Hey ho!!!
Back again with me Lina!!
How are you? I am fine and still searching work.
Anyway, today I want to talk about budged efficient convenient store (a.k.a. UK’s Indomaret/Alfa).
I have live in UK for quite sometimes now. I have stayed in several town and cities within that period. Thus I can say which convenience store that is suitable for those budget efficient people like me.
There are a few convenient store exist in UK and it is divided into certain categories.
Upper- Middle Class: Waitrose, Morrison, Sainsbury
Middle-Lower class: Tesco, Asda, Simply Fresh, Iceland
Lower Class: Lidl, Aldi and many Asian supermarkets.
When I still stayed in Chester, I usually do my shopping in either Tesco, Asda, Aldi or other small Asian supermarkets. As you can see, the have pretty affordable price, especially for both Aldi and Lidl. They offer different brand with same quality for cheaper price. I usually do compare price for market to market to know which supermarket offer the cheapest with same quality and I found that Lidl is the best to buy things.
Let’s say you want to buy 1 pack of paper roll with 6 items inside it for £1.25 and when you go to Lidl, you can get for £1.00, which you can save 25p.
If you are sometimes lazy to cook and just want to buy something fast-food, I suggest you to buy in Iceland as they offer frozen food, so not only it stay cold and not easily rot, it also cheap, since it can cost you more or less £5 if you choose wisely (plus it can be for a few weeks too).
In University of Surrey, there is a convenient store on the ground floor of the library building called simply fresh. There, you can buy necessities like food, drinks, shampoo, soap and a lot more. Things for you to live in the university. For those of you who live in the university ground, make sure to check it out. They have pretty much have your necessary needs. I recently went there and they already re-arrange their isles and it seems they restock their goods. Unlike last year, they increase their catalogue XD
Oh and pro tips for you who lives in budget like me. Make sure to check out reduced isles within each of those supermarkets I mentioned. That isle is for almost expired goods. If you are on budget like me, I suggest you to look at that isle first as they offer you cheaper price than the original price. Sometimes you cannot get that deal anywhere if that good is not a reduced good (the point is, get that good). If you decide to buy that, make sure to put it in the fridge or eat it straight away. If its something like chicken, meat or any poultry goods, straight away put it in the freezer.
I know that expired good seems weird and unhealthy but sometimes, supermarkets think of it as a waste to throw it away. Especially things like meat, chicken or any meaty products. Usually, you cannot get away with deals like £2.00 or £1.90 something like that for meat. Reduced meat can sometimes offer twice less of the original price. In Asda, you can get chicken for £3.00 but if it is reduced, it can be £2.11 for the same product. You get what I mean right? So get that reduced stuff before someone take it away.
If you want to go for tesco, make sure to go there in the afternoon (around 5pm or something). Most cookies or baked sweet the sell will be reduced and you can get it cheap. If it is fresh cooked, the price can be not so much but if you can get it cheaper than the original price…. that’s a good deal right?
Also, each supermarkets will have their way to show that there is a throwback price or roll-back price. Meaning, certain items can be cheaper than their original price because the supermarkets want you (the customer) to buy that good. It is away for them to advertise, by giving you discount. Usually in Asda, a tub of Ben and Jerry’s can cost £4.80 and with rollback price, it can cost £2.50. So you save a few £ isn’t it?
Bottom line, look at the price of the think you buy. It will be a pretty expensive if you dont look at the price. So, my advice for you is to calculate your budget.
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you get something from reading this XD
Lina .
