Price of groceries

[Selja]

Is it just me or has my weekly shopping bill gone up by a lot? Perfect example comfort it was £1.25 for a 2 liter bottle before Christmas now its £1.49 - how can they justify a 20% price hike? We're now spending roughly £90-100 a week on shopping, there are only two of us plus a two year old. We mainly get fruit and veg and hardly any meat, as I'm on a diet there is hardly any junk in there just quavers for ds but they'll last him a month at least. I had to go through my shopping this week throwing out 'unnecessaries' as it was £117. I don't browse the shelves as I shop online and just whizz straight through the shopping list. At this rate of increase I'll have to go back to work just to feed us. Last week dh added up the fruit and veg and it came to £45.

[charliesmummy]

oh good its not just us then (2 adults, and a 14 month old), I spent £150.00 at Waitrose last week and it was all Washing Powder, bleach, bread fruit and no meat whatsoever as we had a lot in the freezer. I thought it was me just being hugely extravagent, but I think that that is how it is. I think ours is slo so large as I am trying to tempt a power crazed baby into new eating experiences! Oh I confess £7.50 on a lovely frame!

[Joe1]

Selja, your not the only one. There was another thread somewhere discussing the same thing. Who do you shop with? Ive found Asda about the best, youve got a new Asda/Walmart in Pompey somewhere.

[Lindy]

Charliesmummy - how wonderful to have a Waitrose near you! Having moved to the countryside we have tons of advantges - but no Waitrose! We had a family day out last Saturday, walk, pub lunch, museum etc but the hightlight for me was when I spotted a Waitrose & could pop in!!!

On the cost front - agree Asda is the best value & has some really nice stuff, yes & I easily spend £100 a week, two adults and a baby (NB: Their Soave wine is excellent for 'not-posh' wine drinking - eg: when on Mumsnet!! Only £2.49 a bottle).

[Lindy]

Didn't mean to sound as though my Mumsnet friends are not worthy of a decent glass of wine - no offence intended!

Cheers!

[jodee]

I'm really annoyed with the Co-op; I only pop in there for essentials, I'm a Tesco girl, but we get through jars and jars of Chicken Tonight and I thought I was on to a good thing when they had a 'buy one, second for half price' deal. When I looked again, the price of one jar has somehow sneaked up from 1.19 quid to 1.39 - so thanks but no thanks, I'm back off to Tescos for some proper bargains.

[Molecule]

Best way to save money is to get down to your local Lidl/Aldi/Netto. The cleaning stuff is much much cheaper and the fresh veg is usually very good (as is the smoked salmon and parma ham). You still need to do a supermarket shop for some things but I've found I can save a good £40 a week by combining the two. If I make a real effort I can get the weekly spend down to £60-80.00 without compromising quality, this is for a family of 6 with vast amounts of washing. Aldi is extremely good for wine, so I always have a reward for being parsimonious.

[charliesmummy]

Lindy, yes I am very lucky because it is a real treat to go to Waitrose, but they are clever B**s these marketing people; you have to walk through toys, bedding lighting, soft furnishings, CDs, kitchen stuff, candles etc etc and so I suppose I do get a little sidetracked, however, in my defence (because I feel I need to defend myself with my illness of shopping disease)The Tescos is so hard to get to, it takes me a 2 hour round trip with the shopping and thats on a good day its easier to go to Waitrose. I live in Salisbury and the road system was designed to annoy ME, and because it is Salisbury there is no Aldi/Netto etc, although I have found an Lidls about 20 miles away, but the Car Park is on a 1 in 2 hill !!! Molecule - Aldi Port - well that went in an evening, really good stuff and I totally agree about the wine, did a blind tasting with their special offer champagne (£5.00 yes! really) and a bottle of M&S, Aldi won hands down!

[charliesmummy]

God my grammar is bad 'an Lidls', I must of been at the port again

[Lindy]

Charliesmummy - love your nickname, especially as I am a Charlie's mummy too! Now I am even more jealous that your Waitrose obviously has a 'home' section too !!!!!!

[MandyD]

I'm a Charlie's mummy too! My parents shop at a small Waitrose and I'm always horrified at the prices of basics in there. I'm strictly Tesco's, we have quite a big Tescos Metro 5 minutes walk away. On Johnny Vaughan's show the other night a gay guest said Metro was the #1 place for men to pick up men! Moving soon and nearest supermarket will be Sainsbury's - bet my shopping bills will double overnight!

[Enid]

charliesmummy I'm not too far away from you (40 mins) and we've been to that Waitrose many times (friends in Elm Grove). Its amazing but I'm b**y glad I don't live nearer otherwise I'd be even more broke.

[sylvev]

I too am amazed at the amount of money we spend on groceries each week. I am attempting to budget for once and am planning to try out the local Aldi. Any recommendations for "must get" products? Also, Molecule and Charliesmummy, you mentioned the wine, any recommendations, (we drink dry white usually). Thanks.

[charliesmummy]

Oh gawd, we are all charliesmummys and I thought I was being exclusive, Damn I knew that I should have called him DeWayne, Barry or Dennis. Enid, stay away from Waitrose, I have spent another £81.00 yesterday - I AM ILL - I NEED HELP .... Enid where are you and are you going to The London get togther?

All my girlfriends (like I have loads ... )would laugh at my recommends, I don't drink White wine anymore as I don't stop until I fall over, and then its anything will do, so I keep off it, but their Port is very good, and they have a White Wine in a Blue Glass bottle - cannot remember the name, funny that, but it was cheap, dry and good.

[Marina]

My friend now living in Germany says that the Aldi nappies are excellent quality - and because of German concerns about the composition of the absorbent gel in disposables, the Aldi ones have a different, more eco-friendly filling.
Not sure if Aldi supply differently-made ones for the UK market though.