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Original poster

Grocery shopping....anyone else finding it increasingly expensive? What do you pay weekly?

248 replies

whispywhisp · 29/06/2008 11:23

Anyone got any recommendations on Tesco Value products - are they any good? What foods to avoid that are clearly rubbish?

We are a family of four. I have always tried to buy our groceries economically but have tended to avoid Tesco Value products because I've worried about the quality.

Its now become so expensive to buy food and household products that we've got no choice but to buy the cheaper range.

I don't know what everyone else is spending each week but, on average, I'm paying way over £100 per week on everything - food, cleaning materials, pet food etc etc and we simply can't afford to continue like this.

What does everyone else do? Are we all finding it increasingly expensive to buy groceries? Anyone found some of the Tesco Value stuff should be avoided?

I would grow my own stuff but we don't have the room. I would use a local greengrocer...if we had one. I cook all our meals - we are a family who eat a lot of fruit and veg and its those items that I'm finding have gone up so much. I like my kids to eat well, which they do, I don't want them to eat junk (which they'd love to, I'm sure!). Help!

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Saymyname · 04/07/2008 21:36

I agree ww, poncey hand soap never seems to get you properly clean like bars of soap. Bars of soap last forever too..

orangehead · 04/07/2008 21:38

I have just started shopping online at tesco. It actually saves me quite a bit as it means I dont impulse buy, but buy what we actually need.

expatinscotland · 04/07/2008 21:39

we buy a tin of alison's dried active baking yeast. it's a white tin and lasts for months and months.

in addition to bread, we make rolls.

i use it for handmade malt loaves, too.

expatinscotland · 04/07/2008 21:40

it's a bit messy, but you can also grate up bars of soap, you don't need to grate much, and then put them in the bottom of an old hand soap dispenser and top up with water.

halogen · 04/07/2008 21:41

Thanks for breadmaker recommendations. I am going to try and clear a space in the kitchen, keep it clear for a week and then convince my other half that we really need a breadmaker.

Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 21:41

Because my Breadmaker is out of action I bought a couple of packets of Hovis readymix bread mix the other day - in a green and white bag - I mix it up and put in the airing cupboard for a couple of hours and stick in the oven - anyone tried them?

expat...I'll look for that yeast when I'm next shopping. I used to buy Hovis yeast - about ten sachets in a green box - was ok providing I used any half used sachets quickly because it'd go off otherwise.

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snooks · 04/07/2008 21:43

whispywhisp I started a thread about tesco value stuff tonight - in Chat. Will serve me right for not searching threads before posting lol! Am going to have a good read of this thread now.

Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 21:44

snooks...link them if you want. I would but I haven't a clue how to link on here and don't want to balls it up!

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Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 21:50

Oh and snooks...I've tried a lot of Tescos value stuff this week. All so far so good. Can't comment on nappies tho (I've looked at your thread) cos I have nothing to put in them (phew!) but their food is fine, cleaning materials are lovely, washing detergent brilliant, loo rolls ok...all in all I'm very impressed and its already saving me quite a bit of cash each week, thank goodness.

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snooks · 04/07/2008 21:51

whispy I daren't even try to link!! I know I would balls it up (anyway your thread is so much better )

Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 21:52

It's not better...I just waffle!

So why are you trying the value stuff then? Are you finding it increasingly expensive to live like most of us on here? I'm amazed and pleased its so much cheaper.

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expatinscotland · 04/07/2008 21:54

you can get smaller tins of Allison, whispy, in an orange tin in most supermarkets.

it is cheaper than sachets and if you keep it int he fridge it probably won't go off before you have a change to use it.

halogen · 04/07/2008 21:55

Sainsburys value stuff is also really good. Fruit veg, tins of tomatoes/kidney beans, pitta bread etc etc. Everything I've tried has been fine.

Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 21:55

expat....can you link? If so....can you do me a big favour and link snooks thread about Tesco value and link it to this thread? Thank you!!! xx

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Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 21:57

lucicle...I used Sainsburys a lot up until recently. I kept finding it was more expensive - my week's shop would be well over £100 whereas Tesco would be around the £80 mark. I love Sainsburys stuff too esp their fruit and veg.

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expatinscotland · 04/07/2008 21:59

i'm looking for the one we buy, whispy, but we get it in an independent healthfood shop so i'm not sure i can find it online.

i've seen the smaller tins in the same area as the sachets. it's a bright orange, wee tin.

halogen · 04/07/2008 22:00

I don't drive and have a Sainsers just round the corner so I think I'm stuck with them!

halogen · 04/07/2008 22:00

I can link. Where's the thread?

halogen · 04/07/2008 22:01

Tesco value thread

Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 22:01

Oh thank you lucicle....if you do a search for messages under snooks' name for today you'll find it. I wish I could get the hang of linking but I really don't want to embarrass myself and get it all wrong!

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snooks · 04/07/2008 22:02

whispy

lots of reasons:

my shopping has decreased in size on my kitchen table and the spend has increased

just had dd3 - 9 weeks and ds1 is only 3.9 - and am not planning to go back to work for at least a couple of years

fixed rate motgage term coming to an end and the new one is def going to be more expensive (duh)

we used to spend say, £50 at tescos a week, but I would happily squander £10 here, £10 there at local co-op in our village on "nothing" just day-to-day - something needs to give (and I need to keep out of the Co-op and their irresistable offers)

Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 22:04

Thank you lucicle!!!! Can you do a link on the other thread as well please?!!!!! You're a star. xxx

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halogen · 04/07/2008 22:07

Done it!

Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 22:10

snooks - similar story here. I'd get home, unpack all the shopping and look at it and wonder where the hell the £100 or so had gone and even then we'd start running out of bits before the week was out! At the end of the month I'd go thru our statements and would be horrified to see we'd spent about £500 in Tescos. That's way WAY more than we can afford so we'd end up in our overdraft every month. Each month we were going further into our overdraft and at one point we were coming up to our limit of £1000. Enough was enough. DH was becoming despondent that he'd work so hard all month only for his wages to get us back into the black, just, for just a few days.

This is why I've had to cut back enormously on what we spend otherwise we'll be in deep hot water in the coming weeks. So far I'm happy with our cut-backs. Fortunately I have kids that'll eat most things I put in front of them. The dog hasn't sussed out she's on cheaper dog food yet - she tops herself up with slugs and snails from the garden anyway so she's happy.

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Original poster
whispywhisp · 04/07/2008 22:11

Thank you lucicle....I will learn how to do it one day. I'll pick a time when there's no one around...say about 4am? I'll sneak onto MN...try it and if it doesn't work run away! xxxx

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