neither has 'customer feedback' on their website ☹️

Greying X

Blackcats

pops in and waves - hope all is ok - we are missing you.

Greying_Pilgrim

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81980047#Comment_81980047

👋 back to Blackcats, everything's OK, just haven't had much to report.

I did pop out to the little library that is the same side of Greying Town as the small MrL, and fArmf00ds this morning. I went to that MrL, because sometimes it is really quiet, and I wanted to try the app for the first time without getting flustered in front of the queuing 5,000. It all went well, and then I popped to fArmf00ds to see if there were any bargains. They didn't have any frozen blocks of ginger, which is what I wanted/needed, but along with 2 x 410g Pr1nces fruit cocktail tins for £1, I got 2 x 500ml bottles of Bee-v0ir Farms apple & blackcurrant cordial for 69p ea. I got some other bits and pieces, but they are all coming from my May food budget. I called into the big MrL on the way home to get a block of feta (had got my maths wrong in the smaller MrL 🙄), and there were plenty of green boxes. 2 caught my eye, and I decided to plump for the fruit heavy one (tomatoes are a fruit, right?). Final stop was at hB for yoghurt. I have amended my siggie figgie - and lodged May's spends too, otherwise I will only forget.

My visits to MrL have triggered a free bakery item (although I am confused, because I haven't spent £10, even though the app says I have 🤪), which is on top of my 'welcome' free bakery item and my 'welcome' free vegetable. Plus I did the scratch card, and I got a choice of 50% off either some baby tatties or some easy peelers. Which, in my humble opinion, is very, useful, and most definitely not to be sniffed at. I shan't be shopping in MrS this week, that is for certain sure. If you go in to collect your 'free' things, or even your 50% item, do you just waft your app, and it sorts out the till - ie to charge you £0 or 59p or whatever? I can walk to MrL to pick up one or two things, and I'm just conscious of getting the things before the offer expires, that I have a few 'similar' offers stacking at the mo, and the valuable point that someone raised on here about making sure you didn't mix your 'free' item into the general shop, as the cheapest veg/cake/bap would be given free, and maybe not the item that you'd chosen for yourself.

Washing dried lovely yesterday in the sun and with a breeze. It is colder/cloudier today, and I've not done a wash, although it would dry OK.

Tea will probably be soup, as the weather has just tipped back into 'comfort' food again. Not sure what variety, but there's plenty of choice.

Right, I'm away to pour over my library books, maybe gain some meal inspo.

Ta for popping by, and enquiring how we're doing. Mucho appreciated.

Greying X

Blackcats

good to see you - there's always something interesting in GP land.

Yes the magical, mystical qualities of the app will deduct your free item from your bill but as you say put your choice of freebie through separately and first. I often see folk with £0 or very low cost first load through the checkout, followed by their man shop. Remember to activate your offers on the app too.

Glad you have had a positive start to using Mr L's app. I sometimes screenshot the app before I shop so that I can have a photo accessible in case WiFi doesn't connect. The checkout person can also find you with your phone number if all else fails.

rtandon27

@Greying_Pilgrim - when we shopped at MrL regularly - I often did the main shop, loaded it in the car then went back for the newly activated freebies a few minutes later - most of the time it worked but once in a while it would take over an hour to load the new offers.

Also agree, I've put everything on the belt with dividers between and had them put through as separate transactions so that the freebie or discounted things went through correctly and then the main shop went through separately. In our MrL everyone packs European style which is to put things in the cart and then go to the ledge and pack in bags, so the separate shops going through is not an issue for those behind - we just moved out of the way when done iyswim.

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks rt - I always (try) to do the 'European pack' too - unless I'm buying 3 things (in total) of course. So I'll aim to emulate the ways of the MSE (super)Market Masters and do the 'dividing' thing 😁

Greying X