Savvy supermarket shopping

I did well on the yellow sticker dash last night. The fridge was looking a bit bare, and I didn't want to run out of fresh food over the weekend. I don't go to the supermarket on a Saturday or a Sunday, it's too chuffin busy, and will get even busier from now until December the 25th. Eight o clock on a weekday night suits me just fine. No crush, and no queuing at the checkouts.

I have a system when I go for the reductions. First check the chiller cabinet which is near the checkouts. Not much there last night, nothing for me in fact. Different from two weeks ago when there was stacks of yogurt. The bargains on offer are never the same, it's always pot luck.

So, moving swiftly on to the fruit and veg, I was in luck, the man with the ticket machine was just marking stuff down. This was the second sticker going on, not quite as cheap as pennies on the third sticker. But to hang on any longer would have meant I lost out, so I was happy to grab it while it was there. Three or four people were gathered around the trolley, we each had our eye on what we wanted to buy. It's best to pick the items out before the sticker goes on to make sure you get what you want. I always go for the veg first, most important to me. There was stacks of bananas, the green ones which you ripen at home. I had two bags for 10p each, original price �1 each. I wondered whether they had done away with the third sticker, as these were very cheap. Perhaps they have a new system.

I was quick to spot the whole cauliflower which I got for 20p, original price �2. And two bags of prepared cauliflower and broccoli for 12p each, were �1.15. I got two bags of prepared lettuce for 10p each, was �1 each. I was happy with that, I have some carrots and onions left from last week, and loads of potatoes out of the garden. So I'm ok for veg for a week. Then I spotted a treat, two packs of raspberries at 20p each, should have been �2 each.

After that was a dash to the bread counter. They are always a bit slow at marking down here. There was a lot of wholemeal bread which I like, I don't buy white bread, it's like cotton wool and has no taste, in my opinion. So I picked up four large Hovis loaves for 39p each, they are usually �1.50 each. I have had it cheaper before but this was still quite a good reduction, besides, I wasn't in the mood for hanging around any longer. I also got two smaller loaves for 19p each. All this has gone in the freezer, only just enough room for it.

Then I picked up a few other items around the store, but kept going back to see if any other reductions had appeared. I got a treat for the cats, three ready roasted chicken thighs from the rotisserie for 75p. They were all over me like a rash when I got home, they hung around the shopping bags on the floor waiting for me to unpack. Mayze doesn't meow like Bugsy does, she squeaks. I wasn't going to get any peace until I had picked the meat from one of the thighs.

Total shop was �16.89, less 75p for the chicken, total for my food �16.14. �5 of that was for a bottle of wine. I will put the full list up on the food diary page, link at the top.

Just going back to the 'selling gold' post, I was advised to hold on to any gold I had by one of my readers. Thank you for that, it was an interesting email. However curiosity has got the better of me, and I took my gold wedding ring for valuation, remember, I didn't actually get married so I wasn't fussed about keeping it. My little bonus for selling it was �23. I can buy a lot of veg for that, but maybe I will kick myself in ten years time when I could have bought a years worth of food for it. I don't know, it's all speculation and a gamble, and I am not a gambler.

Have a nice weekend, catch you tomorrow
Toodle pip   

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Gold rush

I did something yesterday that I have never done before. I was in town and I noticed a posh jewellers shop with a sign outside that said Gold Bought Here. I had thought about selling my mothers wedding ring, but couldn't get it off my finger. Several months ago I went into a jewellers to ask if they could cut it off, they said they couldn't because they are not insured to do that. So I didn't bother to try anywhere else.

The ring has been on my finger for 28 years, ever since my mother died. It had bent into a funny shape and I managed to straighten it with a pair of pliers, it still wouldn't come off though. There is no reason for me to keep the ring. My mother wore it long after her marriage broke up, though I'm not sure why, it was an unhappy marriage.

I have struggled to get the ring off my finger for ages, and given up, but yesterday I was stood in front of the shop twiddling with it and it came off. I don't know how, my hand must have shrunk. I went in and asked what the value would be, how much would they give me for it.

I felt a bit embarrassed asking actually, it's not like I needed the money, I just didn't want the ring. Anyway, the valuation was �8.30, it's a very thin band of gold. The nice young lady seemed almost apologetic when she told me, she probably thought I would expect more. I didn't know what to expect, having never done this before. She suggested that I might like to try other places to see if I could get a better price. I was on the verge of accepting the cash, but then thought, ok,  I'll look elsewhere.

The next place was another jeweller, they offered a miserable �5, no thanks. I almost went back to the first shop, then I remembered Cash Converters just round the corner. Worth a try. The young man took it into the back room and returned with an offer of �10. Well thank you very much, that will do nicely. Wooohooo, made �10 today :o)) 

Seems strange looking at my bare hand now, but I'm still wearing a silver ring that my mother wore, I won't sell that one, it means a lot to me.

I've just had a look in my box of bits, mainly broken jewellery, and found my own gold wedding ring. I wasn't actually married, just lived with him for a couple of years. I remember going into a jewellers shop with him to buy it, he didn't want to bother, but it was at a time when people didn't live together out of wedlock, and I wanted to look respectable. We moved to a new area and I got a job, I called myself Mrs. The relationship didn't last he turned nasty and was horrible to me, so I moved out.

I might go back to Cash Converters and see what they will give me for this ring. Might as well, I don't need it any more.  

I wonder if there's any gold to be found at car boot sales, might have a look when I next go. Could make me a bit of pocket money. Probably not, I think most folks are savvy now. Bye the way, this isn't an advert for Cash Converters, there are plenty of other places which buy gold.

Hey, what about this then, a doggy party on the hills this morning. I love it when they all turn up at the same time. The dogs chase about and the blokes chat. The topic this morning was the recent Rugby game in Hull. I didn't join in, ha ha.

Have a nice weekend.
Toodle pip.

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