Friday 7 November 2014

Shopping - a military operation

Good morning, and what a miserable one it is too. I don't care, plenty to keep me occupied here. I am fully stocked up with food once again after my Tesco saunter last night. It took me two hours to pick up the best bargains in the store. It's all about timing, and hovering, and going backwards and forwards, watching the various places where the yellow stickers are likely to appear. 
Not much in the chiller cabinet when I arrived at 7pm, mostly meat. I picked out some cooked ham for the cats. The veg had not yet been marked down, I saw it disappear into the store room, and after some enquiries I knew it would be about 20 minutes before it was wheeled back out again, newly stickered up. That gave me time to put a few essentials into my trolley and check out the bread situation. Not a lot on offer there, it hadn't had it's final reduction, I'll keep an eye on that, will come back later. 
The veg came out and there were four of five people eagerly diving in, me included. No point in having a meal plan in that situation, just take what's there and think about what I am going to do with it later. Someone beat me to the pears, but I met the lady a few minutes later and we stopped to chat about what we managed to bag. She handed me a pack of pears which she didn't need, she had two packs, and I gave her my tomatoes which I wasn't really bothered about. She was pleased with that and so was I. 
I find it's best to make a few friends while yellow sticker shopping, we are all trying to get the best for our money, and that lady has several kids to feed. 
After several circuits of the store, I was lucky enough to be in the right place when they brought more bread out. Wow, I hit the jackpot, Hovis seeded wholemeal for 15p, down from £1.49. 
So, what did I get, here's a breakdown.

Yellow sticker list.
Pack 8 croissants 18p was £1.75
5 x Hovis wholemeal 15p each was £1.49 each
Pack of 4 wholemeal rolls 13p was £1.30
Pack of 5 cookies 50p was £1.00
Family pack mushrooms 50p was £2.00
Cooked ham for cats 48p was 95p
Curly kale 15p was £1.00
Small Parsnips 16p was £1.60
2 packs parsnips 7p each was 73p each
6 Rocha pears 26p was £1.75
Grapes 6p was £1.25
2 avocados 18p was £1.80
Bananas 7p was 74p
Cabbage 8p was 80p
Cauliflower x 2 10p each was £1.00 each
Broccoli x 2 6p each was 64p each

Here's the rest of the shop.
Cat food pouches £2.50
Bananas loose 69p. I picked these up before I found the reduced but decided to keep them as they are a bit green and will keep longer.
4 tins Value spaghetti hoops 20p each
Jar Value pickled onions 30p
4 tins Value rice pudding 15p each.
Value plain yogurt 45p
Value tinned peaches 40p these have gone up from 35p
8 tins Gourmet gold cat food 45p each, on offer 8 for £3.00
Bag frozen chicken pieces for the cats £2.00
2 jars Value Lemon curd 22p each
2 tins Value baked beans 24p each
Packet Value sultanas 84p
Six pack flavoured yogurt £1.00
Mature cheddar 350 grm £2.00
3 packs ground almonds £1 each, Buy 2 get one free.
Value porridge oats 75p
2 boxes Value bran flakes 88p each

I had three coupons totaling £2.75 making a total to pay of £23.05. I think that's what is called savvy shopping, ha ha. One of the loaves and a cauliflower is ear marked to give away to someone who is doing me a favour.

And that's not all. My new purple Hudl is charged up and ready to go. They cost £129, but I got £60 off by using the double up offer on vouchers. £30 became £60. Now I have got a new toy to play with, it can rain as much as it likes. Ooops it's stopped, might go out later.

I'll leave you with another picture of Mayze snoozing in my bit box. Buried under the mounds of mesh fruit bags. The pink thing is an unraveled body scrub, might come in useful for something, ha ha.

Have a good weekend, I'll catch you tomorrow, probably, possibly, most likely, might do, good chance I will do. Toodle pip

15 comments:

  1. Well done! I'd love my very own yellow sticker machine, it would be great wouldn't it.......ahhhh I can dream. We are quite lucky the other bargain hunters tend to go for the junky ready meals and cake stuff and not the fruit and veg so that suits me fine. Some are plain rude though, depends what night of the week it is.

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  2. What a great haul, I am never that lucky.

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  3. So funny to see our cat snuggled up under the scrub and bags. Congrats on your new hudl.

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  4. Well done, I never seem to be there at the right time for the bargain YS s. Best deal this week was a doorstep white loaf for toast at 29p. It's in the freezer and I can use one slice at a time that way.

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  5. That's a good haul Ilona! The hovis seeded bread is one of the very I consider if I've not managed to make enough bread to last a few weeks, it's quite tasty ans of course it freezes well in 4slices, more or less as required. It's nice toasted from frozen too. I can safely give my hens a little of it too.
    I read somewhere about freezing ripe bananas, someone reckoned it's just like eating ice cream? Not had the guts to try it yet!
    I save those net things, it started as stuff to use in mixed media, still haven't used any, also you can make gentle pan scrubbers with them, then wah and dry them well and use in your mixed media art lol!

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  6. Great deals! Enjoy your new tablet! Have a great weekend!

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  7. Perhaps it is time to make a cat quilt? She seems to think she needs one lol. Great bargains. I tend to get meet on reduction (30-50% off) but rarely veggies. So jealous!

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  8. Well done on the bargains Ilona and it is such a coincidence that I have just been looking at the Hudl's online. I'll be interested to know how you get on with it, my Son tells me they got good reviews.
    Have a good weekend
    Briony
    x

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  9. Great deals on the yellow stickers, Ilona!

    Mayze (what I can see of her) certainly looks comfy in the bit box.

    Enjoy your new Hudl. That was a great price. Mostly our grocery stores in the U.S. only give points toward gas (petrol) savings and the savings aren't very great.

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  10. I had never heard of a Hudl - is it the same as an iPad? That is am amazing lot of bargains! What an inspiring and tenacious person you are!

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  11. Undoubted queen of bargain hunters!

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  12. I just calculated that you spent v. close to 8 pounds ( out of the 23) on the cats. You are SO not mean! I love that you care so much about pets, yours and other peoples.
    Jan F

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  13. Well done on your shop, unfortunately I cannot walk well so have to do online shopping - not many bargains there although I do stock up on offers. I will visit your blog often - I like the title - I am just embarking on a life after money now I am retired.

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  14. Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed reading it, you're
    a great author. I will remember to bookmark your blog and will often come back later
    on. I want to encourage you to ultimately continue your great job, have a nice holiday weekend!

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