Following on from my ponderings on the benefits of shopping around I’ve started to realise how much more money I spend on my grocery shopping when I pick up ‘a few bits’ each day from my local shops, whether it be Tesco Express or the Co op. It took me several months to realise that the prices in my local Tesco Express are more than those of the main Tesco in town – of course they are – it’s the cost of convenience. Not only that, but because the local little shops obviously can’t hold as much stock as the main supermarkets I often find myself buying items I wouldn’t normally get from the larger stores, which again costs more money.

Ok, it’s handy to be able to pop out down the road when you run out of bread, you need some cat food or some unexpected visitors pop by and you want to offer them a biscuit with their tea. The problem is I’ve started to begrudge every extra penny I’m spending! Don’t get me know, I’m no penny pinching miser (honest!), but since I’ve been at home looking after my children I’ve become more aware of the cost of living and more conscious of the money I spend each day. It’s just difficult to pick up 6 yoghurts for the kids for £1.50, knowing I could get 18 for that price at the big supermarket. I know, I know, if you’re really going to do a cost comparison you have to factor in costs of petrol (although I walk almost everywhere!), but I just worry that convenient shopping could be having a less than positive effect on my bank balance. Anyway, must dash, we’ve just run out of milk…