If I Make The Effort...
I should be eating well for a few weeks if I can make space in the freezer and juggle what I have. If not because of dates I may use the following more quickly.
I hit the supermarket today when some decent food was yellow stickered, my supermarket seems to reduce most stock between 4pm-5pm so I am fortunate that I am around at that time and I found approx £23($34.92)of food for approx £11($16.70)
I can stretch some of the food by cooking the container with two chicken breasts, eat one as a hot meal and the next day make sandwiches or have the second one cold with salad or vegetables and potatoes...that saves time and energy costs. Or I can split the contents and cook them individually.
I have...
2 chicken breasts topped with cheddar cheese and a creamy leek sauce.
2 chicken breasts filled with garlic and herb butter and roasted garlic mushrooms.
2 gammon steaks with mature parsley and topped with a cheese sauce.
A leg of pork.
A Spatchcock poussin.
Fresh pineapple chunks.
I have cheese, garlic, herbs, leeks, mushrooms in the house so I could do some of the toppings myself but as the following are all at least half price or less why should I bother?
If I can get some of these into the freezer they will last me even longer because I can eat other meals and vary the menu.
I also spent £5.69($8.65)in a local cake shop and these items are ok between April and September, longer if I ignore best before dates.
6 Lemon Bakewell tarts.
12 Cookie crumble bars.
10 Golden syrup oaty bars.
12 Caramel cake slices.
12 Mint crumble bars.
10 Chocolate all butter golden syrup oaty bars.
So I am reasonably happy with my shopping trip.
I reckon my meals will be working out around 50p-75p(76c-$1.14)per day. Which means approx £22($33.40) per month.
And there is fish and some other meat already in the freezer
I really could do with making room and using some of what I have.
I think this means that I can avoid needing to travel to other supermarkets looking for bargains for a while which is good. The big problem is not knowing the times others reduce items and being unlucky. But perhaps I can avoid spending much on food for the foreseeable future. Perhaps bread, milk and salad.
As said before you are also working against others who need or are looking for reduced items for the same reasons as you and this makes it harder to successfully find a bargain and the choice that once existed.
Also some items are reduced earlier but not be much but then you have to weigh up if by waiting they will be reduced still further and whether they will still be there.
I'm not usually that lucky and miss the bargains as they have already been snapped up or not reduced enough and the choice is poor.
I hit the supermarket today when some decent food was yellow stickered, my supermarket seems to reduce most stock between 4pm-5pm so I am fortunate that I am around at that time and I found approx £23($34.92)of food for approx £11($16.70)
I can stretch some of the food by cooking the container with two chicken breasts, eat one as a hot meal and the next day make sandwiches or have the second one cold with salad or vegetables and potatoes...that saves time and energy costs. Or I can split the contents and cook them individually.
I have...
2 chicken breasts topped with cheddar cheese and a creamy leek sauce.
2 chicken breasts filled with garlic and herb butter and roasted garlic mushrooms.
2 gammon steaks with mature parsley and topped with a cheese sauce.
A leg of pork.
A Spatchcock poussin.
Fresh pineapple chunks.
I have cheese, garlic, herbs, leeks, mushrooms in the house so I could do some of the toppings myself but as the following are all at least half price or less why should I bother?
If I can get some of these into the freezer they will last me even longer because I can eat other meals and vary the menu.
I also spent £5.69($8.65)in a local cake shop and these items are ok between April and September, longer if I ignore best before dates.
6 Lemon Bakewell tarts.
12 Cookie crumble bars.
10 Golden syrup oaty bars.
12 Caramel cake slices.
12 Mint crumble bars.
10 Chocolate all butter golden syrup oaty bars.
So I am reasonably happy with my shopping trip.
I reckon my meals will be working out around 50p-75p(76c-$1.14)per day. Which means approx £22($33.40) per month.
And there is fish and some other meat already in the freezer
I really could do with making room and using some of what I have.I think this means that I can avoid needing to travel to other supermarkets looking for bargains for a while which is good. The big problem is not knowing the times others reduce items and being unlucky. But perhaps I can avoid spending much on food for the foreseeable future. Perhaps bread, milk and salad.
As said before you are also working against others who need or are looking for reduced items for the same reasons as you and this makes it harder to successfully find a bargain and the choice that once existed.
Also some items are reduced earlier but not be much but then you have to weigh up if by waiting they will be reduced still further and whether they will still be there.
I'm not usually that lucky and miss the bargains as they have already been snapped up or not reduced enough and the choice is poor.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 5:35 pm
9 Comments:
My sister and I call trips like that being blessed by the Goddess of Shopping! :o)
Jan
You're quite a bargain hunter, Gildy!
I admire your dedication to eating well but inexpensively. I'm bassically a tight so and so who would any old rubbish if I were left to my own devices!
Its good to see you again NB.
I am too to be honest but mainly due to circumstances out of my control with all our government have planned and I hope/think all will be well but I do wonder if something nasty is around the corner. Don't we all...
On a forum I frequent Iceland was mentioned and the nearest has been difficult to get to, then a lightbulb moment struck...
With the buspass I hope will arrive soon I can access two(Durham and Darlington)on a main bus route and use my shopping trolley so perhaps another option in the future.
And Spennymoor has a Farmfoods...normally put off by the cost of travelling out of town.
It wasn't a bad shop was it Jan :o)
TBH I said 12 meals plus(75p-£1)but if I eat smaller portions of the meat and pad it out it could go even further...its almost a game to see how you can stretch things...
Converted to your currency and seeing what I purchased do you think it was a good shop?
Do they reduce goods near their sell by date in your supermarkets or is it all thrown away? Lots of stuff is still wasted here that is perfectly ok.
Thankfully I think I have worked out the times and temperature for cooking the leg of pork, it came with no instructions. The internet helped again...
Most times I can guess times etc...and from now on the same is true of pork.
It converts 1 English pound to 1.52 US dollars...so yeah! It was a great shop! :o)
Yes, they do reduce items for quick sale here. They also work with the foodbanks and charities who provide food.
Since we are a heavy agricultural are, we also have gleaners who go through the fields after the harvest and take what the pickers missed and donate that as well.
We try not to let too much go to waste here.
In New York (and I suppose other large cities)they have folks who choose to eat from garbage cans and such. They're called "Freegans". They find all kinds of perfectly good foods being thrown out.
Frankly, that's a little TOO far for me! :o/
Jan
Of course if I cut out some treats I could divert some money to the essentials like heating etc...but how boring it would be without something socially to look forward to.
As I say later on another post most money goes on heating,electric and water rates and bedroom tax and if I was not helped rent and council tax so I don't know where I would be.
Many who work are in the same boat but many are starting to fall out with each other the poor against the rich, they dislike the poor, even those who are struggling sometimes argue amongst themselves.
Things are serious.
If you don't have something to look forward to, Gildy, then you're just existing, and what's the point of that?
Life is to be lived. Go for it!
It's the same here. It's really becoming very divided. Folks I never would have thought have some really hateful things coming out of their mouths. I know they're frustrated but come on.
Jan
Jan
Bus pass came today :o)If under the new rules they decide I am not entitled to higher rate mobility when I am next assessed(all because they are giving what I and many others are entitled to the pass wpuld be taken away)so I'll use it while I have it!
Can't decide whether to get out there and really try to avoid being indoors so much(as even riding on a bus it is warmer and you are amongst people)but that perhaps takes advantage of the scheme.
Then again don't use it and the advantage is lost.
I went to Durham(bookshop was closing)all books half price. I knew they had a companion to one I had been given...
The shop was closed :o(
I did not want anything else so came home, stopped at a small town on the route home for a quick look at the shops, nothing I wanted.
Continued my journey home...bought some soft drinks 5 for £1($1.51)useful when out for the day to put in a rucksack. And some egg fried rice to stir fry 65p(98c)
Adding bus fares into that trip it would have been out.
I'll wait until Saturday now for the next protest and the Patsy Cline show...
I can go to the same demo or one in the same town as the show...
That's what I did the last time.
They do track your uss and where your journey starts.
I don't think that would be taking advantage. I think it would be using it as intended.
All in all, people who are social and happy tend to be healthier. In the long run, it seems a good investment.
It's not like they are losing the fare as you probably couldn't have afforded to be on the bus most of the time anyway. And the bus is still going whether you are on it or not, soooo.... :o)
Just being out and seeing people and different things is helpful.
My kids and husband took me to the zoo yesterday (my "enrichment day" I call it :o) ) and it was really fun to see the animals and spend time with my family. Even if I hadn't any family it would have been a good day and helpful to my spirit. Another thing to be enjoyed and live for, you know?
Also, staying warm is extremely important. We have folks here, when during the hottest days of Summer, go to the malls or the movies to stay cool, although we do have "cooling stations" as well, for poor folks or those who don't have A/C.
I think the bus pass will be helpful in many ways and that you should use it as long and as often as you can, Gildy. Guilt free. :o)
Jan
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