Savvy supermarket shopping

Thrifty tips, ideas, news & experiences on anything around the home to shopping to re-cycling etc.
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Meanqueen
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Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by Meanqueen »

Anyone else a savvy supermarket shopper? How do you save money on your food shopping? Let us in on your secrets.

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Ilona

Now why hasn't that embedded? Richard said it was easy.
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Mo
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by Mo »

Because I am more than a mile from the local shop and 10 from any big supermarket it is more about saving petrol than pennies. But if I am passing (often the chain that stays open 24 hours so I shop on my way home) I make a list and look at the offers on Mysupermarket, then stock up on the offers, buy just enough of the dear things.
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saint-spoon
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by saint-spoon »

When it comes to meat and fish I favour quality and animal welfare above cheap so no tips on money saving there from me. However I try and get my fruits and vegetables from the fruits and vegetables shop as he is a local business and he tends to be a few bob cheaper because the produce doesn't conform to the strict size, shape and colour requirements of the supermarkets.

I may get hung out to dry for this but Son-of-Morris early grey teabags taste the same as twine-ings and are £2 cheaper per 100 bags.
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Mo
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by Mo »

Yes indeed SS. Price is not the only thing that matters. I know for some people it makes a big difference, but then a huge bag of veg costs less than a tiny piece of meat so that excuse for animal cruelty is a bit thin for those who have time and intelligence to think about it.

Own brands are very much try it and see. Some you can't tell the difference, some work sometimes (like cheap flour - cakes but not pastry), others I prefer to pay the extra (McVities packet biscuits - what's the good of a treat you don't enjoy).
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saint-spoon
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by saint-spoon »

Mo wrote: but then a huge bag of veg costs less than a tiny piece of meat so that excuse for animal cruelty is a bit thin for those who have time and intelligence to think about it.


I have the intelligence and have taken the time to consider the issue. I eat meat as do my children, they are informed as to where it comes from and we try our best to get the best welfare meat we can afford. My choice, please don't judge.
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Mo
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by Mo »

I'm not judging - I too eat some meat, though much less than when I was cooking for two.

I was agreeing with you about finding cruelty free meat being more important than price.

But then there are people who say that all they can afford is the cheapest. 2 broiler farmed chickens for a fiver. And I start to think "how can anyone...". But I know that some people are struggling to keep their heads above water and don't have the time, energy or intelligence to consider. I also realise that maybe not all my shopping is 100% ethical. There comes a point where all the small print is too confusing.
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saint-spoon
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by saint-spoon »

Fair enough it was a wrong end of the stick thing. I always try and buy British farmed meats, obviously this is not always possible if you want something like Parma ham. But British means higher welfare than the rest of Europe and fewer food miles. Sustainable fish is a biggy for me as well although it does seem that there isn’t much left sustainable after the EU common fisheries has allowed everyone to plunder our seas.
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kitla
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by kitla »

I find I'm getting more & more fanatical about getting the best deals from the supermarket. It infuriates me when the item I normally buy at a reasonable £3 goes up to an extortionate £5 just so it can be reduced to a "bargain" £3 again later. grrr. I refuse to pay the inflated price so try & stock up when its reduced. Or I look on that supermarket.co site to find a cheaper place to get it.
Lately I've picked up some good mis-shaped fruit & veg bag bargains from Tsco. But I also rarely buy cheap meat, it has to be a high welfare option, recently I've found a local farm shop that rears their own.
"He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals."
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Mo
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by Mo »

I agree kitla. I often look on Mysupermarket.co.uk before shopping to see what the offers are.
They even give a graph showing how the price of the item you are looking at has changed over a year scroll down
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lancashire lass
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by lancashire lass »

kitla wrote:It infuriates me when the item I normally buy at a reasonable £3 goes up to an extortionate £5 just so it can be reduced to a "bargain" £3 again later. grrr. I refuse to pay the inflated price so try & stock up when its reduced


I am the same. The downside to that type of shopping however, is that if you cannot afford to bulk up when the special offer is on that particular week ...
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Meanqueen
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by Meanqueen »

More savvy shopping, it had to be done. Last night I was returning from a speaking gig the other side of town. They covered my car expenses, petrol and wear and tare, it wasn't that far. I planned it to go past as da bedone on the way home, it was 9.15pm.

What a lovely surprise, the man was marking things down in the chiller cabinet to 2p, and there was loads. I got a trolley full of salad, fruit, and veg, for 96p. Two bags of potatoes have been given to my neighbours, I had blackberries and raspberries on my breakfast cereal, and I am about to turn the veg into stew which will be portioned into margarine tubs and put in the freezer.

Always a good idea to pop into any supermarket if you are passing, any time after 6pm.

Ilona
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by Gwenoakes »

We like to have occasionally Elm lea single cream. I buy this because it has a loooong sell by date and also because we like it above others we have tried and we don't have it very often.
I went in T sco two weeks ago and it had gone up 11p per carton. Totally OTT in my opinion, so I asked someone why it had gone up that much and their answer was..........I don't know!! Needless to say I wont be buying anymore from there.
I have started to try the stores own wash gels/dishwasher tablets and through trial and error I have found some that do the same job as the more expensive ones for a third of the price.
I always buy special offers, but only if it is things that we would usually use and will keep,
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Re: Savvy supermarket shopping

Post by wildlifemad »

I am all for trying own brand products, if its not as good you don't buy it again! If I think about it we probably use a mix of 80/20 own brand to branded. We use Elmlea sometimes but haven't bought any for ages so was unaware it had gone up, butter is another item that has increased a lot lately & fresh mushrooms, why?
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