Sunday, 23 November 2025

Shopping ... and Cynical Festiveness

 


This weeks shopping array ... is that a better word than 'haul' I really don't know!! 😄

I shockingly spent £42.48, that just goes to show what wine, fish, a couple of toiletry items and a little bit of stocking up on a few things does to the bill.  Oh well, it was all needed.  I was very happy with the lemons which were on the Super 6 just as I needed them ... I was down to my last slice in the freezer!

I was also very happy with the 75% off 'Smash Burgers' ... they cost me just 19p.  Will they taste nice, I have no idea but for that price and knowing that I have some buns in the freezer they will provide me with two meals, and you have to try new things occasionally don't you.

The receipt for posterity.


I remembered to write the dates on the the things that were destined for longer term storage ... only I have a feeling that the Stackz won't last that long, and the weetabix will be opened tomorrow as I am down to my last one in the tin.  Oh, well it's good to keep in the habit, it all helps with rotation.  It was all somehow squeezed into the bottom cupboard, one day it will explode and all the food will burst out.  

Yes, we had a cup of coffee and also shared a plate of scrambled eggs in Booths before we went to Aldi, at the front of the photo are my freebies.


Booths café, there are lots of decorations around the place, including a couple of lovely Christmas trees and Santa's fireplace just as you come up the stairs.

Looking down at the store from the café ... we were there very early when I took this photo.  

It's not looking quite as festive in this photo as it was taken last week, but already they are really starting to ramp everything up now.  Soon it is going to be a Christmassy wonderland in a bid to make us spend as much money as possible.

Gosh I'm a cynic ... I better go and get another cup of coffee.  


Sue xx



24 comments:

  1. Fascinating to look at the differences between people's shopping... I don't think we have anything in common except the coconut milk!

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    1. I think this is a very 'processed' shop for me looking at it again. I definitely do need to have a rethink going into the new year.

      I LOVE looking at other peoples shopping or food cupboards, I wish more bloggers would share photos. 😀

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    2. Noted! Bit mine are very disorganised...

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    3. Even better to nosy at. Go for it. 😄

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  2. YES Stores do that, make it all look pretty and desirable and I for one am tempted.. but a good feeling to have a store cupboard full of goodies. We have a pantry and my husband loves it full!!

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    1. There's nothing better than opening the doors to the food cupboard or pantry and seeing it fully stocked is there. 😀

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  3. I was planning to go to Lidl this morning but noticed just in time that Black Friday deals start today-I’ll go tomorrow instead. A walk round to the small Sainsbury’s will get me the milk and some fresh veg to tide us over until the big shop tomorrow. Dreich here this morning after a very wet night. Catriona

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    1. It's very dreich here too, and the rain was on and off torrential on the motorway just now. ☹️

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  4. Booths does look like a lovely store and yes...shopping array sounds so much better!
    It really is amazing how little we are getting for our cash these days, isn't it, Sue, but you seem to have done well with your choices. We don't buy much wine now. It bumps the shopping cost up far too much.
    I'm off now to rummage in the freezer for some oddments to use up for lunch. I need space in my freezer for the Christmas goodies for the family on Boxing Day !
    Lunch will be 'interesting' today ;0)

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    1. It really is nice all year round, but they ramp it up so well at Christmas. I'll try and get some more photos next time we go.

      You can't beat an 'interesting' lunch. I hope you take a photo. 😀

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  5. As the shops and television get more 'Christmassy' I feel more and more sorry for those who live alone, on reduced incomes. It just seems to be a slap in the face, and no matter how often we all agree that it's a cynical ruse to separate us from our money, it seems to get more extreme every year.
    Oh, dear, didn't mean to moan - apologies.

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    1. Oh gosh, please feel free to have this particular moan, I think we all agree with you. 🙂

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  6. It's a shame isn't it that among all the positives of the Christmas season there is always the overly commercial side. I think on the whole it's the plastic tat that gets to me, do when I do the Lidl run tomorrow I'll avoid the 'middle'.
    Alison in Devon x

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    1. If you avoid the middle aisle in Aldi this week, you'll miss out on even MORE Christmas dinosaurs. 😄🤣

      The plastic tat, especially the cheap baubles in 'this years colours' always gets me down. Where has the saving of much loved family hand-me-down decorations gone? 🫤

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    2. I am teaching the idea of curating a lifetime of baubles/decorations over time to my children. I believe it will remain popular for many - i hope so anyway. Xx

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    3. That is a really good tradition to start. I hope they will continue it. Unwrapping the glass baubles carefully from their box was a highlight of Christmas for me as a child. We only had 9, so they were treasured. 🎄

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  7. I really do love the decoration of the stores for this season, I don't like how they try and drag us in to spending more money.
    You got some lovely bargains in your shopping this week.

    God bless.

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    1. It does make shopping at this dark time of year a bit more special doesn't it. 🎄

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  8. You are not cynical at all.

    In the same way as adverts for cigarettes were banned from TV, I would like to see an end to the supermarket ads which show enough food for a month and tables so overloaded, all the while gently pushing the message that "if you don't supply all this you have failed". Honestly, I find it somewhat obscene.

    And don't get me started on the price of some of the items in the current Booths Christmas Book 😱

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    1. The Booths Christmas Book is pretty out there isn't it. Alan always puts an order in, but I've had a word with him this year and reminded him how cheap parsnips can be from Aldi, as opposed to peeled, sliced and layed in a tray sprinkled with spices, butter and whatever. The lack of dairy-free things means there is not much to tempt me ... thank goodness. 😄

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  9. Currently, our grocery stores are gearing up for Thanksgiving which is on Thursday. But, Christmas items are also on the shelves in many stores. Everything is more expensive than ever, especially with tariffs being imposed on just about everything.

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    1. It must be a really expensive time of year for you with Thanksgiving and Christmas just four weeks apart!! 😬

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  10. Cynic or not - it is so very true. xx

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