A mum has shared how she bulk buys meat so that she has enough to feed her family throughout the year.
While most of us think we’re savvy shoppers by capitalising on a two-for-one offer for our favourite shampoo, Lindzi Bebbington-Colbourne has put us all to shame with her incredible money-saving skills.
The police officer from Lincolnshire has been buying reduced food for years, and has decided to share her tips and tricks so that others can save cash.
At the end of last year, she saved more than £1,000 when she bought food close to its use by date – which she said would last her until this Christmas.
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Speaking in January this year, Lindzi said: “I know how it feels to be hungry as a child and I thank my childhood for my bargain hunting ethic.
“I buy good quality food at reduced prices and freezing my shopping allows me to grab a bargain now and save money in the long run.
“Saving money is a huge buzz for me and I love seeing other people getting bargains too.
“The price of living has gone through the roof, so I like to encourage people to save where they can – and you can save money on your food shopping.”
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Lindzi went shopping twice between Christmas and New Year in 2021, stocking up on festive meats and treats that were being sold off.
On Boxing Day, she was able to bag food worth more than £750 for just £200, including individual turkeys to feed 16 people.
“My annual tradition on Boxing Day is to bulk buy reduced foods,” she said.
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“It was 50 per cent off all chilled items, which should have been £323 and I paid £159.
“Then I bought four huge turkeys which were originally between £85 and £100 each.
“The whole turkeys were £7.50 and the crowns were half the original price and then 50 per cent off again.
“The turkeys should have been £441.95 but I got four turkeys and two crowns for £50.”
She also got chicken breasts, sausages, pies, cheese and meat-filled pastries, saying you can freeze almost everything.
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Lindzi continued: “You can buy reduced fresh food too.
“You can freeze fresh vegetables, milk, cheese and bread.
“If it's on its sell by date just put it in the freezer and I promise you it all tastes just as good as fresh.”
She was also able to get fruit and veg for free when a supermarket offered out of date items for nothing, while another shopping sesh on New Year’s Eve saw her get £250 worth of food for just £89.
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The mum of three – to Poppi 12, Tobias, 14 and Elise, 20 – likes to batch cook and meal plan to help juggle work and family life.
“We love casseroles, curries and pies, we just chuck it all in,” she said.
“Nothing gets wasted and it really does go a long way. I won't need to buy meat until the end of the year.”
Of course, with all the bargains, Lindzi has to have space to store them.
Thankfully, she’s the proud owner of five – yep, FIVE – freezers, and also has 10 slow cookers to help with the batch cooking.
She said: "I have to be organised, I have a chest freezer for joints of meat, a tall upfront freezer for fish and separate drawers for sausage, chicken etc.”
Thanks to her bulk buys, her weekly shopping bill is often hugely reduced, as Lindzi usually spends just £50 a week to feed the four of them.
“I do little shops once a week for basics like milk. I can't resist shopping for sticker bargains,” she added.
“I use all the main supermarkets, they all reduce items usually three times per day but the best reductions are at night.
“I also give loads away to family, friends and to food banks and local families.
“I will help anyone. Nobody should be going hungry.
“People used to be ashamed of getting a bargain but now it's something to be proud of and I am proud to provide good quality food for a fraction of the cost for my family.”
Featured Image Credit: CatersTopics: Shopping, Money, Food and Drink