Big supermarkets

I have grown tired of spending far too much in my local supermarket and seemingly getting not much in my trolley. So last week I sat and wrote a shopping list for a month's supplies of 'staples'. I've decided that I will allow myself visits to the butchers and veg shop. And to the bakery for 'emergency' bread and milk. But nothing else. For me this is a big deal.

Anyway I went down to try my local butcher - a nice guy who told me about where the free range chickens came from and how he was trying to source decent organic meat. It's not perfect - but it is pretty close and he even held the door open as I left so I could manage the stroller and toddler!

But the thing is I am fed up with supermarkets. Meat comes heavily packaged. And I have no idea where it comes from. And when I want to get the milk I have to walk all the way round of course with toddler in tow and pushing the stroller just to buy a few dollars worth! There's lollies at the checkouts and bright eat-me-now packaged goodies on every shelf at toddler height - lollies, chocs, pink-iced buns, biscuits, cakes, chippies, flavoured popcorn...

Why do I put myself through it every week? So this month is an experiment. How much will it save me or cost me - to do the one big monthly shop and then to use the local suppliers?

I think that this is the start of the decline of the big impersonal supermarket and the rise of the local specialist. I will let you know the results of the experiment in the new year.