I weep for you all

[frithar]

I found this section on couponing around the world and thought"Wouldn't it be fun to look up Tesco's" and check out what that's like over there (I'm in Pennsylvania, but I have --and have had-- a deep obsession with all things English since childhood).

So I went online and registered for Tesco and saw some of their prices.

Oh, my Anglo-sisters! I 'm sobbing (ok, not literally) for the prices you folks have to pay.

$5 for toothpaste??? $13 for a 30 pack of dishwasher tabs?? $6 for a few measly pieces of chicken??

I guess it cuts down on extreme-consumerism.

no wonder America is overweight, I'm thinking. Look at how cheap evrything is here!

Well, I certainly learned something today. You folks are rather amazing over there to be able to hold up the way you do. And maybe I learned something about me, too, and where all my money might be going...

I hope this isn't taken as any kind of "dis" (if you will) of England. I adore it and shall be there as soon as I can.

But first, I have to learn to be more thrifty! :D

Laura, Chaucer scholar and eternal Anglophile

[frithar]

i went back and scoured that site some more, and you know what? It's not a lot different from maybe WHole Foods Market prices-- esp. if you consider that a lot of it is organic!

At any rate, if you UK folks have any tips for frugality, send them my way via this thread! I'd love to hear what you make do without, or what different ideas you all have on shopping, compared to over here!

Thanks!!! Laura

[MrsPinecone]

That's one of the major reasons that I didn't like living in England. Bad salaries and worse prices!

(Sorry, UK people!)

[noyouyesme]

but. . . doesn't the weak dollar figure in on those prices?

[frithar]

Originally Posted by noyouyesme

but. . . doesn't the weak dollar figure in on those prices?

yeah-- I worked the dollar against the pound-listed prices.

[faeryedark]

Originally Posted by frithar

I found this section on couponing around the world and thought"Wouldn't it be fun to look up Tesco's" and check out what that's like over there (I'm in Pennsylvania, but I have --and have had-- a deep obsession with all things English since childhood).

So I went online and registered for Tesco and saw some of their prices.

Oh, my Anglo-sisters! I 'm sobbing (ok, not literally) for the prices you folks have to pay.

$5 for toothpaste??? $13 for a 30 pack of dishwasher tabs?? $6 for a few measly pieces of chicken??

I guess it cuts down on extreme-consumerism.

no wonder America is overweight, I'm thinking. Look at how cheap evrything is here!

Well, I certainly learned something today. You folks are rather amazing over there to be able to hold up the way you do. And maybe I learned something about me, too, and where all my money might be going...

I hope this isn't taken as any kind of "dis" (if you will) of England. I adore it and shall be there as soon as I can.

But first, I have to learn to be more thrifty! :D

Laura, Chaucer scholar and eternal Anglophile

LOL! you're not the only one who's obsessed with all things English and I've peeked at the Tesco prices too....gotta save lots, if we want to hang out "across the pond" for a bit

[dalkambo]

With free healthcare I would think they could afford to pay more for groceries!

[hotcouponmama]

Originally Posted by dalkambo

With free healthcare I would think they could afford to pay more for groceries!

Well, healthcare isn't really free - they have huge taxes - over 30%!

[gr8Idea]

Right - nothing "provided" by the govt (ours or anyone else's) is free.

It's all made possible by that big hunk coming out of your paycheck every week that corners you into needing to find work-arounds like couponing just to survive.

With all the promises being made by our newest batch of candidates here in the US, I think I will try to improve my couponing skills even more!

I don't know... considering how some candidates think big corporations are horrible and should be stopped from earning big profits (and then using some of those profits to employ our fellow citizens), I'm thinking I'd better do some major stockpiling before November as a hedge against the concept that a less favorable environment for those "horrible" big corps will force them to provide not only fewer jobs, but also fewer coupons to me over the long run.

Hmmm.... I guess with fewer coupons, that will only make me feel the big hunk coming out of the old paycheck even more.

It's hard to win at this game.

There's no free lunch... or free anything else for that matter... except with coupons!

[hiding57]

Originally Posted by hotcouponmama

Well, healthcare isn't really free - they have huge taxes - over 30%!

Their taxes are a LOT more than 30%.