SHOPPERS are getting ready to splash the cash and Christmas creeps closer.
But sometimes it's hard to know where to look for the cheapest bargains.
Inflation hit 10.1% last month due to rising food and energy prices.
The rate went up in September from 9.9% in August and is now back to a 40-year high.
That means shoppers are extra keen to find the best deals.
One savvy shopper went out and did her weekly shop in both Asda and Costco to compare prices.
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Writing for the Manchester Evening News, the shopper compared the same products at both stores.
Many items including burgers, cheese, butter and bread turned out a lot cheaper at Costco.
She said: "A pack of 12 6oz Aberdeen Angus burgers for instance cost £12.99 at Costco, whereas a pack of two cost £3.90 from Asda's Extra Special range – meaning 12 from Asda would be almost double the price at £23.40.
"And some of that cheese we mentioned – well that works out much cheaper too. £5.65 for a huge 1.215kg block from Costco, where the same amount (of a similar quality) in Asda would cost £9.11."
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She noted a 1kg tub of Flora Buttery cost £2.49 at Costco but cost £3.60 at Asda.
She also said bread at Costco was "the cheapest I've seen in a long time" – with a loaf of white Hovis costing just 95p. That's compared to Asda's £1.20 price.
However, out of 21 products she bought from both stores, six were cheaper at Asda.
She said: "Maris Piper potatoes for instance cost £4.79 for a whopping 7.5kg bag at Costco, which seemed like a bargain.
"But when I visited Asda and bought a 2.5kg bag for just £1.49, I realised that its spuds are actually cheaper overall. And I generally wouldn't have space for such a big bag anyway."
The other products that turned out cheaper at Asda were mince, soup, cottage pies, blueberry muffins and vegetables.
"What I did find with some of the products that cost a bit more from Costco was that those added pennies seemed to equate to added quality," she said.
"Its three-pack of cheese-topped cottage pies for example, priced at £11.99, were far superior to Asda's pies costing £3.50 each. The latter does sell an Extra Special version but those are a hefty £5 a pop."
The overall cost of 21 items each came to £130.94 at Costco and £153.21 at Asda – a difference of £22.27.
However, she mentions you'll need to factor in a membership fee for Costco at £33.60 a year – which costs less than £3 a month. She reckons it's easy to earn back and worth the money.
Supermarket schemes
There are several Christmas savings programmes run by the big supermarkets to ensure you spend all your cash with them at Christmas.
Tesco's for instance, saves you £12 towards your Christmas shop but, to get it, you’ll need to save £200 in your Clubcard account by now.
If you have that though, just log onto your Clubcard account on the Tesco website, then select voucher schemes and Clubcard Christmas saver.
Points are worth £0.50 in vouchers for every 50 earned, the same as the standard value, but you can also top up your account with cash in-store to get a bonus.
The scheme pays a £1.50 bonus, in vouchers, if you top up between £25 and £49.99, a £3 bonus between £50 and £99.99, a £6 bonus between £100 and £199.99 and a £12 bonus between £200 and £360.
Your cash, bonuses and Clubcard points are all converted into Tesco vouchers which will be issued by post in early November, in time for Christmas shopping.
Others include:
Iceland
Iceland doesn’t actually have a Christmas savings scheme but its Bonus cards can be used to save towards the event.
The cards – which you can pick up in store – give you £1 extra to spend in stores when you save £20 on them, with a maximum of £1,000 saved per card.
You can order cards online and top up at the till.
When you want to use your savings, tell the cashier how much you'd like to spend and the amount will be taken off the card.
You’ll need to register your card online.
- Bonus value: 5% of saving
- Payout limit: £50 per card (max £1,000 spend per card)
- Pay in deadline: Any time
Co-op
Co-op shoppers get paper savings books to stick stamps in.
Each stamp costs £1 and you can buy a max of 48 per book, which you can redeem against your shopping at any time.
Redeem a completed book (48 stamps) in December for a £2 bonus.
- Bonus value: 4% saving if you spend at Christmas
- Payout limit: £2 per £48 spend
- Pay in deadline: Anytime, bonus doubled in December
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury’s Christmas Club card must be activated and reloaded at Sainsbury's checkouts and self-service tills, and you’ll need to register it online.
Rewards of £2.50 are given for each full £50 you have saved on your card by November 1, up to a maximum of £25 on £500 savings.
The bonus will be added to your card by the end of November. The balance can be used in Sainsbury's and Argos in store or online.
- Bonus value: £2.50 for every £50
- Payout limit: £25
- Pay in deadline: November 1
Asda
Asda’s Christmas Savings Card can be picked up by ordering online or in store. Register it to your online Asda account.
You get a bonus of £1 for saving between £30 and £79.99, £3 for between £80 and £129.99, £6 between £130 and £179.99, £9 between £180 and £229.99, £12 between £230 and £279.99 and £15 for £280 or more.
The cut-off date is 5pm on November 13 and the bonus will come through on the card by November 14.
Top up online using your Asda account or do it in store at any checkout.
The card can be used online on the Asda groceries site, in stores and George.com.
- Bonus value: Up to 5 per cent
- Payout limit: £15
- Pay in deadline: November 13
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