Went Shopping

Today I went for the first Tesco big shop. I need to save £7.99 over a month to break even to the costs. I can save 10% off two shops per month, up to a limit of £20 per shop, and I can also get 10% off a number of Tesco own brands in store, such as F&F clothes and the baby range.

I am going to have to really work this if I am going to come out ahead. I spent £66.83 and had £6.64 savings. I'm not sure how that worked out, as the advent calendar wouldn't be included (seasonal, £2) and neither would the old fashioned can opener (kitchenware, 50p), so it came to £60.19, which also got me a voucher for 10p per litre off petrol which will normally get me back around £4.

There were some impulse buys - I bought some tea which may or may not make me ill but it's supposed to be malty biscuit flavour, and I adore malty biscuits and I can't have them anymore. I picked up some matchmakers for Christmas as I should start stocking up and they were a reasonable price - £1 a box instead of the standard £2- £2.50. They were only 99p at Aldi, but Tesco had better flavours. I also picked up some of the packs of chestnuts which were half price and £1.20 instead of £2.40, which is a better price than Amazon subscribe and save and DH and I really enjoyed the soup made with them. I also picked up some Nairns gluten free oatcakes as I really like them and they were £1 instead of £1.80. That's a big saving for something I eat a lot, so I got a couple of those.

I was looking for the Tilda rice, as the microwave pouches were on sale online, but I couldn't find them in store, so they didn't get added to the trolley, and I forgot eggs, but it could have been a lot worse. I also think I was at the wrong time for yellow sticker stuff, as the shelves were empty, so I didn't benefit from that. It took me a while to do the shopping, and then I called in at Aldi, where I forgot the pasta bake sauce that DH likes.

I plan to pick up small bits over next week and then get a big shop in the week after, and if I save more than £1.35, I'm in profit. I need to be careful not to impulse buy, and not to buy something for the sake of it just to get to a particular total.

There's a Black Friday event tomorrow, but I don't think we want anything.