Today I brought a lotto scratch card for a quid. No I didn't win, but as far as the Reduced to clear at Morrisons is concerned I hit the jackpot. I timed it perfectly with a visit at 7.45. I normally pop in as I pass most nights. I am normally aftet the reduced sandwiches which normally go for 35p. Perfect for packed lunch the next day. Sadly no sarnies tonight, but I decided to have a scout around and see what I could find reduced. Once inside, past the welcoming yellow glow of the illuminated signage, I found the man with a trail of stickers saying 9p. He is my best mate when bargain hunting I saw there was a que of would be bargain hunters thrusting items in this poor lads face for him to reduce. I know how annoying this can be as I've been the guy with the reducing machine before. These guys have power if you upset them they won't put a magical sticker on your soon to be out of date spuds. I used to get so wound up at Tesco where I worked, I'd scoop up the items to be reduced and put stickers on them out the back away from customers. That also gave 1st dibs on bargains as well. happy days! I remember once popping into a Tesco on the day it closed for a re fit. The reducing man had done his reducing out the back and; seeing there was a crowd, took his trolley of goodies and pushed it onto the shop floor where he keft it for the customers fight over. At this point I couldn't be bothered to get involved I walked away. There was plastic trays being launched everywhere, stuff being thrown around, customers pushing and shoving each other in the pursuit of cheap veg. I was thinking its not worth losing a limb over a lettece. In those situations I do just walk away.
Thankfully Morrisons wasn't as busy this evening. I was in with a chance. I do have an advantage over other shoppers. Im so tall I can grab stuff over their heads should I wish. (I normaly get asked to reach something from top shelf by someone when I'm shopping)
Tonight I grabbed a basket and joined the rabble for some knocked down cut price shopping. I wasn't going to be disapointed. I asked the lad politely if the leeks piled up by reduced stand were gojng cheap, but only if he had a sec. My politeness paid off he slapped the 9p ticket on my two packs of leeks. Yes I really had a leek in my basket!! (No jokes about how I should have had a leek in the toilet, but I was almost wetting myself with excitement over the 9p leeks) What else could I fill my leeky basket with with? Well I got a large loaf of bread, a big box of mushrooms, a pack of parsnips, a bag of salad, pack of two cream cakes, a loaf of olive ciabata bread, a cabbage, a brioche loaf, and a pack of chocolate hot cross buns . All at 9p an item, two carrier bags full but how much did I pay? Drum roll please...... . Total bill was 99p! Result! (only in the excitement I realised I had no cash on me so stuck it on the debit card, with £10 cash back added)
A lot of the gear I got tonight is now filling my veg draw in my fridge. This veg will keep for ages. I have cut up and frozen a lot of the bread. Its all Display Until and Best Before dates rather than use by dates so only really a guidance. I will then; at done point google recipes using the items I brought tonight. I took one of the cream cakes round for my Dad. He loved it I had the other for my pudding.
So here are my top tips when it comes to reduced to clear items in supermarkerts.
1. Do your main food shop in the evening rather than earlier in the day. You can still get fresh stuff if you want, they have deliveries througout the day. Make the reduced section your first port of call. You will hopefully find items on your list that are reduced.
2. Get to know what time your locak supermarket reduces stuff cheap. Sometimes 10 mins before closing works, but sometimes all the reduced stuff would have gone by then. So do your research. I know, for example, that if I go into my local morrisons around 7.45/8pm I'm normally going to get some sort of bargain.
3. If you find a product on that days date and its not reduced, don't be afraid to ask. Look for the man with the reducing gun and be nice to him. If he says no then just accept it. Only ask staff on relevant department. A man on bakery won't be able to reduce veg as its not his section.
4. Look out for BOGOF deals on fresh goods. In a lot of supermatkets you will still get the by one get one free even if its reduced. (cabbage reduced to 10p still buy one get one free = 2 for 10p) I think that applies in Tesco and possibly Sainsburys. Morrisons however now exclude all items that are reduced from any other offer. *look for signs on the reduced section stating the stores policy on this* Waitrose is even better. any deal (eg 2 for £4) comes off in its orginal form even with reduced stuff. If you buy 2 items that were £3 each buy on at 2 for £5 you save a £1 even if they are reduced to 10p The multi buy save can be more that what you pay; don't expect them to give you money back on a negative balance though, although that has happened to me before.
5. Don't get carried away! Its easy to buy something just because it's cheap but what are you going to do with 200 vine leaves? Be sensible, having said that I do use reduced to clear as a way if trying new foods to see it I like them. If I don't it doesnt matter.
6. Think what foods can be frozen. Look for foods like veg and fruit that won't go off any time soon but are approaching best before date. Best before and displsy until are really just for the shop to ensure they are keeping track of the quality of their goods. Items like meat and dairy have use buy dates. They say never exceed these. Pesonally I have exceeded use buy dates by a couple of days and its been fine. Milk goes off very quick past its uae by date. Be careful! Don't forget meat can sit happily in the freezer untill you need it.
I love filling my fridge with veg and getting my 5 a day. the cheaper way!
Thankfully Morrisons wasn't as busy this evening. I was in with a chance. I do have an advantage over other shoppers. Im so tall I can grab stuff over their heads should I wish. (I normaly get asked to reach something from top shelf by someone when I'm shopping)
Tonight I grabbed a basket and joined the rabble for some knocked down cut price shopping. I wasn't going to be disapointed. I asked the lad politely if the leeks piled up by reduced stand were gojng cheap, but only if he had a sec. My politeness paid off he slapped the 9p ticket on my two packs of leeks. Yes I really had a leek in my basket!! (No jokes about how I should have had a leek in the toilet, but I was almost wetting myself with excitement over the 9p leeks) What else could I fill my leeky basket with with? Well I got a large loaf of bread, a big box of mushrooms, a pack of parsnips, a bag of salad, pack of two cream cakes, a loaf of olive ciabata bread, a cabbage, a brioche loaf, and a pack of chocolate hot cross buns . All at 9p an item, two carrier bags full but how much did I pay? Drum roll please...... . Total bill was 99p! Result! (only in the excitement I realised I had no cash on me so stuck it on the debit card, with £10 cash back added)
A lot of the gear I got tonight is now filling my veg draw in my fridge. This veg will keep for ages. I have cut up and frozen a lot of the bread. Its all Display Until and Best Before dates rather than use by dates so only really a guidance. I will then; at done point google recipes using the items I brought tonight. I took one of the cream cakes round for my Dad. He loved it I had the other for my pudding.
So here are my top tips when it comes to reduced to clear items in supermarkerts.
1. Do your main food shop in the evening rather than earlier in the day. You can still get fresh stuff if you want, they have deliveries througout the day. Make the reduced section your first port of call. You will hopefully find items on your list that are reduced.
2. Get to know what time your locak supermarket reduces stuff cheap. Sometimes 10 mins before closing works, but sometimes all the reduced stuff would have gone by then. So do your research. I know, for example, that if I go into my local morrisons around 7.45/8pm I'm normally going to get some sort of bargain.
3. If you find a product on that days date and its not reduced, don't be afraid to ask. Look for the man with the reducing gun and be nice to him. If he says no then just accept it. Only ask staff on relevant department. A man on bakery won't be able to reduce veg as its not his section.
4. Look out for BOGOF deals on fresh goods. In a lot of supermatkets you will still get the by one get one free even if its reduced. (cabbage reduced to 10p still buy one get one free = 2 for 10p) I think that applies in Tesco and possibly Sainsburys. Morrisons however now exclude all items that are reduced from any other offer. *look for signs on the reduced section stating the stores policy on this* Waitrose is even better. any deal (eg 2 for £4) comes off in its orginal form even with reduced stuff. If you buy 2 items that were £3 each buy on at 2 for £5 you save a £1 even if they are reduced to 10p The multi buy save can be more that what you pay; don't expect them to give you money back on a negative balance though, although that has happened to me before.
5. Don't get carried away! Its easy to buy something just because it's cheap but what are you going to do with 200 vine leaves? Be sensible, having said that I do use reduced to clear as a way if trying new foods to see it I like them. If I don't it doesnt matter.
6. Think what foods can be frozen. Look for foods like veg and fruit that won't go off any time soon but are approaching best before date. Best before and displsy until are really just for the shop to ensure they are keeping track of the quality of their goods. Items like meat and dairy have use buy dates. They say never exceed these. Pesonally I have exceeded use buy dates by a couple of days and its been fine. Milk goes off very quick past its uae by date. Be careful! Don't forget meat can sit happily in the freezer untill you need it.
I love filling my fridge with veg and getting my 5 a day. the cheaper way!