A year has passed since I was on the tv programme, Hunt for Britains Tightest Person. Some of you may remember me chasing the bargains in Tesco, hassling the ladies with the ticket machines as they reduced the prices of the stock that was about to go out of date. You can still watch the programme on the Channel 4 website, just type in, The Hunt For Britains Tightest Person, into the search and it will take you there.
Anyway, a year later I am still hassling the ladies in Tesco. I have just got back from doing my shopping and have made some amazing savings. I had to invest two hours of my time though, from 6.30 to 8.30pm, but it was worth it. I've got some really tasty treats, and bought stuff that I would never pay full price for. I got a total of 24 items at a reduced price, this is where my adding and subtracting comes in handy, ha ha. If I had paid full price they would have been £31.06, and I paid just £8.96, saving £22.10. My total shop came to £34.27, this will last me two weeks. Some of it will go in the freezer, I also got some tinned food, and dried split peas and lentils to bulk out my stews. I got a bag of frozen tuna steaks for £3.69, there are five steaks in a bag, that will make me five meals, with some veg.
Here are a few of my best buys...
Bread - was £1 now 20p
Mini donuts - was £1.18 now 24p
Prawn cocktail - was £1.78 now 44p
Baby spinach - was £1.50 now 38p
Grapes - was £1.99 now 50p
Sprouts - was £1 now 25p
2 Plaice fillets - was £2.00 now 50p
Quiche - was £2.19 now 55p
Jam donuts - was 65p now 13p
Finest cookies - was £1.39 now 28p
Garlic bread - was £1.32 now 26p
Veg curry with rice - was £2.69 now 67p
Houmous was - £1.14 now 57p
6 Hotcross buns - was £1 now 25p
It certainly pays to shop in the evening. And as if that wasn't enough I found three coins on the ground in different places while I was out dog walking today, totalling £1.10. There's more, I also found a dozen pearl beads lying on a grass verge, someone's bracelet I think. I must add my finds to the list at the bottom. It's been my lucky day.
Well done, Ilona!
ReplyDeleteThe 'whoopsie shelves' are always my first port of call too - but IF I don't like the reductions that I see, I go off for a wander around the store checking out the Rollbacks for anything that I need. I come back to the whoopsies again a little later to see if the 'lady with the gun' has been back to re-do them - refuse to pay 'over the odds' for something that is on it's 'last day' for purchase :).
Carry on with your lifestyle - you're an inspriation to us all - best wishes Ollie x
Well done Ilona. What fantastic savings. I used to love reading your daily spend and it inspired me to write down everything I spend in a note book. A year on I still do it religiously, even if I only buy a packet of polos it's written down! It really does help me to keep an eye on my money and keep me out of debt.
ReplyDeleteHi Olliebeak, I get the whoopsies sometimes, if I am at that end of town. When I am shopping every penny counts, I have to get the cheapest prices, without compromising too much on quality.
ReplyDeleteLast night I picked up the baby spinach a bit too early, I went back for a second look later and the lady was marking down again. I got the spinach out of my trolley and asked could she make it cheaper. She said I have to put it on the shelf and she will mark it, then I have to grab it back before anyone else did. Sometimes it's like a rugby scrum, hands flying everywhere, ha ha.
Hi Ilona - we get really excited at 6.30 every Saturday as we get in the car and head over to Morrisons. The usual crowd is there, jostling for pole position as we walk up and down, up and down, waiting for the reductions. I usually buy sandwich filling, soft cheese, bread, yoghurts etc and feel really excited if I can fill my freezer up and I've always got stuff in there that I've paid 9p for. I wait and ask them and they get get quite frustrated with the few of us who always do this - sometimes I come away with nothing, but as the shop is around the corner - I'm not too bothered - and it gets us out!
ReplyDeleteExcellent Jane, it is a lot of fun isn't it, and the elation when you unpack your goodies knowing you have got one over on them.
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling a bit full and a tad sick, too much sticky toffee banoffee pie, ha ha.
I got a bag of salad today for 10p. fab
ReplyDeleteHave just found your great blog whilst re-joining the blogaspere.