Shopping Bills

[Chinchilla]

Long story, but dh and I are having to make cut backs in our monthly expenditure. We realised that I was spending far too much while shopping, because I make several trips to various supermarkets, and get a few extra things that can sometimes add up to £30 a time, on top of the weekly shop. OK, so we decided to stop having take-aways at the weekend, going out for pizza, and for me to make only one visit to the supermarket, unless I need milk or bread (and then I must only buy those items). No problem there, and last week, I managed to spend 'only' £75 in two trips (one for milk only!) However, today I went for the weekly shop, and managed to spend £110. Before you all gasp in horror, I have ds's 2nd birthday party next Monday, and a lot of the shop involved fizzy drinks, wine, squash etc. Also, there were a lot of toiletries involved this week. In addition, wherever possible, I bought BOGOF items and 'two for £xxx' offers.

yes I think it is Home & Bargain not Home Bargains must have misread the sign when I was running in there

Just got some fab jeans for my daughter at Lidl - little embroidered flowers on them from the knee down - £3.49

Ethel Austin, now you're talking!

Still giggling at Princesspeaheads brocolli!!!

Oh, and £40 for a hair cut????? Oh my...A neighbour does ours for £3.50! And I saved that this time by doing ds's myself, not bad either

Tinker, when DS2 was a creeper I got the most adorable navy and white striped romper from EA for about £1.50 - subsequently saw the very same suit in an upmarket secondhand clothes shop for about £4.99!!!!

My latest Lidl bargain was a very nice sturdy backpack, with lots of pockets, and proper straps with buckles at the front too, for £4.99. Don't know how they do it, frankly. (But however they do it, they do it for half the price in Germany according to a friend who lives there. Gnash.)

Tinker, that's it exactly - Lidl is like being in a supermarket on holiday. You really have to peer hard to find the English writing on the labels.
Their food really is lovely - great for cold meats and cheese.

Did someone say the F word? ( Farmfoods). I have just discovered them too, really great and cheap but all labels are in English which is a bit disappointing. Tonight we had a big farmfoods chicken ; cost £3 , fed four adults and three kids (all very greedy people) with plently leftover for sandwiches tomorrow, if only I had a big enough fridge to put the cascass in

jasper - that sounds very cheap for a chicken - I try to buy only free range - do ff sell these also

My dh is a pizza addict and likes Lidl pizza ( the one in the chiller cabinet below the cheese) better then any other.
(I'm too slim and posh to eat pizza )

Northernlass I'm not quite that posh I'm afraid. I doubt whether Farmfoods do free range but will loook out at my next trip.
Their frozen veg is really good too.

jasper, have you tried Lidl's hefty lasagne? Nearly as good as homemade.

oo i've just realised there's a lidl only 15 miles away - so there's cold meat, cheese, lasagne, pizza - what else is good there?

janh I will put it on my list.
Spacemonkey they have a limited range of fruit and veg but it is generally very good - just pick carefully as you would anywhere else. They often mark it down to half price, eg 50p last week for a big tub of washed rocket leaves.
Spaghetti hoops 7p a can.(I am posh, honest)

Re cheese - their Emental in individual slices are really good.

Their mayo is absolutley delicious.

Big cartons of pure apple and orange are very good and make good ice lollies for the kids.

Their ice creams and lollies are excellent.

Remember to take a pound coin as deposit for the trolley and lots of carrier bags as you have to pay for them otherwise.

DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THE FUNNY LOOKING CUSTOMERS FOUND IN LIDL.

Feeling smug, as just went to Asda instead of Tescos and spent £22 less than last week!! dh a bit sniffy about this achievement, but I think he's just jealous at how clever I am...

thanks awfully jasper

I haven't read this whole thread but I have a money saving tip that will keep you healthy too ... sorry if it is repeating anything that anyone else says ...
Basically, what you do is go around the outside of the supermarket ... no, not outside outside!! But around the outside INSIDE the supermarket.
Most supermarkets are laid out so they have all the fresh veg and fruit, fresh meat, dairy and bread around the four walls of the supermarket.
If you avoid the middle aisles you avoid the processed (and therefore more expensive) food!!

Spacemonkey - where is it? If it's 15 miles from you, it is from me too! I've never heard of it, but am keen to go now.

That's brilliant Ghosty, what a simplified way to shop.

chinchilla, there's one in ipswich and another one in chelmsford! the website is here with maps

also there is a netto in heybridge, i've never been in there because i can never find a space in the tiny car park - the shop looks quite small so don't know if it's worth the trip unless you're passing anyway.

Wish i could get a costco card, but it's trade only isnt it?

Jasper, Spacemonkey's favourite past time is looking out for amusing shoppers in stores, she'll love it!

Think you can get a costco card if you are not trade - I had one but cannot remember how I got it - run out now - is good job too always ended up coming home with enough toilet role to supply a Congalese village with Ebola!! (Sorry!!)

Am trying to get DP to come to Safeway but he is having a tantrum that it will not be as good as Sainsbury's or Waitrose - I went the other day as had no lidl or netto and was pleasantly surprised by the fish and fresh meat counter and big bous was that they do billy bear on the deli counter which DD manages to scoff about 1lb of whilst we are shopping!!

spacemonkey, Lidl's non-food things are great and cheap, especially paper products and shampoo. Frozen stuff - oven chips, chicken burgers, curries etc and ice cream as jasper mentioned (look out for a big blue tub of vanilla with actual vanilla in), olive oil, ketchup (in the red squeezy bottle), pasta, vine tomatoes, tinned tuna and sardines, pressed apple juice (black carton) and small juice cartons (about 65p for 5). The cereals are not very successful with my kids because they are too different from the ones they like. Good biscuits, jam and instant coffee, oh, and a big blue plastic container of chocolate milk drink powder.

They also have some very interesting little sausages called Nurnburger, they're not cheap at about 1.85 for 300g but are 95% meat and delicious. (They smell funny when uncooked but ignore that!)

Oh, and as well as not being afraid of the fascinating clientele, be prepared for the fastest checkout experience of your life - once your trolley is empty that is - it gets yanked around by the checkout lady and she almost flings things at you as they go past the scanner - you have to get them in the trolley equally quickly and then trot off to the shelf at the back to pack your bags, otherwise all the weirdos will give you hard stares.

Where is my nearest Lidl - I really want to go now - just so I can say I have done it and survived - I live in SE9!!

Boe, spacemonkey put in a link to Lidl's website a few messages down - it has a store finder. (Also all the current Non-Essential Stuff offers.)

Apparently is in Footscray - have been warned about the Crays!!