As is a common occurrence, no bread tonight so nipped down to Tesco for one to make kids packed lunches. I did this just after doing my monthly bank statement etc when I discovered that for fuel alone, my car costs 15p per mile.
So round trip was 5 miles to buy my loaf, that in effect added 75p to my loaf. I don't go to my local corner shop as bread is typically 25p per loaf dearer but I have just , in effect, paid an extra 75p for one!
I have to confess that possibly 3 or 4 times a week I can find myself nipping down to Tesco for odds and sods as well as a wee nosey round the non food section.
So my belated resolution is to cut out these unnecessary trips, better planning with the shopping and greater use of the freezer will hopefully help me cut my fuel bill!
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You might add to that supporting the local shop when you do run out of bread or milk...
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One of our local shops open all hours is... Tesco Express. We have a few local shops but they tend to close before 8pm. The local Co-Op (Ex Somerfield) also opens fairly late but the staff are inefficient serving so I tend to avoid - ex Somerfield staff.
The doom and gloom merchants were against the Tesco of course. Most use it now of course!
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I tend to do similar. Working from home a lot over the last year or so I ended up responsible for getting groceries in. But for various reasons don't plan too far ahead. When youngest is home you cannot know if they need food in the evening let alone for the next 4 or more evenings. Or even lunch for that matter!
Now it's mostly myself and my wife then I should do better - and need to do better as 3-4 days per week I am in the local(ish) office. Note I am still doing the grocery shop even if I work until 6pm and driving the 26miles home ;-) And I enjoy this side of life - work will get crap project wise soon.
And Bobby I am surprised you've only just worked out it's around 15p/mile! Mine has been near enough that for a long while. And I factor in an average of £80 for diesel for personal miles.
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I was thinking about this earlier today when I went to fill the Vitara and saw the Derv was £131 ! I expected to spend about £70 but it ' only ' came to £62.
If the weather starts getting a bit better, I'm going to use ythe pushbike or walk a bit further.
I do use my local shop/post office but sometimes the bread's getting a bit old. He gets a couple of magazines for me and of course, with him and his family being friends, I have to go in regularly for a cup of tea and a bit of racial abuse. I often come out with a bowl full of goat curry or something !
I'll use the car less when the Metrolink is up and running. There was a tram down the line yesterday under it's own power and more tests are planned for this week...including at night.
Camera handy tomorrow if I'm out and about !
Ted
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Breadmaker Bobby - it's the future. Spaniels love the breadcrumbs !
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My local Tesco is about a minute walk away and I find it very handy for bits. I still by my coke in the corner shop though it is cheaper than Tesco.
There is a 24/7 Asda just up the road too which is quite handy if I decide at 2:00am in the morning I need a new pillow.
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>>Spaniels love the breadcrumbs
They'll eat almost anything, but not as much as Labs.
It's amazing what you'll find when you 'scoop'.
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An extra 75p? I bet you use twice or three times that, or more - starting from cold, twice, lots of gear changes with traffic lights etc. Plus wear to car. Make it a fiver or more for your loaf.
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>>..when I went to fill the Vitara and saw the Derv was £131 !>>
So you only bought less than half-a-litre then...:-))
Makes the loaf seem extraordinarily cheap...
Last edited by: Stuartli on Mon 10 Jan 11 at 17:11
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RTJ, have known for a while of the rough price of fuel and mileage but I have never really looked on it in this way before as most journeys are a necessity or whatever but this was a simple trip for one use only and so the mileage cost could not be justified in any other way.
The sooner the weather gets better, the sooner I am getting back on my bike!
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>> price of fuel and mileage but I have never really looked on it in this way before
That's why I get my food shopping at the yellow and black supermarket 1 mile away. The green and white supermarket is a good £5 cheaper for a weekly shop but alas it costs me £6-7 in petrol for a round trip.
I haven't taken the car out for over a year on any journey where it hasn't got warmed right through - anywhere I go in town is reached on foot or pushbike. That seems to me to be the best way to use less fuel - don't go in the car!
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>> So round trip was 5 miles to buy my loaf, that in effect added 75p
>> to my loaf.
You know that there are other costs - as well as time.
>> I don't go to my local corner shop as bread is typically
>> 25p per loaf dearer but I have just , in effect, paid an extra 75p
>> for one!
Yes, and they'dve appreciated the sale.
>> I have to confess that possibly 3 or 4 times a week I can find
>> myself nipping down to Tesco for odds and sods as well as a wee nosey
>> round the non food section.
You are developing into a footballer's wife?
>> So my belated resolution is to cut out these unnecessary trips, better planning with the
>> shopping and greater use of the freezer will hopefully help me cut my fuel bill!
Trot along to the "corner shop" instead, it'll save you time and money. Don't forget that haviong a freezer costs money, too.
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I fitted a scanguage II to my car last summer, and the fueld consumption when cold and in traffic (even though its a diesel) is horrible. It takes almost a litre of diesel for me to get to the station 2 miles away. And coming back, I can often use 0.4 litre before I've exited the station car park.
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...nd the fueld consumption when cold and in traffic (even though its a diesel) is horrible...
I used to think diesels used less fuel than petrols when warming up - until I bought one.
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>> I used to think diesels used less fuel than petrols when warming up - until
>> I bought one.
Yes, I got caught out on that one too. And given that the company pays 12p a mile towards my fuel, I definately lose out on the short trips to the station.
My landcruiser has a rapid warm-up button which idles the engine at 1200 rpm until it warms up. That really uses the juice!
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we freeze all our shop bought bread and use it as we need it
bread is easier to butter when its frozen anyway
could you not have eaten cake?
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>>could you not have eaten cake?
no cake left but still plenty of Pringles in the house from the buy one, get two free deal!!
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...but still plenty of Pringles in the house...
They're not going to make the Wii Fit regard you any more kindly.
Nice, though.
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Very interesting thread BobbyG.
Even to those who don't buy the carbon argument, the price of fuel is in many cases becoming a bit of a problem. A ten-mile round trip from cold in a 2-litre petrol car to get the daily paper is a bit extravagant, I find now that I am a country dweller. I am dreaming of electric bicycles, strap-on chinese 48cc motor kits, Priuses and Leaves, or perhaps this General Motors petrol-electric fixed-speed hybrid we are promised for next year.
A lot of people must be thinking along similar lines. Interesting, but a bit of a bummer.
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You don't need anything like that. Try keeping a couple of loaves in your freezer; you can save money by doing a multi-buy at the supermarket, and AFAIK a freezer that's full runs more efficiently anyway.
It always amazes me that many townies don't bother to keep the most basic of essential foods in the house.
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In a twisted away I think high fuel prices could be good, if it gets rid of all the school run kids and the lazyiates I can get to my jobs quicker and also burn less fuel in the process because I won't keep getting stuck in traffic!
That said traffic seems to be worse than ever at the moment. Took me 15 minutes to get half a mile down the road this evening (was dropping off a heavy printer so needed the car).
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A friend who lives in rural Sussex now uses a pony and trap for local shopping trips.
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I could do with one of them.
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Well go and have one then !
Ted
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A dear loaf of bread!! - Manatee
