General Chat

Anything you think might help. From cheap meal options --- alternatives that are just as good/tasty etc as brand names -- Value range instead of main brands .... you get the gist :O)))

Hello Anne Me and my kids love pasta(asda smart price) with tinned chicken soup(asda smart price) mixed in with it! My hubby made it once when the cupboards were empty and it is really nice. x karen PS its really filling as well

Shopping on a budget, Me and her indoors just starve :-))))))))))

Don't go shopping when your hungry....big mistake! Campbell Condensed Soups are good...look on back for nice recipes...especially the chicken inwhite wine one.

Buy lots of tins of tomatoes (really cheap), and stock cubes.. they can be added to make pasta sauce, soups, etc. Make Baked spuds. Buy BOGOFs such as tins of tuna, baked beans. Always keep onion and garlic for flavouring. Shop in market (if you have one near you) for fresh veg and fruit, will be about half the price of supermarkets. BC XX

Anne plan your meals before you go shopping and stick to them. Remember that a lot of the reduced stuff can go in the freezer. If you don't eat a whole loaf before it goes stale keep half loaf out and freeze rest for next time. Or use stale bread and crusts to make Bread pudding is a tasty pudding and snack.

If there are veggies on offer, ie cauliflower on BOGOF, buy them up, blanch them and freeze them. Shop around if you can. Tesco do reduced prices on Clover, while Iceland will do bogof on the big tubs. Don't be tempted by cheap unbranded mince, it's all fat and offal. YUK!!! Use your local market place, many bargains there, good quality stuff, and some places will sell their veg cheap towards the end of the day.

Julie lol - that would be fantastic - thanks :O))) lolol Just things are VERY tight at the moment :O((

Anne will the cats eat a cheaper brand?

Dawn - unfortunately not :O(( Like most cats - they are fussy - have tried but it's a false economy as I end up binning it ..............

Sternly....Anne, stop giving your cats fillet steak and fresh tuna...that will save you a fortune:-) lol BC

BC pmsl If I could afford them the cats would have a fight on their hands lolol

Hey Ann Shop at night....lots of reduced stuff and you might even find a man too!...lol

Julie - do you use their Value fabric softner at all ??? Just having a browse to shop online - that will stop me picking up stuff I dont really need lol

Anne remember that will cost you in delivery though. And they wont give you the bargains and don't always deliver all the stuff.

Dawn Just checked that out - seems they don't charge for EVERY delivery slot now ............ :O))

Anne becareful! Just because there is no price in a particular slot that just means it isn't available.

ooooooooooh wonder if delivery men are fit. Mind you would probably be my luck I'd have the van that hubby and FiL saw. They were watching out of FiL flat window and the tesco van came up the road to the roundabout and as he went round it (a little mini one) his back doors came ope and all the stuff came out. He didn't realise and carried on. ALl the following cars stopped and pinched the shopping.

Dawnie I always seem to get women delivery drivers!

I def save money shopping on-line. The temptation in store is too much. I use 2 or 3 different stores. I have found that if I don't use one for a while then they send money off (or e-vouchers) to tempt you back. I have had at least £10 off each shop for the last few weeks. Some delivery slots are now free. Its a pain when you first do it but once you have a stock cupboard in your account its easy to re-order. I have become a genius at shopping & making cheap meals after my income dropped by 50% last year.