Woolies online 7 October, Coles Surry Hills 12 October & David Jones Market St Foodhall 13 October 2010

I think Woolies online read this blog. Why else would I get 3 x 100g packs of Lurpak as freebies in my order. I placed another order with Woolies last night and I hope I get more Lurpak freebies ;). No, the real reason is the $4.29 credit I had because they couldn’t supply Oceanspray Cranberry juice. No way is this stingy babe allowing that dollar amount be forgotten and absorbed into the Woolies ether.

Have you voted in my egg poll? You really should. It’s an egg-ceptional poll.

I’m trying to include the place of origin in my lists. My personal opinion here, but I feel that the Murray Darling plan would push food prices through the roof, and the consequences of that would be diabolical for Australia. I try to espouse what I term be ethically stingy, that is think about what you are buying & where it came from. Is saving a few cents on an import worth it in the end? And how about those food miles? Be realistic about how you shop and your budget.

< Clambers down from soapbox and gets into the lists >

Woolies Online 7 October 2010

Wondersoft toilet paper 24 pack made in Australia $9.98
Finish Dishwasher Rinse Aid Regular 500ml (no place of origin on packaging – Finish dishwasher cleaner made in Poland, tabs in Germany) $8.92
Omo Laundry Powder 2x concentrate front loader 5kg made in New Zealand **special** $29.99
Omo Laundry Powder 2x concentrate front loader 5kg Sensitive made in New Zealand **special** $29.99
Woolworths Select Baby wipes scented 480 pack made in USA $22.56
Pop tops Apple drink 6 x 250ml 100% Australian Owned made in Australia with local & imported ingredients $3.86
Pop tops Apple Blackcurrant drink 6 x 250ml 100% Australian Owned made in Australia with local & imported ingredients $3.86
Ocean Spray Raspberry Cranberry Juice 1.5L made with N American Cranberries and Australian and imported ingredients, packed in Australia **special** $4.29
Nescafe Blend 43 coffee 500g packed in Australia from imported ingredients **special** $14.99
Three threes Mightymite 290g made in Australia $2.49
Carmans Bars breakfast Original 6 pack 270g 100% Australian made & owned $5.15
Woolworths Selec Cheese Tasty Lite slices 500g product of Australia Tasmanian cheese $8.05
Woolworths sizzle steak product of Australia $12.95/kg
Woolworths lite milk 3L $3.59

Coles Surry Hills 13 October 2010

The thing about having a teenage boy in particular in the house is that they eat. And eat. And eat. 13. Same height as me. So you have to return to the shops and stock up. We go through at least 16 litres of milk a week. When I buy milk, I buy either 3 or 4 three litre bottles. I’ve given some thought to moving into a supermarket. We could bed down in the shampoo aisle as that section always smells so lovely. Unlike teen boys 😉

Wonder White bread 700g **2 for $6.00** regular $3.99 each
Coles lite milk savings brand 3L $3.59
Ski peach mango yog 1kg $4.99
Kelloggs Sustain cereal 575g $5.29
Coles bran 350g $3.29
Kelloggs Sultana Bran Buds 600g $7.99
Arnotts Milk Arrowroot biscuits 250g $1.90
Arnotts Sao 250g $2.49
Real foods Corn Thins 150g $1.96
Nutella 750g $5.50
Devondale UHT Milk 2L semi skim **special** $2.00
Nescafe Blend 43 coffee 400g **special $13.00**
Omo small & mighty 1 kg **special** $5.00
Sunny queen 18 eggs 1.06 kg $6.29 (they have smiley faces printed on the eggs)
Bananas $1.98 / kg
Murcott mandarins $3.98/kg
Seedless watermelon $1.48/kg

David Jones Foodhall Market St Sydney 13 October 2010

Broccoli $9.90/kg
Cauliflower halk $3.50

Man vs Wild; Woman vs Westfield + Coles online experience & Mandarin index + + 50 ways to save

The Fabulous family have been watching a lot of Bear Grylls’ Man vs Wild lately (thanks to IQ). SBS and Discovery Channel for the uninitiated. We watched 2 episodes this morning before heading out. I have googled Bear and discovered he has 3 sons. I understand now why he spends so much time in different regions demonstrating survival techniques. He couldn’t last an hour in a Westfield with the children. Those days where the children are simply trying. I particularly liked this comment from Bear’s twitter account: “my son’s school sports day this pm… & the parents race! Might hover around the bbq instead I think! 1:14 AM Jul 14th via web”

As Mini-me Fabette has suddenly decided mandarins are my favourite, the banana index is temporarily in hiatus. We have bought kilos of mandarins lately.

Mandarin Index

David Jones Food Hall Westfield Bondi Junction $7.50 / kg
Organic fruit & veg stall @ Bondi Junction Village Markets $3.99 / kg
Dr Earth Bondi Junction (organic) $8.25
Paddington Fresh Foods Oxford St Paddington (daisy) $6.96 / kg
Woolworths Bondi Junction (murcott) $2.54 / kg

I bought free-range eggs from Cathy the Egg Lady at Bondi Junction Village Markets today. 30 medium eggs for $6.00 or 20 cents each. Her medium eggs are the size of supermarket large eggs. We have been baking and making lots of omelettes over the past few months, so I felt a 30 pack was justified. A 15 pack of free range at Coles/Woolworths is $5.99 or 40 cents each. If you aren’t a big egg eater, you could go halves or quarters with friends, family or neighbours.

Coles Online

My delivery arrived at the start of the time frame I selected and the delivery driver was wonderful. Placed all the groceries on the kitchen bench & was generally lovely. I rang the customer care number after putting away my groceries to let Coles know how good the experience was for me, and complimented the driver in particular. The surprise I had from the other end of the line was telling. They were delighted I was calling to give a compliment rather than a complaint, and said they’d email the supervisor to pass on my compliments. I like calling and complimenting service. I will tell the person I was happy and follow it up. It’s quite sad that, to paraphrase a CBA compliment/complaint line customer service officer, they always hear complaints. I complained recently about Coles (Westfield) Bondi Junction and received an apology from the manager, but I’ll never go into that Coles again. If I haven’t bothered to complain, I simply don’t use that business again.

I felt the prices were on par with the regular supermarket prices. Some items, such as saos, cost 30 cents per pack more. The fruit selected were unblemished (tick), and I received everything I ordered (tick), and, as stated, my delivery came right on time (triple tick).

Apples braeburn $2.99 / kg
Bananas organic red tip $3.98 / kg
Arnotts Sao crackers 250g $2.71
Gippsland Organic vanilla Yog 200g $1.84
Tamar Valley Greek Yog mixed 4 pack $6.31 (this was something I had not come across in the supermarket, usually buy singles)
Perfect Italiano Parmesan Cheese shredded 250g $5.43
Lean Cuisine Honey Soy Beef with Wholemeal noodles 280g $6.20
Kalli Bros Nile Perch fillets (imported ) $15.99 / kg
Coles Savings brand Lite milk 3 L $3.59
Mr Sheen Pot Pourri Furniture polish 375ml $5.40

I believe there is a lot of football on tonight, so I can sit with my list and the computer. It is Mr Fab’s birthday. Yes we made the cake, not from scratch, a packet mix. Greens, Australian Made, however bought out by the Guiness Peat Group in 2007. The plan is to do another online shop, with Woolworths. I will order some of the items I bought with Coles as a comparison, as well as the items on my shopping list. I am so enjoying no impulse buys!!

UPDATE: WOOLWORTHS ONLINE REGISTRATION + ORDER

Done. Plus there’s an option to state what sort of things you like, I selected the “low gi” option. And I’m getting free delivery. The original option I selected was $5.00, then I decided to change it and it’s free. The prices are slightly cheaper than Coles online.

UPDATE NO: 2

John Rolfe, Public Defender, the Daily Telegraph “Fifty ways to save a fortune”

Have a read of the article suggesting ways you can go about reducing your $$$. Here are my responses:

1. Have.
2. Pack lunch daily for all of us.
3. Don’t drink beer, though my son wants me to make things for the Glebe markets, so he can pocket the dosh. My children think I can sew.
4. Do buy quality & do mend/resole.
5. Hmm haven’t found anything like that here in Sydney, and my family of fussy eaters don’t mesh with restaurants. My last birthday dinner was at Bodhi’s at Cook + Philip Park. Fab food, but not my choice but the pretend vegetarians in my house.
6. Must check it out.
7. Ditto.
8. Everytime Mr Fab passes a servo this happens. I get the lecture re tyre pressure and fuel consumption everytime.
9. Done.
10. Do, I’m too stingy. My Mum’s a Scot 🙂
11. Hmm, happy with mine.
12. I’ve tried unsuccessfully!
13. Sounds interesting, but we don’t have broadband 😦
14. Can’t, strata title, though no one is too fussed here. I do hang clothes inside to dry where I can – no sun fade, great for clothes!
15. Do have a Whirlpool front loader. The big 7.5kg.
16. Do.
17. We could be better at this, however, have improved 100% in this household.
18. I can’t do a barber, Mr Fab is fussy…when it comes to hair, the Fabulous family has to go Fabulous!
19. Do.
20. Not applicable.
21. Do.
22. Can’t.
23. Did.
24. Do.
25. Uniform costs as a tax rebate is unfair to the childless. Would rather low income earners received free dental coverage.
26. Do.
27. We have the best deal for our situation.
28. Do, hello EJ Cafe Hunter Connection Sydney xxx
29. NO and apparently you have to be in it to win it. See #10 I’m too stingy.
30. I’ve never defaulted. The free copy is available if one is able to wait 10 working days.
31. C’mon, I don’t drink, gamble or do anything bad!!
32. We don’t drink at home. See #10.
33. What is this movies thing? We go so rarely that when we do go, it’s Gold Class baby!! Yes our children are social outcasts. They’ve seen Toy Story 3 and Mstr Fab saw the A team.
34. I respectfullydisagree. I find in the Whirlpool the powder doesn’t dissolve and have had to buy a liquid for those items that need cold wash.
35. Too hard basket.
36. Do, fab!!
37. Always pay up front, no disputes regarding coverage 😉
38. Do. Except if parking at Broadway Shopping Centre.
39. Do see #10
40. See #5
41. Did.
42. Have. Plus plasmas have burn and longevity issues.
43. Great tip. Must check it out.
44. Do.
45. Do.
46. Do.
47. Gym membership… B.C. 🙂
48. Correct.
49. Or read it for free on the web or at a cafe 😉
50. Think of the environment 😉