Post divorce and having to budget for first time. Best value supermarket?!

[Scaredycat87]

It’s always been marks and Waitrose.

Can’t stretch to it now!

In your view, cheapest but also good quality supermarket?

Thanks

Meal
Planning is key! You can shop most places even Waitrose for some things just make sure you buy what you need for the plan.

We find buying certain things in bulk like pasta, rice, noodles on amazon is great was to save money. We use their subscribe and save

Out of supermarkets we use Morrison’s because it consistently has delivery slots and is better quality for the budget we have compared to Tesco. I do use Tesco as a top up shop tho when needed.

Sainburys is too expensive for the quality of the food.

If you’ve got time making some things from scratch also saves a lot of money! I make pizza and it saves us loads.
Also recently discovered an excellent flatbread recipe that’s cheap as chips but makes a great meal addition

I use the Asda app for click and collect. I order what I need and I can't be tempted by in store offers (I'm bloody terrible in the middle aisle of Lidl/Aldi 😂).

Though I do a monthly/6 weekly 'stock up' on cupboard and freezer stuff in Lidl or Aldi.

Definitely Morrisons. Love their fresh stuff, they also do fab quality meat and fish and lots of good deli things. Best value by far!

Tesco with a Clubcard and Delivery Saver for me

I switched from Tesco to Asda and found it much cheaper during lockdown. I've recently bought a midweek delivery saver as they're available again. £35 annual fee for someone else to do the picking and delivery is great as I'm not tempted by random offers.
I do also go to Morrison's for any top-ups needed and the fresh fish/ bread. They have much more British produce than Asda too x

If you are happy for a surprise sign up to too good to go. £3.29 for a box of fruit and veg from morrisons ....you don't know what you get as it's short dated but the times I have had or probably £20 worth in a box. One box I had £9 of blueberries alone! My blueberry loving daughter was very happy.

Also the M&S garages are on it - £4 a box for that one and again I get £10-£20 of food.

Why don't you go online to each of the supermarkets on your list and fill your shopping basket and see which comes out the cheapest?

I'd say try them all then decide.
I've given up on our local Morriston due to poor customer service, plus poor stock levels. I'm now deciding between the Asia and Lidl. I

OP, why are Aldi and Lidl off the table.

I don’t need to budget, and have done Waitrose and M&S and all the others. I even have insider knowledge of one of the premium ones. I cook from scratch mostly and buy the best ingredients I can. My shop has been a work in progress for years but now I buy most of my stuff from Aldi. Honestly, premium supermarkets are the biggest rip off ever.

Honestly, you’re better to try them all and work out which is best for the fresh stuff near you.
We are half way between 2 similar sized Sainsbury’s, Asda and Lidl and the quality in each store is very different despite being the same chain! In fact I generally get my fruit direct from a local greengrocers that has free delivery and is always excellent quality.

Its been a while, but WaitrosecEssentials used to be very good value. I shopped there as a student...

(It was the only big supermarket I walking distance, so very popular with students!)

Asda. Am amazed you need to ask tbh.

Best value doesn’t necessarily mean cheapest - it means best quality/range for the price you pay.

I would say tesco if Aldi/ lidl not options, do a mock shop online add you go, fair amount of budget goods too

All round Asda / Tesco out of those. I think it varies place by place because the big Tesco is absolutely rotten round here. We quite often find brown dripping bags of herbs, mouldy fruit, soft potatoes etc. Grim, would only shop there in an emergency now. (the extra near our house seems to be ok tbf).

Our Asda is great - people are snobby about it but they delivered throughout the pandemic when my usual Waitrose couldn’t and I’ve stuck with them. Good food and always polite staff and good price.

Meal plan

I just switched from Tesco to Sainsburys. I think the quality is better, especially meat and veg.
Their own brand stuff is also great.

Asda if lidl and Aldi aren't options. Im on a real budget and used my money supermarket quite a few times with Asda always coming out cheapest.

Quality is good, variety not bad. Plus delivery pass is £6 a month.

Lidl.
I could easily afford to shop on Waitrose but hate the place!
Lidl is amazingly good value and shopping experience.
Aldi good too but more crowded.

Sainsbury and Tesco much more expensive than you’d think.

I use Waitrose for delivery, good value, essential range is very good quality and keenly priced. I also like Aldi. Never liked Tesco to be honest, would chose Asda or Morrison’s, are very good for fruit & veg.

If you are on a tight budget then steer clear of berries and tropical fruit unless it is on special offer. You can get a massive bag of apples for half the price of a tiny punnet of blueberries. Occasionally you can get a big pineapple or melon on offer but otherwise stick to the basic apples, pears, bananas & oranges - and always check the price per kilo. You want local apples, not Canadian ones at twice the price.

Much the same goes for veg. If it grows in our climate and is in season, not only will it be far cheaper, but it's better for you and the planet. Nobody really needs sugar snap peas from Guatemala.

I like Sainsburys you can get a cheap midweek delivery pass. I have tried Asda and hated it. I didn't find it to be cheaper than Sains and they make billing extremely complicated.

Asda and Morrisons. Try to learn which is cheaper for which thing, but Asda mainly.