Shopping Dilemma

For the past two weeks I have been on a mission to not spend any money on unecessary purchases. All I have been allowing myself is to buy the essentials such as food and petrol. I also allow £10 for miscellanious items such as car parking fees, one coffee out (I still have a life!), an ingredient I may have forgot etc.

I have changed my shopping routine from spending £65 a week at Morrisons to doing a bulk shop at Aldi at the start of the month, which can total up to £100 and then 3 smaller shops for fresh items for about £20-£25. The difference being that instead of spending £260 at Morrisons in one month, I will hopefully end up spending a maximum of £175 at Aldi.

Although Aldi don't have everything you always need on your shopping list, what they do have is always good quality and far cheaper than anywhere else. The toileteries and baby products are especially great value.

I have really tried everything to get my shopping bill down whilst still eating healthy but with the soaring costs of fresh fruit and veg it is getting impossible to do. I have tried using the offers available such as Sainsbury's 'Get £15 off your first only order over £60' but without seeing things in front of you I sometimes forgot things. And once you have got your total to a nice rounded figure you then have to add on an expensive delivery charge. I have also used Morrisons occassional 4 week offer where for the first 3 weeks of the month you collect a ticket when you spend over £35 and on the 4th week you get £10 off your shopping bill if it is over £35.

I have also tried buying my meat from the butchers, my veg from the green grocers and dry goods from the supermarket but when you have a little one it made for a very long day, faffing about and didn't end up much cheaper than doing it all in one place to start with.

Sally Bee 'Speedy Creamy Tomatoes and Chicken' and home made fruit smoothie.

It's a shame because I have always cooked our healthy and wholesome meals from scratch. I always made my sons weaning dinners and fruit pots from scratch. And I always baked our sweet treats from scratch so I knew exactly what was going into most of the things we ate.  

Peanut Butter Muffins

I'm currently writing my shopping list for tomorrow's shopping trip after work. As a lot of people do now, I always check the cupboards, fridge and freezer drawers and use up what I have in stock and then make a menu plan from that.

So far I have:
Tuesday: Tuna Pasta Salad with garlic bread
Wednesday: Vegetable enchiladas

I will stick to my shopping list and not deter from it (fingers crossed!)

Sorry, it sounds like I am moaning and I'm only 4 posts in! Well yes I am moaning but I think I'm allowed to.

Do any of you have the same dilemma? Trying out different places to get the best deals?

TTFN

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