Oh no I've over spent massively

[Greensleevevssnotnose]

I feel such an idiot

A few weeks ago with our Tesco order we got the preorder food catalogue.

It looked yummy and so I picked out what I liked the look of and put it in my basket for the Christmas delivery. I have been asking my oh to go through it and make the choice, which trifle. Which cake. Which meat etc for a few days and now he's finished work he sat down to do it last night

Only to find out it can't be changed as it has already been ordered. The cost is horrendous but the waste is awful. There are two of us, no guests and we have several trifles, logs, cakes cheeseboards. Party food, joints of meat, all 8 portions! The intention was to choose one of each.

I felt ill when he told me, luckily he was calm about it. Christmas is gonna last into February at this rate. Please tell me I'm not the only one?

Freeze as much as you can - if needed see if a friend/family member has freezer space (our freezer is never anywhere near full even at Christmas).

Cakes/cheeseboards could be given as gifts.

Non-perishables could be donated to a food bank.

Never done this, but we did a massive m&s order one year, and we were still eating it by october the following year, for special sunday lunches or occasions etc.

Just cancel the slot. It was just DP and I for Christmas last year and we just went to M&S on Christmas eve and got a few bits.

Can you cancel the order and then try to book the slot again when it becomes available?
Id rather lose the slot than spend all that money on food I don’t need

Agree with those who say just cancel the order and then go and shop in store for what you need. Unless there are physical or mental health, or logistical reasons why you genuinely cannot get to a shop (or if you live very remotely or don't drive etc) then there is no need to do an online order.

As other people have said, half the time with online ordering you have to go to a shop to pick up whatever they didn't have available anyway, so with just two of you it should be no problem. Go nice and early one morning and it should only take you an hour or so - the stores will get busier as the day goes on but it's quite painless if you go early enough.

Yup sorry just another little voice adding to the chorus of - it's far better to cancel the whole slot and go food shopping than have all that waste!

I understand that some things are order only and not available in store, but there is sooo much Christmas food around in supermarkets, there will be alternatives and the stuff that is truly exclusive to order would be for catering to large groups - e.g. their massive stews, 6 ham and cheese croissants etc.

The Christmas food that OP is talking about is the range where it is all ordered specifically for that customer - it's not as simple as cancelling the slot - she'll probably still get charged. @123woop sounds like trying to phone them is the best option, which I know you are already doing - good luck!

Exactly. If it just two of you pop to M&S on Christmas Eve and you will be just fine.

Exactly. I don't like supermarket shopping but I wouldn't buy stuff I didn't need and couldn't afford to avoid a trip. If you did it this weekend or Monday or Tuesday evening it won't be nearly as busy as leaving it until next weekend, either.

4pm on Xmas Eve is cutting it very fine anyway. What if they don't come? Christmas isn't delivered!

I always accidentally order extra stuff. All the delivery drivers know I'm notorious for it! I tell them I did that by accident and hand it back, they give me a refund later.

I only recently started doing this, before I would be a drip and just accept stuff I had no intention of ever using!

I doubt it a week ahead, it can easily be sold to another customer. But I don't shop with Tesco so I don't know.

If it can't be cancelled at all, then I agree, freeze as much as you can.

I’m curious to know the cost 😬

just give what you don't want back to the driver. I do this with Sainsburys deliveries if I've double ordered by mistake or I don't like their substitution. It should be completely fine.

Call some charities direct, rather than giving to a food bank. There are several that offer shelter and Christmas dinner to people who are usually on the streets. They would probably collect from you, even on Christmas Eve/Day.

It all has to be ordered by 14th dec and then it can’t be cancelled

Spending even more a chest freezer when you’ve already overspent is bonkers.

With most orders you can return what you don’t want to the driver and a refund is issued after the van gets back to store. What have Tesco said?

Freeze as much as you can fit. If not then donate the excess.

God I’m glad I don’t do any of this special Christmas food ordering and delivery malarkey. It always sounds like a drama. I sometimes have 5 or 6 people over for Christmas, I just go to the butcher and the supermarket.

What op is talking about is not the same as just going to shop and buying from shelf

OP was it part of this range? www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/zone/festive-food-to-order

I am surprised that you didn't receive an email confirming your order though, or did it only arrive after you could no longer cancel?

Personally, I would cancel the slot. If only two of you, a shop won't take long. Also, you won't have to worry about whether certain things are available, ie you can see what's in store and make a good substitute.

I did this last year after a wine fuelled attempt to be organised one evening. Fortunately it wasn’t quite to the level you’ve done but it did result in an eye wateringly expensive rib of beef (which was very tasty!) that cost almost as much as one of our usual shops 🙈

I do get that but if it's just the 2 of you, you don't need 18 mini tarts.

I hope you can cancel the order OP!

I would imagine so yes- OP would have checked out at the time of ordering which I think was back in November - they don't send a reminder nearer the time