£115 to spend at morrisons

[SpringIsSpringing23]

I have received a £115 gift card to spend at morrisons from housing association to help with cost of living. It's something I had to apply for and prove that I needed.

I'm wondering how best to spend it. Doesn't need to be used in one go.

Would you stock up on toiletries, cleaning products, laundry stuff, tinned goods etc or just buy as you would each week?

I live alone, no pets or kids.

I'm actually going to use £15 on things to put in food bank.

I would either buy a load of washing powder etc or use the voucher to buy other gift cards to use for other shops or use as birthday presents.

If you needed it surely you know how you need to spend it? I would buy bulk like a big washing up powder box that will last a few months, stock up freezer etc.

Check you have basics in, such as flour and pasta.

A couple of blocks of cheese to grate and freeze in small portions.

Spare loopaper and washing powder.

Tinned goods like tuna.

Olive oil

Tinned pulses-lots.

I would use it each week. Hopefully that will cover your shopping for the next few weeks or use it to buy the more expensive items like washing powder etc.

@NextPrimeMinister I don't think you can use vouchers to buy vouchers (might be wrong but I tried to do that a couple of years ago in boots and was told you can't buy credit with credit). Might be different in Morrisons. Good idea though!

Why would you use it to buy things for the foodbank when you were given it because you applied for it and needed it. Surely you should be spending it on yourself.

I would bulk buy things I use like washing powder, tins and packets of food. Some herbs and spices too so when the money runs out, you'll have stuff to make basic food taste nice.

I would use it to bulk buy washing powder or toilet paper etc as these things are cheaper in bulk. And then use the remainder for your normal shopping needs.
however nice it is to donate to the food bank I don’t think that is why you have been given the voucher and you should spend it all on yourself.

Do bulk buying of stuff you normally use. It's always cheaper to buy in bulk. And maybe a small treat.

I’d divide it up. Deduct your food bank donation then 50% in tinned goods, cleaning stuff, tea, coffee, oil. Then keep the remainder for when you need it.

You had to apply, and prove that you needed it. In that case you must have had a reason for doing so. Just buy what you need. Donate what you are able to the food bank. Job done.

Do not donate to the food bank.

Not sure how big your family is, but personally I would use 40 to buy any basics that are on offer - large washing powder, large pasta, lots of tinned stuff, frozen chips, frozen veg. Then meal plan for the next few weeks and buy as and when you need stuff.

Also a nice bar of chocolate for yourself.

I think the OP is asking for the best way to utilise it all with no waste. Not how to fritter it away.

OP, I would buy long life things.

Cleaning products, bathroom products etc. You could get a lot for that and it would take pressure off your weekly shopping budget for a
few months.

It’s good of you to think of the food bank, but this was given to you to use.

I would have a look and see what essentials were on special offer such as washing powder, toilet rolls, tinned food etc and stock up on them. But only if the voucher meant that I could afford to do this.

If you can cook (even a little) I'd spend some on things like herbs/spices/condiments and other 'store cupboard essentials'. Once you've made the initial investment in that stuff you can cook meals relatively cheaply, compared to getting prepared stuff. I'd also look at what you can buy in bulk, as the 'cheap' (small) option that people on a budget inevitably end up buying is often not that cost effective per meal.

I'll give you a clue about how big her family is: it's in the OP.

Just use it as you need it. Do you normally shop at Morrisons? If not, some things are quite expensive compared to Lidl and Aldi - people say they seem to have increased in price more than the other supermarkets.

But if you shop carefully, it's fine. Just buy things you need until you run out and look for things on offer to maximise the value. Net result is that over the next few weeks you'll spend £115 less of your own money on groceries so have £115 more to spend on other things, eg energy. Or you might even be able to put a bit of money in savings so it's available later when you need something you couldn't normally afford. Look at the Help to Save account if you don't already have one.

I'd just use it for the next few shops and stock up on staples you know you'll use.

I would use it to top up my usual shop - so do the usual shop, then make sure I had a well stocked cupboard and freezer and cleaning cupboard with stuff I used.
Or, I'd use it to do my (slightly generous) normal shop, and use the money not spent at the supermarket on other things that were needed (school money? Shoes?)

I would buy long life items, bulky products such as loo roll and laundry products if you have the storage space, as this will also make lugging your shopping home easier for weeks afterwards. Prices are set to gradually stabilise but not go down, so I would use it up and buy everything upfront if you can.

Using it to buy larger packs of non perishables that you can't normally afford is a good idea. Then you won't need to buy those things for a while, so will make the most of the money that way.

Don't put £15 of stuff into the foodbank. Why would you do that? You are someone who needs it, don't accelerate yourself back into the situation where you have to apply for more.

The foodbank DO NOT want you to do that in any way. Spend the money on things you'll need yourself.

I would buy washing powder, tin foil, toilet roll etc when on offer and then I'd use the rest for small shops of fresh produce

I would use it to buy things to do some batch cooking. Buy some foil takeaway type containers and then make yourself lots of batches of bolognaise and curries etc that you can freeze.

Batch cooking can be out of the reach of some people because it involves a high Initial outlay getting lots of ingredients, even though it saves money in the long run as there is a lot less waste.

Be aware of regular offers, Morrisons often do a price reduction on household items like cleaning products around Pay Day / end of the month. Promos and price changes are generally done on Sunday evenings.

I would stock up on cupboard staples herbs and spices that making cooking other dishes easier, tinned tomatoes, large bags of dry products that don't go off like pasta and rice. If you are able to I would batch cook and buy storage containers for that it's tricky to cook for 1 but if you make chilli, bolognese, casserole and then separate them you'll have meals to last you ages.
1 large lot of toilet roll will last ages if it's just you, as would cleaning items so maybe two of each of the things I use regularly.
Morrisons cheapest range is fine for stuff like chocolate and rice pudding for a sweet treat.

Get yourself a Morrisons card (you can do it on the phone app) as that often sends you offers for extra discounts e.g. I got 10% off fruit and veg last week and a jar of Nutella was down to £1.75 from £2.50 for card holders.
I would have a look in your cupboards and see what basics and essentials you need to stock up on. Do a price comparison of what's worth buying in Morrisons compared to somewhere like Lidl or Aldi (if you have the cash to shop there instead), do a bulk buy of things like washing powder and loo rolls, and then some fresh things to batch cook and freeze, and I'd get some frozen veg to make soup or keep in the freezer for when supplies run low in future.

Having lived alone and had 'bonus' vouchers from work for supermarkets I have always bought longer life items and no perishables.

Even though I was working money would occasionally get tight so I would have 'back up meals' for that final push to pay day and I would stock up on items that sometimes get forgotten or put to the bottom of the list when you are a bit skint.

So examples

Items that would get put to the bottom of a list and not bought when skint
Toothpaste
Toilet roll
Sanitary products - tampons/towels
Paracetamol
Wash powder
Fabric conditioner
Cleaning products - bleach etc
Shampoo/conditioner/soap

Longlife items that can make meals (storage can be an issue)
Baked beans
Bread or part bake rolls/crumpets/muffins - keep in freezer and defrost as needed
Cheese - grated frozen
Tuna
Pasta
Passata
Tin Tom's
Tin beans
Cereal
Porridge
Longlife milk
Small selection of herbs and spices
Fishfingers (frozen)
Frozen peas/veg
Frozen fruit

I bought the lowest price brand (value) or largest i could store or best offer i could.

Obviously your cooking skills and utensils/storage will dictate what you buy but this system helped me a lot that final week when I had a fiver left for fresh milk and some reduced bits - I could scramble together some food and keep me and my house clean.