Lured by the Siren Song of Sainsbury's - Again

They're no fools those big supermarkets.  Last week when we did a large shop in Sainsbury's, we were given a voucher for £7 off a £70 shop - use by this week.  Well, at the time, I joked that we could throw that away as we certainly wouldn't be going back to Sainsbury's within a week.  Wrong!  The more I thought about 10% off our shopping, plus a chance to get a further £5 taken off with our Nectar points, plus we could also get rid of the pile of coppers and 5p pieces that I save up in the Coinstar machine - well, of course, off to Sainsbury's we went again.

 

I was quite pleased that we reduced an £80.50 bill down to £63.80 with all the vouchers and whatnot we had to cash in.  Plus, of course, there were plenty of reduced veggies and stuff to snaffle again. 

 
Amongst other things this week were two bags of diced butternut squash - 45p instead of £1.50 each - they've made at least six portions of  a tres tasty pumpkin-esque soup for the same price as buying one tin of soup.  (Recipe from my 50p charity shop copy of the 'Covent Garden Soup Book.')  I also found some pumpkin falafels - 75p instead of £2.50, and a humungous tub of oriental-style coleslaw - also 75p instead of £2.50.  Three guesses what we're having for our evening meal today.  Oh yes, and we also got another £7 off voucher to use by next week.  Very clever, very slick marketing - however, we may just take them up on the offer.

Comments

[Andy Austin]

I am curious. Would you have spent this money if you hadn't had the vouchers? I mean, a bargain is only bargain if you get it without changing your spending habits and buying more than you normally would.

The voucher you have used plus the one for next week will have encouraged you to spend at *least*

£140 - £14 savings = £126

Do you normally spend at least this much in two weeks on groceries? If not, the slick marketing really has gotcha.

[Caroline]

Hi Elizabeth - I never do a giant shop, mine usually comes in at around £30, so when I get the money off if you spend £50/60/70 vouchers, I sell them on Ebay on a one day auction. Always get at least 50% of the value.

Re the Coinstar machines - don't they take a percentage just for counting up the money for you?

[Elizabeth Yule]

Hi Andy

Would we have spent that money anyway - probably, but in smaller lots and in different shops.Some of the large-spend-at-one-go in Sainsburys was buying things that can go in the store cupboard - tinned goods, toilet paper, bleach etc etc.which will last us a long time.Otheritems we bought are things that we just cant get where weusually shop- free-range and / or organic meat, organic milk and butter, frozen sorbet, large packs of fish fingersetc etc. Plus, the end of the day bargains areexcellent and, again, you just dont get those where we usually shop. It is a big spend in one go - especiallyif we do itseveral weeks running- but a lot of theitems will be being used weeks or monthsfrom now.

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[Elaine]

It's always a pleasure to get money off a large bill!