Dunnes Voucher Changes

Agree it requires discipline I always make sure I do not go more than a euro or 2 over, deposits sometimes mean a quick maths calculation. Anything with a plug is in the 10/5 euro off scheme they had oral B toothbrushes that allowed a 15 euro off that were not bad value. Also the lego/toys before Christmas was good value they had some good stuff and the vouchers made it worthwhile.

Candles, stationary and other kitchen bits are excluded but I prefer to shop in Dunnes but I always have a general tally in my head and shop special offers when I can. Prices are gone balubas a pound of butter and a dozen eggs sets me back a tenner! Having just renewed health insurance and paid monthly for the first time in my life I am definitely watching my grocery budget.
 
Kev1964 said:
Interested in how others tot up their shopping total to achieve their desired threshold
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Mrs C uses her phone not just for toting up the weekly shop but also as a list of what we've to buy that week
That way we only buy what we're going to use or need for the coming week and minimize any potential food wastage during that week
 
Waiting behind an older couple (similar age to me) in Dunnes Stores, Beacon Centre at the check out. When they were presented with their spend amount, the woman scurries back in to the shop to eventually come back with some cleaning products. We are waiting. Then told, that she is still €6 short of her €100 spend. Off she goes again. We are waiting. This time she comes back clutching two butters and something else......... Eventually we get to have our groceries scanned.
At least do what others do and keep some sort of running tot in your head if you are playing the vouchers game.
 
Grizzly said:
At least do what others do and keep some sort of running tot in your head if you are playing the vouchers game.
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Happens me too despite my best efforts but i always identify an item in advance that i can send the kids running for if needed.
 
Grizzly said:
When they were presented with their spend amount, the woman scurries back in to the shop to eventually come back with some cleaning products. We are waiting. Then told, that she is still €6 short of her €100 spend. Off she goes again. We are waiting. This time she comes back clutching two butters and something else......... Eventually we get to have our groceries scanned.
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Absolutely against supermarket etiquette. When I'm in the queue, I'm having a look around for the items I am going to buy if I'm a few quid under. Saw something similar in the Beacon a few weeks ago and the lady went a few aisles away and came back with two Vanish tubs. Took far too long.

I have a shopping list on Evernote that I put everything on. If doing a small shop, I use my calculator to get to €25 or €50. I'll leave items to the next shop if needs be. I do the bigger shop at the weekend and don't bother calculating. If I'm within the "item is free anyway" range, I'll bring it up to the voucher, otherwise I won't bother.
 
JoeRoberts said:
Happens me too despite my best efforts but i always identify an item in advance
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Yes same with us, we try our best but sometimes mistakes are made and not always our fault either
So we add an item or two to the trolly to make sure we're over the threshold amount at the checkout

In fairness now it's not something that bothers me much any more if the person in front is a few euros short
But what does irk me is the bottle return when I've only 1 or 2 bottles and there's a person or two in front with two or three big bin liner bags full
It seems that people are willing to let you jump the queue in the supermarket when you've only an item or two but not the bottle return queue :(
 
Kev1964 said:
Interested in how others tot up their shopping total to achieve their desired threshold…€50/€100/etc.

I rely on mental arithmetic rounding up and down alternately as I pick items up. I’m inordinately pleased with myself when I get to within a euro of target!
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I tot in my head too, years of bar work as a teenager adding up rounds before there was fancy tills pays off!

Love to get it nearly exact too, great satisfaction. But it's amazing how little €25 now buys, if they still had small plastic carrier bags you'd fit it all in there, certainly wouldn't be needing a big bag. I used to bring two bags into supermarket with me, the reuseable one, definitely wouldn't need them now.
 
Monbretia said:
Love to get it nearly exact too, great satisfaction.
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In Cornelscourt the other day. Had an about to expire €5 off a €25 spend voucher. Still eating food from Christmas so not much needed. Bought a lamb shank at €16.99 plus some bread and milk. This brought us up to the €25 spend with few items at the till. Then a stroll around to see if the Spring/Summer stock was in (it's not). Still, purchased a cheap pair of Chinos for €15....and then treated ourselves to the almost full Irish, tea and toast for €5.50 each in their onsite restaurant.
A good mornings work and no cooking for us to do when we came home.
 
Very annoying; some stores (e.g. Tesco in Rathmines - which is a biggish shop) only have one machine; can be waiting ages behind someone who looks like they are returning empties from a big party!
Cervelo said:
But what does irk me is the bottle return when I've only 1 or 2 bottles and there's a person or two in front with two or three big bin liner bags full
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I use my phone calculator. If I'm short i gave a few hours to items. If I'm short I have a few go to items or I'll ask to put through an item twice. I am very disappointed if im over by more than €2.
 
becky said:
I use my phone calculator. If I'm short i gave a few hours to items. If I'm short I have a few go to items or I'll ask to put through an item twice. I am very disappointed if im over by more than €2.
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Same as I do a running tally in my head if I am under will get the person on the till to take a second whatever and pay and move on. I recently had the experience of somebody going off wandering getting bits. I try to be patient but it’s bothersome you need to have yourself together and try and be efficient.

Why would it be annoying to take something a second time particularly if it’s a regular item you use? I always have a mental note of what the plan is if I am a couple of euro under. All that said when I bring my elderly father shopping and he takes out his cash to pay and wants to give change to get notes back I am often mortified. Let alone if there is only self service and only some tills take cash more being card only.

Grocery shopping is not for the faint hearted I feel sorry for folks that struggle, some are rocking it but for frail elderly getting parking, getting a smaller trolley, dealing with self service tills, and all the other bits its tough. I try to suggest us doing an online shop but he likes to see what’s what in terms of fruit etc and also it’s an opportunity to get out of the house. The vouchers is probably a step too far to navigate on his own but he does like it and so generally thats my job. All of this said my experience of staff in Dunnes in dealing with him is top notch they are really patient.
 
Kev1964 said:
I’m inordinately pleased with myself when I get to within a euro of target
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Yes, I do something similar, like card counting, 10c up here an 15c down there. My checkout person has suggested the RyanAir fanfare when “we” get exactly €50! The bottle/can deposits have added an extra layer of complexity.
 
In Dunnes, I try to pick the checkout beside the batteries or toilet rolls, tissues, kitchen foil etc so if I am a few euros short I have something I will eventually use in easy reach. Or if the coffee\tea I use is on offer I'll bring a spare one and leave it behind if at the voucher limit.
(store layout dependent)
 
JoeRoberts said:
There is nothing of nutritional value in any of the returnable items , think of the money you would save by taking that out of your weekly shop.
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??

I am hoping that there's someone behind me with 1 or 2 bottles and they couldn't be bother waiting and I get an extra 30c to go with the €10 worth of refund that I get from my big black bag ;)
 
Recently I have been shopping with 2 trolleys; one for my family shop and another for my elderly parents; have separate vouchers for each shop - head wrecking trying to maintain 2 separate tallies in my head!
 
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