Frugal Friday

I thought I'd start an occasional series of posts with some frugal, money-saving tips.  I'm planning on posting them mainly on Fridays - hence, of course, the title.  I probably won't be able to claim that any of the tips were created by me - I'm an inveterate reader of any money-saving books / columns / tips / websites - but I do try and implement most of them in the way I live.

I thought I'd start off with the weekly food shop. 

Now, I'm very lucky in that my local supermarket is an Aldi.  For anyone who hasn't come across the Aldi chain they are a German-based supermarket (and are, I believe, some relation to the other German chain - Lidl), they sell a limited range of food stuffs, none of them brand names, which are excellent quality at exceptionally cheap prices.  When I first came across Aldi (about seven years ago) I was very sceptical about the quality of unkown makes, but I have been very pleasantly surprised that I don't have to use Heinz tomato ketchup or salad cream - their own label brands are just as good.  Some things I don't get on with - their corn flakes aren't a patch on Kellogg's and their tomato soup is nowhere near as nice as Heinz - but, generally, own-label brands are just as good as the well-known makes.  After 'taking the plunge' away from well-known brand names, I now tend to buy all supermarket own brands as standard.  This tends to work out much, much cheaper.  Mind you, the supermarkets are very savvy about this and tend to place all the more expensive, well-known brands on the eye-level shelves, you often have to scrabble around nearly at floor level to find the supermarket own-brand product.  So, after a huge amount of waffle, that would be my tip number one, try own-brand labels instead of well-known makers - some you'll win, some you'll lose - but you will save money.

Tip two - a fairly obvious one this - never, ever go food shopping on an empty stomach - that way huge checkout bills lie!!  I've done it myself in the past, been a bit peckish when shopping and, whoosh - before you know it, all sorts or tempting tit-bits and treats are in the trolley. 

Following on from that is always make a list.  This saves much head-scratching in the shop, much frustration when you get home (having forgotten some vital ingredient), and makes shopping quicker and cheaper.  If you stick closely to the list it will save you from being tempted by all sorts of expensive but non-essential items as you go round the supermarket.

In the same vein - know what you've got at home.  There's no good doubling up on items which are perishable (the carton of cream I had to throw out this week still irks me!!).  Have a quick check through the fridge / pantry before you head off so that you don't inadvertantly double up.

Tip five - try and buy in bulk if something you know you'll use (and can be stored easily) is on special offer, or is much cheaper in an 'industrial' size.  I'm a bit limited with this one as I don't have much storage space in the kitchen, a tiny fridge, and no freezer, but I do keep my eyes open for anything tinned, in packets, or cleaning / toiletry products on specials which can be stored somewhere else in the house.  Also, I tend to buy mega packets of herbs and spices and then decant them into small storage jars as and when needed.  These HUGE packets often only cost pennies more than the fancy schmancy little glass jars of herbs / spices in the supermarkets - and they last for aeons!!

Anyway, I hope some of these tips might be useful to someone out there.  Please do get it touch, I'd love to hear if you have any money-saving food-shopping tips.

I leave you with a picture of some rather funky, and very large, placemats I got yesterday in a charity shop - £1 for the four - brand new and in their original packaging.  The pictures are of all sorts of electrical household items with their names in English, French and German - 'so, jetzt, ich kann essen und lernen'

Comments

[Gillian]

Nice to catch up with you Elizabeth,you've written some nice posts this past week.
I wish we had an Aldi near us, I know they're very good value; my brother and his wife shop in their local Aldi, but it's 20 miles from here, not very convenient. Great tips, pretty much how I shop. I always try and stick to my list, but one way I've saved money is to do a large shop once a month and have it home delivered. I order enough of the basics to last the month and just pop in to the supermarket each week to buy milk, fruit and veg. I reckon I'm spending at least £50 a month less, and the weekly shopping trips only take a short time because I don't need much.
I've been given a large bag of apples too, I'll cook and freeze some but might make an apple chutney too. I love the produce that's being grown right now, I visited a friend today and came home with green beans, tomatoes, a cucumber and some beetroots from her garden.
Gill x