How do you cope with supermarket prices going up and up and up?

[WildEnergySupplier]

Just back from my big supermarket shop and I’m genuinely shocked at how much prices have gone up AGAIN.

It feels like every week there’s another increase - milk, bread, meat, vegetables, even the own-brand basics that used to be affordable. Things that were £2 to £2.50 about 4-5 years ago are now all about £4 to £4.50. It feels like since last summer, the prices have exploded.

I’m really struggling to keep the weekly food bill under control while everything else (energy, petrol, council tax etc etc) is still sky high.

This is despite the government telling us last week how brilliantly the economy is doing!! It certainly doesn’t feel like it to me. And I just heard on the radio that this navel gazing by-election is apparently costing us £5 million, as it will lead to another mayor election.

So many families are worrying about feeding their kids properly and keeping the heating on. How are the rest of you managing? Any clever tips for cutting costs without it feeling miserable? Are your shops coming in much more expensive too? I’d really appreciate hearing how others are coping because I’m starting to feel a bit despairing about it all. Thanks in advance.

no one has mentioned Asda, but I find their prices more reasonable, not cheap, than the other big supermarkets. Well worth a try.

Exactly. We didn’t buy lamb this year for Easter as by the time I got to Tesco all of the lamb that was on a special offer per kg was gone and the lamb in other supermarkets was too expensive. I went to Waitrose at Christmas and saw Turkeys for over £50. I literally looked at the meat with a face like this 😵‍💫 and left the shop.

I swapped to Aldi, make a plan and a list every week. Bake or cook 99% of what we eat and drink.

But necessary because people are struggling and OP is only asking for advice!! You don’t have to read the thread if it depresses you!

I wish 🙄

I tend to stick to frozen these days which is not what I prefer but I am so sick of stuff going off, have had onions go on the turn in a matter of days, and tomatoes turn to mush in the same time frame. I no longer get "fresh" veg from Aldi as it seems to start rotting on the way home

I use chat gpt to create menus for the week (incorporating family members likes and dislikes) for my budget and find the cheapest supermarket.

I grow as much as my own food as I can. Only go to the supermarket every 2/3 weeks. Make my own bread, butters, sauces, teas, etc.

Easier said than done but I’ve started eating less meat but buying from a butcher or maybe M&S.The other day I bought 1lb of mince,8 rashers back bacon and a very small (ie fed 2 people for 2 days plus couple of sandwiches) shoulder of pork joint and it cost just under £20!! But I’d rather that than tasteless stuff from a lot of supermarkets.
A decent size chicken from butcher is normally around £10 and tastes amazing

I’ve seen a tube of Colgate toothpaste in Asda for £7!! Wtf

I've cut back elsewhere in order to enjoy the same standard of supermarket food:

• didn't replace the cleaner when she left
• no longer eat out
• take away is a once every 3 month treat

Already shop at the cheapest shops (Aldi + fruit market + butcher) so no option to move to a cheaper store and I'm not willing to reduce the quality of what I eat. We spend approx £100/week on food for 4 of us and that does dinner every day for all of us + breakfast for 3 of us + lunch for 2 of us every day.

I use the Trolley app to check the price of Fairy, Dishwasher tablets, and regular food products.
My husband drinks Green Tea, the price for Tetley Green tea was £3 in Tesco, but the app showed that it was on offer in Sainsbury for £2. I bought 3 boxes, which will do a couple of months, and I saved £3.
Lidl sometimes has 25% off laundry pods.
Home Bargains is brilliant for seeds (great mixed with Greek yogurt for breakfast) Sunflower Seeds 79p, probably double that, even in Lidl.

If this is true, why don't you blame them?
They have enough money to pay; it's not like someone really poor shoplifting.
Really hope this isn't true as it's disgusting behaviour.

And it's the honest, paying shoppers that are punished as the shop just increase the prices to cover the loss.

I would 100% say it’s true. When caught, being a well-dressed professional would work in your favour. When I worked in London & Paris in my 20s, my workmates would nick make-up & clothes from nice department stores. Now, it’s posh food, it seems!

There is no way making your own bread is cheaper than buying an aldi loaf
No chance

We're both teachers but we're really struggling. I buy cheap brands and mostly meal plan as we tend to eat the same meals each day. With snacks I only buy what's on special offer. I don't really have time to shop around but buy my orange and mango squash in Asda as it's cheaper but every time I go in it's gone up again. My husband couldn't believe what I spend on groceries so looked at my last Tesco shop to check it and realised he couldn't get it down at all. We rarely have takeaways or eat out. He's looking to retire soon so looking for ways to really cut down but it's so hard.

I guess you think that was hilarious ?

Even with very good flour, it costs around £1 for me to make 3-4 baguettes. How much does a loaf in Aldi?

No , not really, mildly amusing. Its a sad state of affairs.
My suburb at night is packed with families eating out. It makes no sense.

75p for a fake Warburton or 55p for the basic own one

There is zero chance anyone is saving money making bread when you factor in time, ingredients, bread maker and electricity/gas

Prices have risen due to the War in Ukraine, that's not this Government's fault

Nothing is this governments fault.

Toogoodtogo can be a carb haven or some really good bargains - depending on where you live

I live rural and it's not much good for me, but on a city break - a godsend. Hotel Buffet breakfast for £4 - enough for 2, late night evening meals for £5/6 a head - bargains - as long as you arent picky - could be sushi, pizza or Chinese and everything in between

My friend lifts for Olio from Tesco twice a week. That too is often very carb heavy - bread and cakes, but a lot of veg. She lifts at 8pm and has to have it listed and gone by midnight , so that's all dependendent on the olio volunteers in your area

She has a small holding so food not collected isnt wasted

I wonder what's happening with the lowly yet very useful carrot?
We tend to use them a lot for colour, garnish, cabbage based stir fries, mixed with other veg as a side, and as a filler in wraps or enchiladas etc.
I've never had carrots that last only 24
hours!
But mine don't last as long as they used to, as I said on an earlier post, I take them out of the plastic bag which builds up so much condensation it's shocking.
I dry them well and put them in a paper bag in the crisper drawer.
It's really something when even carrots aren't what they used to be🤷