So, I went to Asda as planned at around 3.30pm. I bumbled around the veg section for a bit not really knowing where reduced stuff would be until I stumbled across it. What treasure! Everything reduced to 10p and no one around wanting to fight me for it! I picked up some potato and cabbage soup mix, thinking it will sass up my broth mix, some sliced leeks (I LOVE leeks!), and some bolognaise mix. Now, we're not having bolognaise so on reflection that may have been a waste but at 10p I thought, why not?!
Next I went looking for bread but it wasn't fully reduced yet. I figured I was going to have to wander awkwardly round and keep checking for new reductions til closing time.
I went to pick up my smart price digestives only to discover, there's NO SUCH THING AS SMART PRICE DIGESTIVES! When did that happen?! The only ones with smart price versions are the posher biscuits, like chocolate digestives. So I found myself in the middle of Asda on a Sunday afternoon counting biscuits through the packaging. Turns out choc chop cookies are the best per biscuit price (about 2p). So that's what the kids are having in their pack ups.
Heading back to the bread I discovered the other reduced bit. Now this is where the serious contenders hang out. There was a crowd around the staff member who was double discounting items. Many people had baskets of nothing but reductions. They had obviously been before! I spotted a packet of sandwich chicken slices reduced to 10p but as I reached for it someone else shot out and beat me to it. I was thinking how awesome it would be to use that for the kids sandwiches, we could use the sausages for toad in the hole then, which in turn meant there might be some spare chicken to have with noodles on Friday. As I scanned the shelves I saw another 2 packs of the same chicken. The lady doing the reductions pulled them down along with a bunch of other items. Most of the crowd had cleared by now, just a few staunch, dedicated discountees. My heart started beating faster, my palms were literally sweaty, she kept passing over the chicken to discount other things. A few more people joined the throng which made me panic that the competition had increased. I almost said "could you just do me the chicken" but that's obviously not how it works, and it could have counted against me. Eventually she did the 2 packs at once. Quick as lightening the guy who got the other one grabbed one. I went for the other at the same time as one of the new arrivals. Any other time in my life I would have conceded. But I didn't. She awkwardly let go and I said "I've been waiting for that". It felt horrible. I just wanted to get out. I see how fantastic some of the discounts can be, and I'm sure it means people can buy things they would otherwise not afford but I did not like it at all! I backed off quickly, found that the bread was now 20p so picked up a couple of loaves and got out as quickly as I could!
So it was a total success in terms of money. I spent 90p on £7.68 worth of food. But I won't be doing it again in a hurry!!
And in fact, I don't even need the bloody chicken! Because in my head it was 4 days worth of sandwiches. But of course it all needs eating tomorrow!
I felt a bit traumatised by the time I got to the car. But it is finished. The shopping that is! At a grand total of £18.69 we have £1.31 left of emergency/herbs and spices money.
Wish us luck!
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