Taking advantage of Christmas prices.

November and December are the months that I replenish my cupboards with bought goods. January is also a month for bargains. Whilst other people are out Christmas shopping, I am stocking up on food for the year. My Christmas shopping was done in the January sales, or is homemade. Taking advantage of Christmas prices saves me a lot of money. Most of the supermarkets have loss leaders as they are trying to lure you into their store in the hope that you will spend more for your Christmas.

Here are some of the things that I found in December which will allow me to avoid the supermarket throughout the year.

1. Half price pork bought as joints. This has all been cut up and frozen. We have enough pork mince, sausages, burgers, chunks, steaks, and strips to make meat  meals for most of next year. I might top it up at Easter a bit when there will be more bargains.

2. Alcohol. This often has large reductions. We don’t drink, but some years I will buy a bottle of Brandy to make my Christmas cakes. It lasts for years.  I also buy gin or vodka some years to make mini fruit infused drinks to give as Christmas presents.

3. Half price beef. Beef has more or less been off my meal plan since it doubled in price. I got a nice joint from a premium supermarket. I cut chunks and steaks from it, and then cooked the rest. It was too nice to make mince from. The cooked meat was sliced thinly to eat in sandswiches, or to be warmed up in onion gravy. All were frozen. Chicken and lamb has also been half price in the supermarkets.

4. Half price salmon. This is often sold whole in places like Morrison’s, but we bought a few half salmon this year that didn’t  cost much more. It saved us the job of taking all of the bones out and we are not left with a fish head and tail which we have paid for. We cut the fish into strips of fillet which work out at about £1 each. My daughter told me that 2 similar sized fillets at the same premium supermarket normally cost £6. Often we will only use 1 fillet between us when making pasta dishes or kebabs.

5. Prawns. There have been lots of offers on frozen prawns. I use a hand full in a stir fry, a paella, or add a few to a fish pie. A couple of bags will make us about 7 or 8 meals.

6. Whole wheat flour, pulses, rice, pudding rice, dessicated coconut, spices, etc. The World food aisle had 20% off everything at the beginning of December in a large well know supermarket. I was already quite well stocked up, but did top up with a few things.

7. I stock up on staples. I have bought butter, sugar, and a few tins on offer. Supermarkets often knock 20p or more off tins on offer, cartons of custard, cream, etc, at this time of year.  Sugar and butter is sold cheaper in places like Farmfoods if you buy a few together. They also  often over stock with fresh items which can then be bought reduced and frozen. Christmas eve, 27th of Dec, and just after the New Year are the best times to find fresh bargains. Last year the Christmas cheese sold at bargain prices lasted us until into summer. Some was frozen, and some was just stored in the fridge as it had wax on it. I picked some of the small waxed cheese up for 10p each.

8. Vegetables will be sold for 8p nearer Christmas. It is from the 18th December this year. I buy lots of most of them. Potatoes I store in boxes in a cool place, shallots which I store in a hessian bag, cabbage which I ferment or make into pickled cabbage, carrots which I store in sand or blanche and freeze. Swedes I store in a cool place. These vegetables, combined with what I have grown and frozen, get me through until I can harvest again in early Spring. Anything we run out of, we do without, unless I get it from a waste food project.

9. Often luxury fruit has offers on it. I bought pomegranites this year which is something I can’t usually afford. In the past I have bought melons and cranberries. Fruit is also heavily discounted on Christmas eve as the shop will be closed for a couple of days.

10. Confectionary. We all know the big tins of Roses, etc, are often reduced. I avoid these now due to the palm oil in them. Other confectionary is also reduced. I bought some Toblerone sweets this year as they are made with milk. We are also making our own sweets so that we know what is in them.

I would say that about 65% of my food budget is spent in November, December, and January.  In January the supermarkets will reduce seasonal stock to make room for other products. We often buy mincemeat, cheese, cream, Christmas puddings, marzipan and other Christmas and New Year products at ridiculous prices. It takes time and dedication to look for the bargains, but they are out there. Last year I got 6 boxes of mince pies for free as the supermarket couldn’t sell them. We froze and were eating them still in March.

By shopping this way and having an annual food budget, I can eat all year at Christmas bargain prices. I rarely have to enter the supermarket, either. This is good as it is hard to shop for an odd thing in a supermarket without coming out without something unintentional.

I would love to eat organically all of the time, and some of this food might not be the best. However shopping like this allows us to have variety and eat luxuries on our small budget. It also means that I can buy ancient grains to make bread, buy eggs from a farm, or buy some meat from a butcher. I prefere to buy local  chicken there. Supermarket chicken seems more rubbery now adays. It is all a compromise and we have to do the best we can. I am lucky as I can grow and forage fresh organic produce myself.

I get a kind of glee from shopping like this as it feels like I am sticking a finger up at the supermarket. They are not making a profit from me. The prices continue to go up on food each year, and yet the farmers are offered less for their produce each season. Despite this, supermarkets like Tesco make billions of profits each year whilst we all struggle to make ends meet. That is why I like to use small local shops when I can during the rest of the year, including a butcher. and refill shop.

Toys and clothes are also on sale at this time of year , and not just January. They seem to start sales  earlier each year. I always bought clothes in advance for my children. The next size was bought for the following winter. This saved a lot, especially when buying coats. I would also stock up on toys and birthday, and  Christmas gifts for the following year in the sales.

Have you managed to find any bargains this year?