To ask people that do their normal shop at waitrose how they afford it?

[jdoe8]

After spending a few days with a family member that does and doing an aldi shop, the quality is very stark. As much as the super 6 look good, the apples are very powdery and the oranges pithy and not that sweet. It makes me feel a bit poor. In other countries you would have market stuff that is good, but obviously not in the UK.

I feel like I would have to earn 150k to afford it. I like it for the rare treat, but unless you live on cheap stodge im not sure how so many people afford it.

I work full time so I get Waitrose delivered on a Saturday morning. What with cleaning the house etc at the weekend, it's one less chore for me to do. As it's free when a shop is over £60, that's a saving in itself.

I tend to buy fruit, essential Waitrose items and stuff that's on offer. Also, If you're careful about Pick your own Offers, then items aren't much more than at a 'normal' supermarket. The meat is very good but, again I buy when it's on offer.

I have a Sainsbury's down the road and I find that can be expensive. Also, I tend to spend less when I shop online.

I do occasionally pop into other supermarkets or B&M, Wilko, Home Bargains etc so will stock up on household stuff there as they're quite cheap.

It's how you manage it really.

Im shocked at people saying waitrose does good quality fruit and eg as not my experience. Best quality fruit and veg is idll. Dont get me on waitrose dry cakes and bread. Maybe you go to a different waitrose to me! Waitrose good for a few bits (cheese)

I've found the fruit and veg very good in my local Waitrose, but the fish counter isn't great. The fish counters in Sainsburys and Morrisons in the next town are significantly better, but neither of them have decent parking and I just don't have the time to go around a series of different supermarkets to get a halibut.

Re. the original question, having shopped in all of the main supermarkets over the years, I've never noticed a significant price difference between them all, even when I was on a shoestring budget. As several people have pointed out, it's more about proper meal planning, making a list and sticking to it, taking advantage of special offers and buying own brand. I am a high earner now, but I'm not profligate. I hate food waste so I only buy what we need for that week and I do look at prices across ranges. Call it a hangover from being poor. :)

The main reason I go to Waitrose is because it is local and convenient. If there was a Sainsbury or Tesco there, I'd be going instead. I don't go because it's Waitrose, IYSWIM.

Best choice for organic veg rach I always find the Lidl stuff last a lot less time before going manky (assuming it isn't already manky in the shop which these days it can be).

Unusually we did the weekly shop in Waitrose today as I didn't feel like a long drive to one of the others, it did cost more than Morrisons (next closest) and I hate Tesco (3rd closest) but only because I bought a baking tray and some other bits I can never find anywhere else, and stocked up on sensitive soap which was reduced and also hard to find unless I get Simple.

I don't buy bread in Waitrose but they do sell Cranks which is hard o find.

I absolutely detest Lidl, it is a scruffy, badly organised mess with floppy veg, stinking fridges and soap flavoured cheese and jumble sale of unwanted crap in the middle.

Well, the Waitrose website has a good offer of £20 off each online shop for the first five shops. and free delivery. You can join other family members and keep doing this offer...

Lidl fruit and veg might be cheap but it only lasts a day or two even in the fridge. Unless you can shop little and often for their fresh food it just goes waste as it goes off so quick.

Ocado works for me! Great choice, competitive price, and free delivery for a minimal monthly fee. We have pretty much all choice round here, and I don't find there is ever much difference on balance. Currently spend Avg 100pds pw for a family of 4, but tend to shop around for wine, and find our local Tesco 10pd meal deals are the best by far!

I shop at Waitrose as I can walk from my house. I agree that it's about what you buy more than where you shop. I tend to buy essentials range and use offers, I don't buy ready meals. As it's a small store I don't get distracted into buying random nonsense like paddling pools. I spend about £80/week for a family of four, less than I used to spend in Sains and Tesco previously. I also have a John Lewis credit card and My Waitrose card, so double up on loyalty points.

Never mind how people can afford to shop in Waitrose, I'm more intrigued as to why wettunwindee can't afford a weekly £300 - £400 at the local farm shop, as she would like, despite earning "nearly £150k and DH has a good job too" How much does that pay? £20k? £50k? £100k? £200k?? None of my business, I know, but I'm intrigued nevertheless!

I don't understand how people can find waitrose affordable. Even things like tinned red kidney beans are extra expensive compared with Tesco. This week I bought 3 lots of baby plum tomatoes. My usual tesco ones are £1 taste lovely but are quite small. sainsburys were £1.60, bigger and as nice. Waitrose were £2.10 and tasted the same as the Sainsburys ones (had some left so could compare). I bought more tesco ones this weekend and could tell they had the best flavour. my mother shops at Waitrose and her tiny shop is outrageously expensive for what it is.

We earn above average but not by much and have high outgoings.

We buy lots of the essential range, we eat almost totally vegan so no pricey meat or cheeses, but we also buy some expensive specialist, vegan and/or organic foods - we just can't get the choice in other supermarkets. We spend £60-90 a week for four of us including most lunches (but buy another £20 or so locally).

What better to spend your money on than food anyway?

Apart from a few items which my kids think Waitrose do better e.g. frozen scampi which I buy every 13 weeks or so I check MySupermarket app. If it's cheapest in Waitrose I buy it in Waitrose.

I don't understand how people can find waitrose affordable. Even things like tinned red kidney beans are extra expensive compared with Tesco.

Sorry but is it that hard to understand?
People earn different amounts.
Some posters live on £15K a year, others on £500K a year.

If you have a 6 figure income and few outgoings - no mortgage or debts- then the difference between 2 tins of beans is irrelevant.

Not being sarcy - but really, what is there not to understand?

As other people have said, it's very easy to understand. If you earn more money, you can afford more. If you have more money and think it's better quality you don't care if it costs more. Just like if you're a multi-millionaire you can afford to travel everywhere first class. I wouldn't pay to travel first class to Asia as it would be more than the whole cost of the holiday, but for some people with more money it would be a no brainer.

We do all our shopping in there because it's local. It's expensive but we don't have kids yet and we meal plan so everything we but we eat. We still spend £160 a week though for two people.

Aldi shopper here and we buy all our stuff (except specific branded likes which are minimal cat food/heinz ketchup) and find their products excellent. Have a Waitrose but never been in there!

How the hell can anyone spend £160 a week for 2? That's £80 for one person to eat for 7days

• but is it that hard to understand? People earn different amounts. Some posters live on £15K a year, others on £500K a year.

If you have a 6 figure income and few outgoings - no mortgage or debts- then the difference between 2 tins of beans is irrelevant.

Not being sarcy - but really, what is there not to understand?*

My DH earns six figures (over £200k). I earn £60k. So we have a decent combined income. I do my shopping in Lidl and Tesco, with certain items from Marks. I like to be careful with money, because I want to save. It's not automatic that if you earn more you will shop in Waitrose. I find some Waitrose prices daylight robbery. Some people who earn less may find them reasonable.

There is a huge Waitrose 5 mins from my house and I see people from all walks of life in there (or that I believe to be all walks of life), including pensioners.

It comes down to choice sometimes.

This week I bought 3 lots of baby plum tomatoes

You either don't care about the extra 50p, you don't buy baby plum tomatoes and substitute with cheaper items or shop for tomatoes elsewhere.

Many years ago (at least 20) I used to shop one week at Asda and the next week at Sainsbury's. I would buy branded stuff at Asda as it was cheaper but I found the selection at Sainsbury's better as I was vegi and they had a good vegi range then.
However I would get a few 'top up' bits from Waitrose opposite my work.

I soon realised that for the stuff I bought, creme fraiche, hummus, pesto, butternut squash, which was all a bit exotic 20 years ago, Waitrose were much cheaper.

This was not long after the baked bean wars though so stores had loss leaders on the stuff that were the best sellers in their stores.

Im sorry but I disagree with this, it's nothing to do with income. Many products just AREN'T more expensive in Waitrose. i often use the MySupermarket site to check before buying specific items (because I'm stingy and don't like paying more than I have to for things, irrespective of my income). Some are, but some aren't. Same as in the other supermarkets. Plus there are card holder offers, weekly offers etc that change the price. Overall it may be picier becasue they sell more poncy premium products, but basic items aren't necessarily. If you really want to keep the budget to a minimum, make a list and then check each item at MySupermarket. You'd be amazed how variable it is for each item. Kidney beans arent cheaper at Waitrose but other things will be the same price, or cheaper.

ok people who do shop at Waitrose need to stop saying it isn't as expensive as people think . When you do a shop on my supermarket.com or the like they ARE often the most expensive

When I used to do online shopping via mysupermarket it was very rare they were not the cheapest or 2nd cheapest..

It all depends on what you want..

The occasional time |I have gone into Waitrose and M&S for that matter I do wonder why people waste so much money doing a full shop in these places.

I wonder that the few times I bother going to Lidl or Aldi.. I think 80% of the food in there is substandard. I always end up with high amounts of wastage when I shop there. the meat almost all is dry or powdery and the cheese tastes of nothing (even the mature one)
I accept many others disagree with me. HOwever I do not think it is anywhere near as good quality as Waitrose or even Sainsbury does.

It all comes down to what you want..

and the cheese tastes of nothing (even the mature one)

That's not my experience. The cheese in Aldi is fabulous.