Enjoying our free coffees at Burnside Garden Centre last week.
We tend to go about once a month so it made sense to join the loyalty scheme and, occasionally, qualify for two free coffees a month and money off our shopping. We just managed to get there on the last day of the month to claim October's free drinks, lets hope we aren't so last minute this month. 😊
After yesterday's post you just knew I would have to check up on what the £3.50 challenge shop of 2023 would cost me right now didn't you. I did, and while the grand total was £3.48 back in March of 2023 ...
Yesterday if I had been going to Sainsbury's to do the exact same shop it would have cost me £5.41.
Now that doesn't seem to be a huge amount of money, but, as Nelliegrace pointed out on yesterday's post, we should bear in mind that these are the most basic of foods and usually bought by people that can't afford to splash the cash on just anything that they fancy. So a £1.93 rise can be the difference between riding out a full week of eating or scrimping even more than usual.
It was an eye-opener, but sadly one that I expected.
Looking at price rises and wanting to do everything that I can do for myself to keep eating well on a budget is one of the reasons that I now find myself rescuing every available freebie that I can. Bringing leftovers from any snacks or meals that we eat out home with me to use in future meals and recipes.
I realise how very lucky I am that whenever we go out Alan pays for coffees, snacks and meals. If it were left to me I would rarely eat out as I struggle to find things that are suitable, and while I realise that the prices include the premises, staff etc etc as well as the cost of the food, I still baulk at the prices of something as simple as a toasted teacake and in my head there is the thought that I could have bought a pack of four for that price and a jar of jam. But Alan has always really enjoyed eating out so it is something that we do.
But claiming the free coffees, and rescuing the bits off mine ... and now occasionally other peoples trays ... help me to rationalise things for myself. I'm doing whatever I can to keep myself sane at the moment.
What have you rescued recently or claimed for free, or is it something that you just don't do?
Sue xx
We rarely eat out. Our philosophy is that we can eat the same or better cheaper at home. If we need or choose to travel further afield, we take refreshments with us. My husband spent so much of his working life 'entertaining' potential customers that he lost all interest in it. Dull, but there you are.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly how I feel, I eat so much better at home. I've been better recently at just having a coffee while Alan tucks into something that he fancies, but I am happy to keep him company. I have stopped taking 'packed lunches' with us when we are up and down the motorway visiting Mum, I used to for the first year of her hospital stays and care home, but then I decided that putting more pressure on myself to get up early to make them was too much, so it's usually a sausage roll and a coffee these days ...and then something nice and homemade for tea.
DeleteDuring covid in Michigan, we ordered take-out twice a week to try and help out the restaurants in our small town. Lately though, we have been eating out far, far less. Partially because of the cost (which has gone up a lot in our area), but more because the food quality seems to have gone down as well. I can make a lot of the food at home with better results. When we do eat out it's Indian, Korean or Middle Eastern - types of food I'm not good at and that we love. Plus those types of shops give such a good portion that it's two meals, which works for my internal mathing.
ReplyDeleteWhen ever I eat out, I cannot justify the cost of a tea, for two reasons.
ReplyDeleteOne - the tea is never hot enough, so the tea is a bit insipid and Two - I could buy almost a half of a 72 bag box of tea when it is on special, for the price of one cup. I only have one cup of coffee a day, so that is not one I drink in a restaurant. Some fast food places have added a few cents to their price of coffees and expect others to do the same. I usually have a glass of water, and wonder how long that will free of charge.