I used to fancy myself as a very loyal customer to one big supermarket: Tesco. The main reason I have always been their loyal little shopper week in week out was actually because it was the only store for many years that I was closest to.
Sainsburys opened when I lived out on the sticks but for me they didn't quite live up to the hype surrounding them. Now these two stores are not much different. I have also tried Asda and for me personally, the less said about them the better.
No it has definitely been Tesco from the beginning for me. Especially with their little blue loyalty cards that make you think twice about leaving them. Think of the points! I've used those points at Christmas and various times throughout the year. Mind you the only reason I have so much at Christmas is because I am incredibly underwhelmed at the amount I see written on my leaflet which promises such goodness to be inside. Not much for a 'loyal' customer.
Anyway, I decided I had had enough of Tesco, as I have before but then I began thinking of 'the points' and ran back like a little girl. Now I am a big girl and I will not look at that damn blue piece of plastic and be lured back..Okay i will sometimes after all it's about shopping around.
There is one supermarket I have never paid that much attention to. Not Waitrose nah ah, they're not made for folk like me. I doubt I could afford a *carrot . Nope I'm talking about Morrisons.
On Thursday the Other Half, Little Man and I hopped on a bus, shopping list in hand with a challenge in our minds: Make this supermarket make us smile. Especially at the final bill in my frugal little hand.
First off we were a little peckish. I don't like to do this often as I find supermarkets can be pretty stingy with their portions, have not great tasting food (not because they're often value range, that stuff is just as good) and really lets face it, it's a waste of money. But we had a spare ten pounds, we were all hungry after dropping Little Miss off and catching the earliest bus that we qued up with the rest of them.
How different was this place? The atmosphere was so much calmer despite there being just as many people being in the cafe as any other supermarket. Morrissons has a slightly smaller cafe department than most stores too. The staff were really friendly which isn't usually a problem for me anywhere else so is just a bonus. The food was really nice. Okay so we only had egg and chips. a cake, burger and chips for Other Half and a baby jar with 2 drinks as well this total came under budget costing around £7.68 I was really pleased because that's the cheapest I've eaten in a supermarket with 3 of us.
After the quick lunch we went off to the real challenge: The food shop. My budget is £60 a week with the hope of having left over cash at the end for the pot in the kitchen in case we need extras during the week. It was hard going around a store new to us, and we were at great risk of popping things in the old trolley just because we were passing through aisle's we didn't need to. Always a danger. Luckily we didn't add anything we didn't need.
The biggest joy for me (as sad as it sounds) was the Free From section. A constant battle for me is getting supermarkets to stock up a decent size section. My local Tesco is getting better, but I still have to travel by bus to another town just to buy some self raising flour. I can't afford everything from a health food store so I keep them for the cheaper basics.
Morrisons had a really good section for Free From food. I was so happy to have naan breads for dinner and to see there would be no more shopping around for me every week. Yey!
At the checkout the lady was super nice, bags were there already and it was noticed when we were low without having to ask more than twice if we 'could have some more bags please?' Usually I take bags with me but on this occasion I totally forgot. At least I have more to stash under the buggy! Their bags seem stronger I noticed as well. Oh, and the best part? My bill came to *drum roll* £44.86!
Of course that £44 doesn't buy totally everything I need. I nipped over to Lidl (usually it's Aldi though) to buy their nappies which are great. Morrissons are good nappies but when I can get just about 2 weeks worth for £4.99 I'm not likely to go elsewhere am I? I was buying £1.99 nappies in the Tesco Value range but another price hike has seen them go just over £2 so I am making a saving. Even after that there was some change for the pot for my bread (everyone had beaten me to it-darn) and anything we run out of as you do.
Thumbs up Morrisons, you have a new customer in me. I'm not too bothered about my Tesco Clubcard when I realise I don't get much from it anyway. So, which supermarket are you loyal to, if any? Or are you loyal to your local town which is even more important at this time? Or do you just go here there and everywhere much like me but have a preferred choice of supermarket?
I'd be interested to hear you views, or even if you totally disagree! For me though, I am rather happy with my new choice of store.
* An exaggeration
* I have posted this purely for my blog. No supermarket has asked me specifically to comment on their store. I'm just a mummy blogger who thinks too much about shopping and budgets!
